More African-Americans apply to become cops, but few make it to finish line

In 2017, the police department hired whites and Latinos at rates more than double that of African-Americans, who made up just 17 percent of the total 1,126 new hires.

It’s not that blacks shy away from seeking police jobs. A Chicago Reporter examination of police hiring data going back to 2013 – the most complete recruitment records available – shows that many African-Americans have applied to the force in recent years. They just haven’t been hired, hurting efforts to further diversify the department as it struggles to improve its relationship with black communities.

Of more than 8,000 black applicants, nearly 30 percent didn’t show up for the written entrance exam, the first step in the recruitment process, while 17 percent failed the test, according to data analyzed by the Reporter. Many applicants who passed the test later dropped out of the process, which includes an extensive background check and physical, psychological and drug tests.

In some policing circles, the prevailing sentiment has been that few African-Americans were interested in joining the force. But the five-year data indicate a different story: When it comes to cultivating black candidates, the issue may be retention, not recruitment, in a multistep process that can take years.

“You can’t just recruit,” said Shari Runner, the chief executive for the Chicago Urban League, whose organization has been active in police reform. “You can’t just say we’ve got thousands of applications from African-Americans or people of color without really understanding what the culture is that allows people to succeed in [finishing the process] and then move forward.”

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