The Gotham Gazette reports that a federal judge yesterday appointed a monitor to oversee the Fire Department’s hiring practices, which were found to discriminate against black and Hispanic applicants.
U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis chose Mark Cohen, a former Brooklyn federal prosecutor and the co-founder of the white-collar defense firm Cohen & Gresser. He was picked from a list of 12 candidates. Although both the city and the plaintiffs in the case that led to this ruling submitted names, neither had chosen Cohen. Still, neither are opposed, reports GG.
The city doesn’t believe it requires a monitor and plans to appeal the ruling.
I think the city is foolish to spend precious tax dollars to appeal Judge Garaufis’ appointment of a special monitor. Last month, I published a post criticizing the Bloomberg Administration‘s turning a blind eye to the discrimination in FDNY hiring practices. For 40 years, the Bloomberg Administration and five previous mayors allowed the FDNY to flout the law and run the department as though it were a family-owned business.
Judge Garaufis’ ruling says no public agency is above the law and requires federal court monitoring for ten years.
Related articles: FDNY: Black, White and Transgender
Do you agree with Judge Garaufis’ appointing a federal monitor to oversee the FDNY? Leave a comment.