Union: Presidential officers chosen unfairly
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A member of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association is questioning the method in which dozens of police officers were chosen to represent Phoenix during the presidential inauguration ceremony.
"The officers were selected based on the color of their skin and based on their gender as opposed to using seniority, which has been used in the past," said William Buividas with PLEA. "Somebody's skin color or somebody's gender should not come into play because these officers have all tested for these special details."
Buividas said the entire process was incorrect and PLEA has requested that Phoenix police repeat the process.
However, Phoenix police said in a release that the officers were selected based on training and are part of the Tactical Response Unit.
"A number of factors were utilized in the selection of the individuals for this assignment, including, but not limited to, seniority, training, personal growth, job experience and diversity," the release said.
In total, 35 males and five females will chosen. About 70 percent of them were white, with the rest being a minority.
Martha Maurer, News Editor
