The Lowell Sun
BOSTON — Nine black Boston police supervisors have filed a federal lawsuit in which they claim they were denied advancement because of a discriminatory promotion exam.
The supervisors are suing the city, demanding that it scrap the multiple-choice lieutenant’s test. Black and Latino officers historically fare worse on the exams than white and Asian candidates.
Harold Lichten, the lawyer for the officers, tells The Boston Globe that of the department’s 51 lieutenants, there are two black men and one Asian man.
Of the department’s captains, the next highest rank, only one of 23 is black.
A city lawyer says he had not been served with the lawsuit and could not comment. A police department spokeswoman also refused comment.
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