Official records from the City of Lubbock indicated that a settlement has been reached between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
However, specific details of the agreement were not released.
Police Chief Greg Stevens said he would not release details until a City Council meeting on Thursday
“We’ve been working with the DOJ for a number of months for an agreement. And we plan to present to council on Thursday,” Stevens said.
A document called a consent decree will be presented to the city council for final approval.
Stevens also said, “We have looked at other cities in similar situations and are currently using a different [hiring] process to see if it might work for us.”
The DOJ sued Lubbock in December claiming that more Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites failed the written test. The lawsuit also claimed that more women than men failed the physical test for hiring new officers.
The lawsuit said the testing “is not job related and consistent with business necessity.”
Lubbock’s written response in court records said, “[The] United States has failed to allege any facts showing that the City has wrongfully denied any rights…”
Stevens was not yet Chief of Police in June when the federal government sent a letter to city hall threatening to sue.
