Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

JI7

(89,172 posts)
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 01:39 AM Jun 2020

Judge Rules That Police Can Bar High I.Q. Scores (Not Satire)

This case was from 1999 and I don't know if there were any similar or updates to this in the past 20+ years.


<A Federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a man who was barred from the New London police force because he scored too high on an intelligence test.

In a ruling made public on Tuesday, Judge Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court in New Haven agreed that the plaintiff, Robert Jordan, was denied an opportunity to interview for a police job because of his high test scores. But he said that that did not mean Mr. Jordan was a victim of discrimination.

Judge Dorsey ruled that Mr. Jordan was not denied equal protection because the city of New London applied the same standard to everyone: anyone who scored too high was rejected.

Mr. Jordan, 48, who has a bachelor's degree in literature and is an officer with the State Department of Corrections, said he was considering an appeal. ''I was eliminated on the basis of my intellectual makeup,'' he said. ''It's the same as discrimination on the basis of gender or religion or race.''>

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/09/nyregion/metro-news-briefs-connecticut-judge-rules-that-police-can-bar-high-iq-scores.html

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Judge Rules That Police Can Bar High I.Q. Scores (Not Satire) (Original Post) JI7 Jun 2020 OP
Brilliant. nt greyl Jun 2020 #1
Intelligent, educated cops are less likely to follow illegal orders and be racists. LonePirate Jun 2020 #2
THIS. roamer65 Jun 2020 #5
I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE ONION! nt sfstaxprep Jun 2020 #3
It makes sense. Look at what we've got now. We don't like the thoughtful. rusty quoin Jun 2020 #4
Well, that explains a lot. smirkymonkey Jun 2020 #6
I think about this often and I believe it does contribute to the problem we are seeing Freethinker65 Jun 2020 #7
and while this specifically mentions IQ which in itself shouldn't be that important JI7 Jun 2020 #9
Columbo need not apply lapfog_1 Jun 2020 #8
Like in The Departed Dread Pirate Roberts Jun 2020 #10
And many of them are indeed dumb. Buckeye_Democrat Jun 2020 #11
With these police we have now, they must have made the test easier. pwb Jun 2020 #12

Freethinker65

(9,929 posts)
7. I think about this often and I believe it does contribute to the problem we are seeing
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 02:08 AM
Jun 2020

I remember reading this years ago. I believe the thought was that "smarter" applicants more often quickly find the job boring (and perhaps questionable) and low paying with little reward, and soon want to do something else with their lives. Evidently police departments invest a lot of time and money in recruits, so if they quit early on, it costs departments money.
Problem is, you are often left with some (certainly not all) rather dim witted members that would most likely be passed over for many other jobs- thugs, those just following orders and/or working for a paycheck, etc.

Not all departments choose their police force members this way, but the fact that any do, was eye opening to me.

JI7

(89,172 posts)
9. and while this specifically mentions IQ which in itself shouldn't be that important
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 08:14 AM
Jun 2020

I think they probably also reject people that may have too high of an education . They are purposely making sure they get certain types . Most cops I have dealt with have seemed kind of stupid. and My dealings with them were mostly things like me reporting to them so it wasn't them coming after me which might make me biased against them. They weren't even negative towards me but they just did not seem that smart.

We see the problems with what is going on now. How were they not able to plan and strategize to deal with the protests and also the looters . They didn't need every single fucking cop to keep a watch on protestors which were mainly peaceful.

These cops would never have been able to pull of something like the Bin Laden Raid .

lapfog_1

(29,166 posts)
8. Columbo need not apply
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 03:08 AM
Jun 2020

don't they want the smart problem solving detectives?

Columbo, Adrian Monk, Inspector Morse?

Dread Pirate Roberts

(1,896 posts)
10. Like in The Departed
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 08:35 AM
Jun 2020

You got 1400 on your SAT's kid, you're an astronaut, not a statie. Five years from now you can be anything you want but I guarantee you it won't be a Massachusetts State Trooper.

Buckeye_Democrat

(14,846 posts)
11. And many of them are indeed dumb.
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 08:39 AM
Jun 2020

When I was curious about my IQ years ago (after high school) and took a couple proctored tests by Mensa at a local library, the only other person who was tested that day was an irritated young guy who said he "had to" take it to become a cop.

I never imagined at the time that a high score could be bad for him, but I later saw reports from all over the country about it.

pwb

(11,204 posts)
12. With these police we have now, they must have made the test easier.
Sat Jun 6, 2020, 08:43 AM
Jun 2020

All I see is dumb fuck coward stormtroopers disrespecting American citizens.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Judge Rules That Police C...