Police Recruit Class Fails to Reflect Worcester’s Population

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

GoLocalWorcester News Team

The newest class of recruits to the Worcester Police Department have a higher percentage of Latinos and women than the previous class in 2013, but this year’s class has no African-Americans and does not come close to reflect the population of the City.

For Worcester, a City that recently named its first diversity officer — Dr. Malika Carter to the post, the numbers show little improvement.

"Being an increasingly diverse city, it's important we recruit a workforce that reflects the community we serve," said City Manager Ed Augustus. "I believe this position will be critical in making sure that happens." But, the composition of the class does not come close to reflecting any aspect of the City’s population.

The lack of diversity for the City of Worcester is not new and what is disturbing is that it's not improving. As Professor Ravi Perry wrote a column in GoLocalWorcester back in 2012, “Worcester, we have a problem. It’s a problem that is rooted in decades of injustice and centuries of ignorance. It’s a problem that affects us all. It’s a problem we must all own. The problem centers around diversity. And I don’t just mean the black and white binary. While that binary lends credence to all related contexts in terms of substantive action and legal protections, it is but one example.”

Boston in contrast has a police department that over indexes for white police and African-American officers than the population. A New York Times analysis of police departments across the country found that Boston's population is 47 percent white and the police department is 65 percent white. The percentage of African-American officers not only reflects Boston's African-American population, but exceeds its 25 percent of the police force and 22 percent of the population. In Boston, Asians and Latinos are underrepresented on the police force.

African American - Shut Out of the Police Class

It may be Black History month, but the opportunity for African-Americans has always been poor and in the 2016 Police recruit class there are zero candidates in the class. Despite 13.6 percent of Worcester’s population being African-American and the 2013 class having 7.7 percent members, the complete lack of African-American members is clear example of Worcester’s inability to create a more diverse workforce.

Women - Under Represented by 300%

Female population is 51.3 percent of the City’s population, but in this year’s police recruit class the percentage of women is just 14.2 percent. Moreover, the number of women in Worcester in the 25-29 year old age group, the percentage of women is 10 percent higher. Women are under represented by over 300 percent.

Latino - Mirrors City Population

The percentage of Latinos in this year’s class is the only racial of gender group that is consistent with the make up of Worcester’s population.

The percentage of Latinos in the police classes increased from 7.7 percent in the 2013 class to 23 percent in the 2016 class.

Worcester’s Latino population is 21 percent.

Not Much Improvement

As Perry wrote, “The fact is Worcester’s city manager and staff are not doing enough to fix the problem. Despite slaps on the wrist by council members at various stages of his review through his tenure, City Manager O’Brien has done very little to solve the obvious problem. The city is now roughly comprised of a 35% person of color population; with Latino/as leading the way, persons of African (including American) descent, and Asian (including American) descent fall shortly behind.

Yet, as of 2010 at least, the city’s own data reported to the federal government concerning the diversity of the city’s workforce proves a 10% minority city workforce.”

HERE ARE THE NUMBERS:

Women in 2013: 7.7%

Women in 2016: 14.2%

Racial Minorities

Overall 2013 23%

Overall 2016 23%

African-American 2013 7.7%

African-American 2016 0%

March 2012

The Worcester Telegram had reported that the Worcester Police were one of a group of local police departments that were presenting challenges to the public in regards to looking at police logs, something that is public record by law.

Read more here