Pam Bondi Directs Justice Department to End Lawsuits That Challenged Standard Hiring Tests for Firefighters and Police Officers in U.S. Cities

The Shift in Hiring Standards for Public Safety Jobs

This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi made a significant move by instructing the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to dismiss lawsuits targeting various cities across the country.

These lawsuits, which were originally filed under the previous administration, focused on the hiring practices of police and fire departments.

Specifically, the lawsuits took aim at these departments for using standard aptitude tests to evaluate candidates for firefighting and police officer roles.

Merit Over Quotas

In a statement, Attorney General Bondi emphasized that American communities deserve to have their firefighters and police officers selected based on their skills and commitment to public safety—rather than being chosen just to meet diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) quotas.

“Our focus should be on the ability to serve and protect, not on fulfilling arbitrary quotas,” she said.

Despite the lack of evidence showing intentional discrimination, the previous administration targeted the aptitude tests for creating statistical disparities, which they argued were discriminatory.

This move seemed more about advancing a DEI agenda than addressing any real issues with hiring practices.

As a result, cities were pressured to adjust their hiring processes, potentially wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on payouts to applicants who scored lower on the tests, even if they were less qualified.

Restoring Merit-Based Hiring

Attorney General Bondi, alongside former President Trump, is committed to fighting illegal discrimination and ensuring that merit-based systems are restored across all sectors, especially for those on the front lines, such as firefighters and police officers.

The idea is simple: when it comes to selecting those who will keep our communities safe, prioritizing DEI over merit can endanger public safety.

This week’s dismissal of these lawsuits marks an early step in reversing the push for DEI preferences in government and the private sector, bringing focus back to qualifications and abilities.