Critics say more needs to change before Denton will get its first black firefighter

07:09 AM CST on Friday, December 16, 2005

By Cliff Despres / Staff Writer

A civil service test Saturday is Denton’s best chance in years to hire its first black firefighter, city officials say, but critics say they won’t believe it until they see it.

About 118 black certified firefighters, out of 613 in all, signed up for the test. Test scores determine a list the city will use to fill at least 15 jobs. In Denton’s last test, for non-certified candidates only, only 25 of 644 test-takers were black.

The boost in black participation is thanks to $24,000 worth of ads on a Dallas radio station with a primarily black audience, said Fire Chief Ross Chadwick.

He said he hopes the ads can help diversify his 97-percent white department.

But Willie Hudspeth, a steadfast critic of the city for never having hired a black firefighter, isn’t as optimistic.

“The percentages will show that it [more blacks taking the test] is a good thing. But this test is so skewed toward the white race, I don’t think one of the African-Americans will pass with the required grade,” said Hudspeth, who plans to protest outside the Denton test location Saturday. The test also is being given simultaneously in Hous­ton. “Denton puts the test up way too high in their hiring process.”

Hudspeth has never even seen the test, Chadwick said.

Chadwick has offered to show him, because he says the test is “minority friendly” and that the city has worked hard in recent years to diversify the department, but Hudspeth hasn’t obliged. Hudspeth said he plans to do so soon.

But for now, hiring a black firefighter hinges on Saturday’s test.

City Council member Charlye Heggins is hopeful.

“I know it’s been a long time coming, but it’s coming to fruition. If it’s one, two or three black firefighters, that’s a start,” she said. “You have to crawl before you can walk.”

Looking for test-takers

Fewer than 4 percent of the city fire department’s more than 140 workers — civil and non-civil service — are non-white, according to 2004 statistics.

The city has no black firefighters.

Local blacks haven’t expressed much interest in becoming firefighters, Chadwick said. Community leaders are unsure if blacks don’t feel welcomed by the city or if their culture impacts their low interest level.

But Denton has tried to diversify, nonetheless, he said.

The department has conducted off-site tests at minority colleges and formed a diversity task force to hand out fliers and conduct test study sessions in minority neighborhoods.

Last month, the city readied several new programs, including a fire-cadet training program and marketing, funded by $275,000 the city expects to save by giving Saturday’s test to certified — already trained — firefighters and paramedics.

Part of that money helped air 144 advertisements about the civil service test over 45 days this fall on radio station KKDA-FM (104.5), which plays urban music.

Word of mouth spread, thanks to the ads, and several regional firefighters and some from New Orleans are expected to come take the test, Chadwick said.

“We were amazed at the response. We had 10 to 20 calls a day,” he said.

‘What’s a homegirl?’

Hudspeth, however, said nothing would change as long as the city uses hiring tests.

Denton uses civil service to govern firefighter hiring, promotion, discipline, salary and benefits. A standardized test generates a hiring eligibility list. The city must hire those who score highest on the test, but some are disqualified after background checks.

The test aims to make hiring and promotions free of subjectivity or political influence, but it also disallows the city from handpicking candidates to hire, city officials say.

The city purchased its test, which has four similar versions, in 2003.

Many cities use the same exam, which tests “basic intelligence” in math and reading, Chadwick said.

The city lists several practice test questions on its Web site, such as: “In 1984, there were 312 structure fires in Oregon. In 1985, the number of structure fires in the state decreased by 26. By what percentage did structure fires decrease in Oregon?”

Chadwick said he’s offered for any interested parties to take the actual test or view it.

He said only Lou Lowther, a white woman and self-proclaimed interested party, has viewed the test. She has said the test isn’t culturally biased.

None of the city’s minority firefighters have complained about the test, Chadwick said.

“Everybody who’s ever looked at it hasn’t really seen a problem with it,” he said.

But Hudspeth said past test-takers, including his son, told him it has questions that are stated in such a way as to favor white candidates over minorities.

Hudspeth said he’d soon take the test, but has been too busy until now.

He said he found a test on the Internet that is skewed in favor of minorities.

A city firefighter, Mark Klingele, has agreed to take that test, Hudspeth said.

“It has questions like, ‘What’s a homegirl?’” Hudspeth said.

Future options

Hudspeth is urging city officials to change their civil service rules, which would take a charter amendment election. Other residents, including Lowther and Carolyn Phillips, head of a local minority neighborhood association, want the city to hire a consultant to review the fire department.

City officials say they’re continuing to examine such issues, but they don’t expect to stray from civil service rules.

So for now, diversifying the department rests in the hands of test-takers.

And Saturday’s test is a big one. It will generate a hiring eligibility list for a handful of expected retirements and 15 firefighter jobs for the city’s planned Fire Station No. 7.

“We’re trying” to diversify, Heggins said. “I’m not going to give up.”

CLIFF DESPRES can be reached at 940-566-6876. His e-mail address is cdespres@dentonrc.com.

CIVIL SERVICE TEST

What: A test for Denton firefighter candidates

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Lyceum at the Uni­ver­sity of North Texas, 410 Ave. A, Denton, and the Hilton University of Houston Conference Center, 4800 Calhoun Road, Houston

Details: Certified firefighters had to register with the city by Dec. 3 to take the test. People who score a 70 or higher on the test will be included on an official hiring eligibility list. The highest scores will get first consideration to fill upcoming firefighter job openings.

SOURCE: Denton Fire Department