The Department of Justice is dismissing Biden-administration-era cases that sought to force police and fire departments to end alleged discriminatory hiring processes, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday.
It was the latest move by the Trump administration to end government support for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
A DOJ official said the administration is walking away from four cases, including one that led to a settlement agreement resolving an investigation into discriminatory hiring practices affecting Black and female applicants to the Maryland State Police.
It’s part of a broader effort by President Donald Trump to end DEI initiatives and programs and focus on merit-based hiring.
“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 an emailed statement.
In the Maryland case, the Biden administration announced in October that it reached an agreement with state police to change the ways applicants are tested after the department alleged police used a written test that discriminated against Black candidates and a physical fitness test that discriminated against female applicants.