(reposted from a forwarded email)

Hey, Wayne, is any of this “stuff” getting into the major news media of New York City?

I’m glad the issue is blaringly obvious in “The Chief” but this is something appropriate for the big leagues. It is something that endangers the entire civil service system and something Coombs either does not recognize or has come to believe needs to be eliminated.

Some years ago, I was privy to a dialogue between officials of the Settle FD. The then “black” Chief was told by his “black” assistant personnel director that an opening in the Lieutenant’s rank had become available. The Chief then became outraged when he was told that he could not promote a “black” firefighter to the position. That it had to be a woman or a “native born American” (AKA Indian)…the State of Washington is big on “incentive” for its “Indians.” When he asked his personnel director why, he was told [now pay attention,] “We’ve maxed out our quota on black appointees.”

Sooooo, Mr. Coombs should be careful about what he is asking for.

You may remember those dark days of yesteryear when the City had the one-for-three hiring provision: For every three “white guys” a minority had to be hired from the list of those with the “highest failing marks.”

I had the pleasure of trying to train some of that dead-wood back in 1973. In one Probie class alone, six such men had to be retrained. The guys could not tie their shoes. Two of the six had Master’s degrees but no mechanical ability and even less common sense. They were a danger to themselves and all around them.

I remember, as well, the same problem reaching the promotional ranks and typing up a memo I included with my will, and which I passed on to every member with whom I worked, saying “Should I die in a fire, learn who was in command, whether or not they were on the list of “highest failing marks” and, if he was, sue all responsible for it happening.”

It would appear that the insanity still prevails. Always, it seems, while some fight to see that government hires the best qualified people for the good of the entire community, there are forces afoot looking to use the system to hire the, perhaps, “otherwise unemployable.”

Eddie

PASS IT ON AND, IF ANYONE HAS JOHN COOMBS’ EMAIL, DROP HIM A COPY ALONG WITH SOME NOTES ON WHAT HISTORY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE DAYS OF TAMMANY HALL.