Advertisement

Minority Officers Vote 'No Confidence' In Menino

A coalition of minority police officers has taken a vote of no confidence in Mayor Thomas Menino, saying the Boston Police Department lacks diversity among its high-ranking officers.

After taking the vote, the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, or MAMLEO, said it will picket Menino until the Nov. 3 mayoral election.

"There's been nothing done by the city, by the police department, to keep the police department in line with its population," said Larry Ellison, a Boston police detective and president of MAMLEO.

Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said he had just met with the group and was surprised by the vote.

Davis said 32 percent of officers in the department are minorities, a relatively high number, but allowed that diversity in the department's higher ranks continues to be limited by the state-administered police exam.

"There clearly can be a better testing process," Davis said. "We agree with MAMLEO on that issue and we're working hard to make that a reality, but it takes time."

Davis added that the number of minorities taking the exams is increasing.

This program aired on October 19, 2009. The audio for this program is not available.

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close