Staffing Audit Burns Fire Dept. : Appalling record on minorities and women must be improved quickly

It is, by now, a story that should not have to be told again. After 20 years of affirmative action policies in the Los Angeles Fire Department, women and minorities are still subjected to widespread sexual and racial harassment and have been all but excluded from top posts, according to a city audit.

Fire Chief Donald O. Manning disputes these charges and defends his department’s record of hiring since the department signed a federal consent decree in 1974 to end a discrimination lawsuit.

The audit is extremely disturbing. Among its findings:

Of the 20 top department posts, 95% are held by white men and none are held by Asian Americans, blacks or women. Minority representation in those ranks has dropped since 1990.

At eight stations, women and minority firefighters reported significant hostility. Many said they were ostracized and given inadequate training. At other stations, Latino and black firefighters were subjected to racial epithets and women suffered physical and emotional harassment.

Is it any wonder the attrition rate for minorities and women has been much higher than that of white males?

Though in recent years it has become more diverse, the department must do better (currently, the figures are 62% white, 23% Latino, 11% black, 4% Asian and 3% female). If the force is to achieve real diversity, a better job of fostering understanding needs to be done.

Manning is caught in a cross fire. The addition of nonwhite and female firefighters has stirred up resentment in the 3,000-member firefighters union. A poll conducted last spring found “an overwhelming lack of confidence” in the chief because union members believe he has lowered hiring standards.

Manning now faces a huge challenge. He must rid his force of those individuals engaging in harassment and other unacceptable behavior. He says he needs $2 million from the city to improve the department’s performance. We wonder whether sharper scrutiny from the Fire Commission, the department’s putative boss, might be as effective.