Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 15, 1991                   TAG: 9102150755
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CITY TO INTENSIFY RECRUITMENT OF BLACKS AS POLICE

He said the city also will develop "improved methods to hire public safety officers" and will be "responsive" to recommendations by a task force that is studying racial relations and the small number of black police officers.

Herbert disclosed the plans for stepped-up recruitment in his annual report on the city's affirmative action program that will go to City Council on Monday.

He did not elaborate on the city's plans to seek more black public safety workers, but the city's Community Relations Task Force has recently raised questions about minority recruitment in the nearly all-white police department. The department has only eight black officers.

Herbert could not be reached for comment today on the city's recruitment plans.

Police Chief David Hooper told the community relations panel earlier this week that the department plans to try to recruit more black applicants locally, although he added that the city Personnel Department has the basic responsibility for recruiting.

"We're trying to develop a plan that will get us to the grass roots and hopefully get us to the local applicants," Hooper said.

Task force members said they have found a more active approach to minority recruiting in the city sheriff's department and fire department.

The affirmative-action report does not include a breakdown on the racial makeup of the work force in the various public safety departments. But it shows that the city has 42 blacks - 35 males and 7 females - among 475 employees in the protective services category that includes police officers, firefighters and other public safety workers.

Protective services worker is a job category that is established by federal Equal Employment Opportunity guidelines.

Black males comprise 7.2 percent of the city's protective service workers and black females are 1.4 percent. The city's percentages exceed the availability of black workers in these categories in the available labor force in the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area: 5.1 percent for black males and 0.4 percent for black females.

According to the report, the city "continues to maintain a total work force composition" for blacks in all job categories that is "equal or higher" than their availability in the labor force in the metropolitan area.

Blacks comprise 24 percent of the city's overall work force of 1,903 employees, the same percentage that has existed for five years. Blacks are represented in all job categories, but they tend to be concentrated in service, maintenance and clerical jobs.

Of 300 black males employed by the city, 197 are in service and maintenance jobs; 35 are in protective services; 23, skilled crafts; 18, technicians; 15, professionals; and 3, managers. Of 134 black females, 45 have clerical and office jobs.