The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint on October 11 in the United States District Court for the North District of Indiana alleging that the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Specifically, the DOJ accuses the SBPD of using a written test and physical fitness test to screen police officer applicants, which results in disparate acceptance rates for African Americans and women, respectively.
The SBPD uses a written exam developed by the Indiana-based company Testing For Public Safety, LLC. The city of South Bend says the DOJ's lawsuit unfairly "attacks the SBPD's written test, which is…similar to written tests in other Indiana police departments, including the Indiana State Police," reports WSBT22.
