Mayor Joe Ganim Wednesday night issued the oath to 26 graduates of the Bridgeport Police Academy. Rebeca Garcia who commanded the training division was also sworn in as assistant police chief becoming the first Hispanic woman to occupy the department’s number two position.
Police Chief AJ Perez says Garcia will “change the dynamics” of the police department.
Steve Krauchick from Doing It Local provides video coverage above.
According to Assistant Chief Garcia the incoming class “hosted at least 5 community-based events during their academy days. Of extreme importance to recognize is the fact that class #41 is also the first in the State of CT to have the Officer Wellness (Heart 911) class (6wks/2 hours per week) as part of their curriculum. We are proud of what these officers have done to serve the community and look forward to having them build stronger relations within the department and with the residents of Bridgeport”.
Class breakdown:
Gender:
— Male: 19
— Female: 7
Ethnicity:
— African American: 5
— Hispanic: 11
— Caucasian: 10
Residency:
— Resident: 14
— Non-Resident: 12
Lennie, what’s the racial makeup of the police class, how many are women and how many of the 26 are Bridgeport residents?
DD, Gender:
Male 19
Female 7
Ethnicity:
African American 5; Hispanic 11; Caucasian 10
Bridgeport residents 14, non-residents 12
Lennie, the new class of firefighters are already working at different firehouses, what’s the racial makeup of the firefighters class, how many are women and how many are Bridgeport residents?
Ron, according to Chief Thode, new fire class of 13 all male. All are city residents. Six African American, five Hispanic, two Caucasian. The chief also reports a number of women candidates who have passed the CPAT agility test will be represented in future classes.
so that’s close to a half million dollars not living in Bridgeport?
My Bad way more with the OT
Lennie, are there any Norwegians in this Police class of 26?
Yes, Sonny, along with several Vikings settling in Black Rock.
I would like to address a very serious and long running problem.
The City Council Monday night approved the appointment letter of Captain Rebeca Garcia to assistant chief that elevates her the highest ranking Hispanic woman in department history and the second woman to hold that position. The vote was 18 to 1 with new councilor Maria Pereira the lone no vote. Mayor Joe Ganim Wednesday night issued the oath to 26 graduates of the Bridgeport Police Academy with 7 females graduates. According to Fire Chief Thode, the new fire class of 13 all male. The Bridgeport Fire Department has NOT hired a female of any race in TWELVE (12) years, that’s right, 12 years. Why is it the City Police Department can hire females and there are graduates in every class but the City’s Fire Department can’t hire ONE? The Bridgeport City Council has 13 female members out of the 20 council members, 65% of the City Council are females. Why, why, why, why, can’t the City hire women to be firefighters? The Fire Department and the Police Department should reflex the makeup of the citizens the work for. How can the City makeup for the past 12 years of NO females being hired? What is Mayor Ganim and Fire Chief Richard Thode are doing to correct this discriminatory hiring process. Under federal law, an employer cannot lllegally discriminate in hiring process based on job applicant’s race, national origin, gender, age or religion. I ask that you seek out the reason why and what corrective action will be taken. Bridgeport women are being discriminated and no one is speaking out for these women, they should be able to have a career as a firefighter so that can provide for their family and to be a role model for other women of all ages and race.
City Council President: Aidee Nieves.
Majority Leader: Eneida Martinez.
Deputy Majority Leader: Jeanette Herron.
Deputy Majority Leader: Michelle Lyons.
Sgt. At Arms: Rosalina Roman-Christy.
Denese Taylor-Moye
Evette Brantley
AmyMarie Vizzo-Paniccia
Mary A. McBride-Lee
Maria Zambrano Viggiano
Maria I. Valle
Maria H. Pereira
Samia Suliman
Ron
I don’t disagree with you about Women not being on the fire department please explain to me @WHY THE UNION HAS NOT SAID A WORD NOR THE FIREBIRDS OR THE HISPANIC SOCIETY Of Firefighters. Its always why hasn’t the City Council said anything. I submitted something to the contracts committee which i co-chair on making the chairs of contracts a part of the negotiation on labor contracts so we can fight to make sure Woman and Minorities are promoted and hired in our Police and fire departments.We must continue fighting for residency Bridgeport First!
Ernie, citizens who are candidates for the firefighter exam are NOT dues paying members so they are not covered under union contracts. Firefighter union does NOT want their dues paying members to take any type of physical agility test after they are hired. When CPAT was design it was for a wellness program to keep firefighter physically fit and to accomplish that task physical equipment must be available at each firehouse so firefighters could workout to be physically fit during their career but Bridgeport took just one part of the wellness program and that was the Candidate Physical Ability Test. Here in Bridgeport if a candidate pass the CPAT exam and they are hired they will never have to take that test again, in fact the male candidate could in shape just like LeBron James and one year later he look like Charles Barkley as far as physical fitness.
Ernie, I believe Bridgeport apply and received federal funding for hiring to give the CPAT exam under the US Department of Homeland Security – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) which has Civil Rights protection against discrimination by gender, race and age.
Ron how many females actually took the test?
I don’t know how many females took the firefighter exam but I do know with the past history of giving entry level firefighters exams for over 12 years with no females ever being hired tells women why should they take future test when no females ever get hired.
In the entire history of the Bridgeport Fire Department NO females have ever been hired who had to passed the CPAT exam, NOT ONE. If something is not broken then what is there to fix, better yet, is there a problem with the current female firefighters in performing for their duties as firefighters who didn’t have to take the CPAT exam to get hired?
As a Lieutenant I NEVER had a problem with any female firefighter in performing their job. How many years does it take before the mayor, the fire chief and the City Council realize that there’s a problem with NO females being hired in the past 12 years as firefighters? The best answer to solve this problem would be a federal lawsuit. Below is what the City of Bridgeport is in violation of, “Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.”
“Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures”
Section 3: Discrimination defined: Relationship between use of selection procedures and discrimination.
A. Procedure having adverse impact constitutes discrimination unless justified.
The use of any selection procedure which has an adverse impact on the hiring, promotion, or other employment or membership opportunities of members of any race, sex, or ethnic group will be considered to be discriminatory and inconsistent with these guidelines, unless the procedure has been validated in accordance with these guidelines, or the provisions of section 6 of this part are satisfied.
B. Consideration of suitable alternative selection procedures.
Where two or more selection procedures are available which serve the user’s legitimate interest in efficient and trustworthy workmanship, and which are substantially equally valid for a given purpose, the user should use the procedure which has been demonstrated to have the lesser adverse impact. Accordingly, whenever a validity study is called for by these guidelines, the user should include, as a part of the validity study, an investigation of suitable alternative selection procedures and suitable alternative methods of using the selection procedure which have as little adverse impact as possible, to determine the appropriateness of using or validating them in accord with these guidelines. If a user has made a reasonable effort to become aware of such alternative procedures and validity has been demonstrated in accord with these guidelines, the use of the test or other selection procedure may continue until such time as it should reasonably be reviewed for currency.
Whenever the user is shown an alternative selection procedure with evidence of less adverse impact and substantial evidence of validity for the same job in similar circumstances, the user should investigate it to determine the appropriateness of using or validating it in accord with these guidelines. This subsection is not intended to preclude the combination of procedures into a significantly more valid procedure, if the use of such a combination has been shown to be in compliance with the guidelines.
Coach T, the number of females that took the test isn’t the problem. The problem is when the fire department under the guidance of acting director of Civil Service David Dunn changed the physical agility exam to CPAT. (Candidate Physical Agility Test) No females from that point on were never hired again because they couldn’t pass CPAT like women across the country.
There is no fire department in the country that uses CPAT can effectively hire female, with no exceptions. Bridgeport had hired female firefighters for 30 consecutive years and as a retired company officer who had the pleasure of having females on my company they all, without exceptions performed flawlessly. David Dunn switches to CPAT and NO OTHER females are ever hired again, NONE! There is not one woman on the BFD today that had to take CPAT yet I’m told you have a Fire Marshall, a Lieutenant and a Pumper Engineer all doing quite well. Get rid of David Dunn, get rid of CPAT and I can assure you that females will once again take their rightful place among the ranks of the Bridgeport Fire Department.
Shouldn’t candidates have to take a physical agility test to get hired? I’m guessing it’s a very physical demanding job…… Just sayin’.
Frank, of course there needs to be a a physical exam, Hartford and New Haven don’t use CPAT and they have no problem in hiring women and women passing promotional exams. Bridgeport had no problem with women passing the physical exam so why did they change the process?
Frank, it is a physically demanding job and Bridgeport use to give its own physical agility exam that women passed and it didn’t stop them from being quality firefighters. David Dunn quit using that exam and changed to CPAT which was never meant to be a hiring physical agility exam, instead it was a wellness exam for existing firefighters.
CPAT has proven that it discriminates against women in every city that uses it because it measures only upper body strength which I found isn’t very necessary to be a firefighter. Let me repeat this Frank, No City That Uses CPAT has ever effectively hired women because of its stringent demands and in fact the failure rate for men is extremely high compared to other physical agility exams.
Fire Chief Thode and David Dunn knows this and the only reason it’s still being used is to eliminate women from the process! Young ladies that aspire to be a firefighter deserve to see women as firefighters and as role models and the demise of women firefighters on the BFD shouldn’t be left to the devices of two white men who obviously are misogynist.
Don, as you know Chief Thode didn’t have to pass a CPAT test to get hired, so if it that system was good for him then what was broken in his physical agility test that needed to be fix? Is there a problem in the Bridgeport Fire Department with firefighters not performing their duties? If there is a problem with firefighters not performing their physical duties then what is the City doing about that? Most new candidates who are getting ready to take a entry level fire exam are younger and more than likely in better physical condition than a firefighter who has been a firefighter for over 10 years.
This sounds like something maybe the firebirds can lead the charge on and head to federal court. PD has oversight of a Special master for like 30 years so this sort of thing didn’t happen. I’m NOT a Dave Dunn fan…. he’s in the same category as Mark Anastasi. Nothing good has ever happened since they been at the wheel.
Frank, as you know the PD had oversight of a Special master but not any longer. As for David Dunn he is the WORST person to ever work in Bridgeport city government, he’s someone that when dealing with unions that doesn’t deal in good faith, he will misrepresent issues, he’ll lie, he’s dishonest. Frank, yes, you can put Mark Anastasi in the same category as David Dunn. Nothing good has ever happened since they been at the wheel.
Ron & Don
Should I draft up a resolution doing away with CPAT Test and instituting a self administered Physical Agility Test?
Let’s see you is first to submit it. Ernie? Maria? And no changes allowed by Mark.
Bob, who among thee has the intestinal fortitude to submit such a resolution that would bring women back to their rightful place among the ranks of the Bridgeport Fire Department? They haven’t hired a woman in over twelve years and in another twelve years there will be NO women left on the BFD to serve as a role models for young ladies. That a DAMN SHAME Chief Thode, David Dunn and Mayor Ganim! DAMN SHAME!
Bob, yes, without a doubt, also a resident law that for entry level exam that you MUST be a bonafide Bridgeport resident for one year prior to the date of the exam.
Frank, the police gave away their Special Master several years ago. As part President of the Firebird Society and one of its founders I can say unequivocally that the Firebird Society of my youth are not the same as those of today. We had a Social Consciousness and poor sense of defeat so we fought hard and we fought together. These young Brother’s and Sister’s only care about making money and being liked. We were not distracted be criticism, remembering, the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.
We were busy Casting light on the darkness of uncertainty and racism. It’s been twelve years since they’ve hired a woman on the BFD and as you and everyone else can see the only people that are concerned about this travesty of justice is Ron and myself. Not one politican, not one female city council person, not Mayor Ganim, not one person in a leadership capacity for the city of Bridgeport. Just Ron and myself!
Don, there’s absolutely nothing in this for us, nothing but caring and seeking justice.
Ron let me play devil’s advocate here. The city switched to the CPAT testing for all candidates including women. Then knowing this shame on the female candidates for not being physically ready to pass it. I would have physically fit candidates from day one than working them into shape, especially a position like a firefighter that is physically demanding. Just saying.
Jose, we all want firefighters and candidates to be physically fit. There are guidelines for hiring and testing, the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Hiring Selection Procedure spells out if a test has disparate impact that discriminate then a alternative selection procedure should be used. The question should be about the physical condition of current firefighters.
Jose, CPAT is an unrealistic physical standard that has nothing to do with a person’s physical ability to be a firefighter. There’s not a woman on the BFD that had to take CPAT to be a firefighter, yet you have a Lieutenant, an Engineer, a Fire Marshal and female firefighters who all serve with pride and honor and who all did/do the same job at a fire that every man does!
If there isn’t/ wasn’t a problem with respect to women firefighters being physically capable as men to do the job then why the need to change to CPAT if your motives weren’t to reduce or eliminate women from the Fire Service? Jose, forty years ago Black and Puerto Rican men were the women of our time.
Don and Ron you guys had a demanding job as firefighters. The fact that Bridgeport has raised the standard to become a firefighter by applying the CPAT test should be commended. And here’s why. If a female desires to be a firefighter in Bridgeport then she should prepare herself physically as I stated in my prior comment. When I applied for the K9 unit the State Police standard included being able to get a heavy bag over a 6ft wall without dropping it. This was to simulate having to get your K9 partner over such an obstacle. My class included a female trooper who had to pass those same standards as the men. So why would Bridgeport lower the standards just to have female firefighters. Either you can do it or you can’t. This is a reminder of what affirmative action became. It started as a good thing to get qualified minorities into positions such as police officer and firefighter and then they seemed to forget the word qualified and hired persons to fill a quota and that is the wrong approach. Take care gentlemen.
Jose, they aren’t lowering the standards for women, they are changing the standards for women! Jose, as I said before, CPAT is an unrealistic physical standard that has nothing to do with a person’s physical ability to be a firefighter. In my ten years as a company officer I’ve never worked with a woman that wasn’t physically fit to do the job, NONE! There are fat ass MEN firefighters on the job today that can not pass CPAT if their lives depended upon it!
Jose, that lower that standard bullshit is what they said about the Bridgeport 26, the largest class of Black and Puerto Rican firefighters in the history of the Bridgeport Fire Department. They said that about us until we were able to take promotional exam where I was the 1st non- white to come out in the top two on my captain’s exam. They said that until Ron and I ran study groups for the Firebird Society where we were less than 15% of the department yet took over 40% of every tested position. We sued the Fire Department three times and won three times, not because we wanted the standards lowered, but because we just wanted them to be fair and to quit changing the rules on us. That’s all we are saying with respect to women, a fair opportunity and to quit changing the rules. David Dunn wasn’t looking to make the department better, he was looking to make the department whiter! So far he’s winning!
Jose, you alluded to the exam for the K9 Corps and being able to get a heavy bag over a 6ft wall without dropping it. You went further when you said, “a female trooper who had to pass those same standards as the men. What if they added twice as much weight to the heavy bag, would that be lowering the standards or would that be changing the standards? Would one’s ability to lift that new weighted heavy bag be better for the K9 Corps if everyone could lift this heavier weight? HELL NO! All it does is eliminate a segment of the population that would/could be a great member of the K9 Corps had this new restriction of a heavier weight.
That analogy and CPAT are two sides of the same coin.
Don once again the standards for the K9 corps was the same for both male and female. If you wanted to be a K9 Officer you had to pass that standard period. Whether you were a male or female when you were called to assist officers with your K9 partner it was no different. When you fight a fire a woman’s role is the same as the man’s. Then you eluded to Mr. Dunn just trying to make the department whiter. Now what you’re saying is that whites are more physically fit than minorities. Come on man at the end of the day if you truly want to be a firefighter you will prepare yourself to do so. As for the fat asses in the department who you said probably couldn’t pass a CPAT test, blame the union for not agreeing to a Cooper’s standard every couple of years to ensure that its members are fit to do the job.
Jose, if something not broken then what are you fixing when you change the test, ij other words, the City had a physical test where females and males passed and females were hired, so why the change to CPAT? There were no complaints about females or males not being physically fit and performing their duties, again why the change? Volunteer fire department are about 99% or better are white, plus these volunteer fire department are able to train for the CPAT exam because they have the training facilities where they can train every day if they want to pass the CPAT exam something that Bridgeport doesn’t have. Jose, there you have it, one test cuts down females and blacks. At what point does David Dunn, the fire chief and Mayor Ganim say, wait a minute, how come women are being hired. Bridgeport is a largely majority city of color but those but serve them as firefighters white, plus the Bridgeport Fire Department HAS NEVER HAD A BLACK FIRE CHIEF running the entire department. Bridgeport has had black and Hispanics running the Police Department and the same for the Bridgeport Board Of Education but NEVER in the Bridgeport Fire Department, again, why?
Jose, C’mon man did you read my posts about CPAT or did you just pick out things that would buttress your belief that it’s all fair and women are to blame. Did you not read my analogy about the K9 adding more weight to the heavy bag and how that would eliminate women under the guise of a better firefighter? I see that there is no point in trying to make you understand and that you’ve drank the Kool aid of it’s all fair! My hope is that your daughter never aspires to be a Bridgeport firefighter because her dream will die as unattainable as of those women for the last twelve years. You’ve benefited from having that special master that made sure things were fair for officers of color and I can see that you’ve now shut the door of fair play for others, especially women!
Donald all I hear is excuses for not being ready to do what is required. If you know that passing the CPAT test is what is necessary to move on in the process then prep yourself to do so period. Sorry but there are no excuses. And no the female trooper lifted the same heavy bag everyone else had to lift. Like Nike says Just do it.
Jose Reyes, you never answered anything that I said and talking about excuses, what was the reason for changing the physical exam from the beginning?
Jose, let me slow it down for you because it seems as if you’re having a problem with comprehension.
You had a test for the K9 Corp that involved lifting a heavy bag over a wall and every person man or woman had the same test. RIGHT?Let’s say the heavy bag weighs 75lbs. Let’s say they changed the weight of the heavy bag to 150lb! Are you still with me? Is this change necessary because you don’t have a 150lb dog, so to change the weight would be a capricious, unnecessary and wrong? Even you can concede that changing for the sake of changing is wrong, immoral and unjust, RIGHT, MAYBE? Go ahead Jose, I’m waiting!
Jose Reyes, try reading what the standards are for testing, read it slowly.
“Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures”
Section 3: Discrimination defined: Relationship between use of selection procedures and discrimination.
A. Procedure having adverse impact constitutes discrimination unless justified.
The use of any selection procedure which has an adverse impact on the hiring, promotion, or other employment or membership opportunities of members of any race, sex, or ethnic group will be considered to be discriminatory and inconsistent with these guidelines, unless the procedure has been validated in accordance with these guidelines, or the provisions of section 6 of this part are satisfied.
B. Consideration of suitable alternative selection procedures.
Where two or more selection procedures are available which serve the user’s legitimate interest in efficient and trustworthy workmanship, and which are substantially equally valid for a given purpose, the user should use the procedure which has been demonstrated to have the lesser adverse impact. Accordingly, whenever a validity study is called for by these guidelines, the user should include, as a part of the validity study, an investigation of suitable alternative selection procedures and suitable alternative methods of using the selection procedure which have as little adverse impact as possible, to determine the appropriateness of using or validating them in accord with these guidelines. If a user has made a reasonable effort to become aware of such alternative procedures and validity has been demonstrated in accord with these guidelines, the use of the test or other selection procedure may continue until such time as it should reasonably be reviewed for currency.
Whenever the user is shown an alternative selection procedure with evidence of less adverse impact and substantial evidence of validity for the same job in similar circumstances, the user should investigate it to determine the appropriateness of using or validating it in accord with these guidelines. This subsection is not intended to preclude the combination of procedures into a significantly more valid procedure, if the use of such a combination has been shown to be in compliance with the guidelines.
Okay Ron and Don your latest excuse. Volunteer firefighters are mostly white and have facilities to let them prepare for the CPAT test. Gentlemen it’s called get yourself a membership to a gym and get your butt in shape for the test. As a minority nothing bothers me more than when fellow minorities make excuses for not getting what they want. You can pull up all the language and guidelines you want. In the end it’s up to the individual to prepare themselves to pass the test. This has definitely become a snowflake generation. I’ll just say we can agree to disagree gentlemen. Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family.