Task force seeks more diversity

A public-safety personnel diversity task force has issued a report calling for changes in the way Indianapolis hires police and firefighters. The report, issued by a 30-member mayoral task force, found fewer than 14 percent of local police and fire personnel are non-white, even though the city has a black population of 28 percent. The task force said it supports a return to the “80-20 policy” that based 80 percent of promotions strictly on testing and seniority, but allows flexibility to fill out the ranks with minority candidates.