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Bondi’s DOJ dismisses DEI lawsuits against police, fire departments, calls for return to merit-based hiring

By isabelle // 2025-03-05

• Attorney General Pam Bondi’s DOJ dismissed lawsuits alleging discriminatory hiring practices in police and fire departments, citing no evidence of intentional discrimination.
• The lawsuits claimed aptitude tests disproportionately disqualified minority and female candidates, but Bondi emphasized merit-based hiring over DEI quotas.
• Cases in Durham, Maryland, Cobb County, and South Bend sought to replace standard tests with race and gender-based hiring preferences, costing millions in proposed settlements.
• The DOJ argued DEI policies compromise public safety by prioritizing diversity over merit, risking lower standards in critical public safety roles.
• Bondi’s actions align with the Trump administration’s broader push to end DEI policies and restore merit-based hiring in government and private sectors.

Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed a series of lawsuits targeting police and fire departments nationwide. These lawsuits, filed under the Biden administration, alleged that standard aptitude tests used in hiring processes were discriminatory because they resulted in fewer minority and female candidates being hired. Bondi’s action marks a significant step in the Trump administration’s broader push to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in public safety hiring, emphasizing skill and dedication over race or gender-based quotas. The dismissed cases, which included lawsuits against jurisdictions in Durham, North Carolina; Maryland; Cobb County, Georgia; and South Bend, Indiana, claimed that written and physical tests disproportionately disqualified minority and female applicants. However, Bondi’s DOJ found no evidence of intentional discrimination, only statistical disparities. “American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety—not to meet DEI quotas,” Bondi stated.

A costly push for quotas

The lawsuits, often accompanied by proposed consent decrees, sought to eliminate standard hiring practices, such as written exams and physical agility tests, and replace them with race and gender-based hiring preferences. For example, in Durham, North Carolina, the DOJ under Biden alleged that a written test requiring a 70% passing score was “unintentionally” discriminatory because black applicants passed at lower rates than white candidates. The proposed solution? Eliminate the test and provide nearly $1 million in back pay and preferential hiring to black candidates who failed to meet the standard. Similarly, the Maryland State Police faced accusations of “illegal discrimination” because black applicants and women passed their physical agility tests—which included push-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run—less frequently than white men. The DOJ recommended scrapping these tests and paying $2.75 million in monetary relief to applicants who did not meet the standards.

A return to meritocracy

Bondi’s dismissal of these cases aligns with the Trump administration’s broader mission to end DEI practices across the federal government. In a statement, the DOJ emphasized that prioritizing DEI over merit in public safety hiring compromises the quality of police and fire departments, ultimately putting communities at risk. “Prioritizing DEI over merit when selecting firefighters and police officers jeopardizes public safety,” the DOJ said. The administration has argued that DEI policies, while well-intentioned, often lead to lower standards and undermine the principle of equal opportunity. By dismissing these lawsuits, Bondi’s DOJ is sending a clear message: public safety agencies should hire the most qualified candidates, regardless of race or gender.

A step toward ending DEI preferences

The dismissal of these lawsuits is just the beginning of a larger effort to eradicate DEI policies across the government and private sector. Bondi’s actions reflect a commitment to restoring merit-based hiring practices, particularly in critical fields like law enforcement and firefighting, where competence can mean the difference between life and death. As the Trump administration continues to roll back DEI initiatives, Bondi’s decision serves as a reminder that fairness and excellence should not be sacrificed on the altar of diversity quotas. For the sake of public safety and the integrity of our institutions, it’s a step in the right direction—one that many hope will set a precedent for the future. Sources for this article include: LawEnforcementToday.com Justice.gov FoxNews.com DailyWire.com

national security Trump justice big government lawsuit law enforcement DOJ progress firefighters cancel Democrats meritocracy DEI End Wokeness merit hiring Bondi