Maryland State Police said in a statement that they remain committed to improving hiring practices, even though the federal government dropped a civil rights lawsuit over the agency’s hiring. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters)
Black state senators said Maryland should honor the $2.75 million settlement of a discrimination suit involving 48 women and Black Maryland State Police applicants, even though the Justice Department dropped the case last month.
The March 13 letter was signed by 15 Black senators and sent to the Board of Public Works. It said that “regardless of the actions of the federal government,” the state has an obligation to see the consent decree through.
“We are deeply concerned that if Maryland does not honor this consent decree, it would send a message that we are unwilling to address systemic issues of discrimination within law enforcement, regardless of public outcry or the actions of individual officials,” said the letter. “The dismissal of this lawsuit should not deter the State from fulfilling its commitment to these much-needed reforms.”
The three-member Board of Public Works — comprised of Gov. Wes Moore (D), Treasurer Dereck Davis (D) and Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) — approved the consent decree in October to settle a two-year federal probe by then-U.S. Attorney Erek Barron.
That investigation determined that 48 women and Black applicants, some dating back to 2017, were turned down for trooper jobs or denied promotions after they failed physical and written recruiting tests that were later deemed discriminatory.
In addition to $2.75 million in back pay to the applicants, the consent decree called for State Police to adopt new written and physical fitness tests, provide data on test administration to ensure compliance and hire up to 25 applicants “who were unfairly disqualified by those tests and who successfully completed” the new trooper screening and selection process.
But on Feb. 26, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to dismiss lawsuits across the country involving the hiring of police and firefighters. Bondi said the cases, launched under the Biden administration, used statistical disparities instead of “evidence of intentional discrimination” to advance an agenda of diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.
“American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety – not to meet DEI quotas,” Bondi said in a statement.
Her order does not specifically mention Maryland’s case, but a State Police statement last month said the U.S. District Court for Maryland had dismissed the consent decree against the agency.
“Moving forward, we are committed to developing cutting-edge, up-to-date hiring and selection processes, including a new written test and physical agility test specific to the duties and responsibilities of a Maryland State Trooper,” the agency’s statement said.
Neither Bondi’s nor the police’s statement made any mention of the back that was part of the consent decree.
Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince George’s), one of the senators who signed the letter, and has pushed several years for state police reform, said Tuesday in an interview she hopes the governor supports the senators.
“We are talking about equality,” Benson said. “This is about making sure justice is served. It doesn’t matter what that [President Donald Trump] administration did. We need to follow through and do what’s right.”
Sen. Ron Watson (D-Prince George’s) was the only Black senator who did not sign the letter, partly in support for Col. Roland Butler Jr., the State Police superintendent and a constituent of Watson’s. Butler was nominated in February 2023 by Moore to lead the agency.
“I think this gentleman is owed the respect and the opportunity to try to affect change, and change takes time,” Watson said of Butler on Tuesday.
“You want to talk about fast change? Look at what Trump is doing,” he said. “Is that what you really want, to just come in and just create total chaos? Change to be effective has to happen over time, incrementally.”
Butler told the Board of Public Works in October that the agency is “committed to making meaningful and lasting change.”
A State Police representative did not respond to an emailed request for comment Tuesday. A spokesperson for Moore pointed to the State Police statement from last month, and said the governor’s office would not have any further.
Representatives for Davis and Lierman were not able to immediately provide a statement Tuesday. As of Tuesday night, the State Police consent decree did not appear to be on the agenda for Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting.
But the senators in their letter said they want the state to uphold diversity within the police agency to build inclusive communities — with or without federal government involvement.
“We trust that the State of Maryland will stand firm in its commitment to upholding the civil rights guaranteed in the United States Constitution … and ask that you share how the State will comply with the terms of the consent decree without the U.S. Department of Justice’s involvement,” the letter said.