1 SWAT POSITION WAS TURNED INTO BLACKS ONLY MAY APPLY \doc\web\98\10\houscop.txt From: "Arnie Schulze" To: Subject: Re: Houston Date sent: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 18:25:00 -0600 Greetings, Arthur. Didn't mean to hog all the space on your news list, but thanks for passing the information on to your readers. Which class was all minority? I do not remember the class number - pretty sure it was in March of this year - we only had 4 academy classes this year. How many swat officers were white in the final pick? The opening that was being contested was for one position. Of the officers who tested, and passed the cut-off score, there was a mix of white and Hispanic. Any of those who passed could transfer into SWAT as openings became available, in the order they ranked as a result of the testing. As for the tidbit you received from Raoul Lowery Contreras, sorry you have to deal with that sort of childishness. Some of his comments were almost entertaining: He represents, perhaps, the worst police department in the country today, a police department that is far more White than the community. Yep - I have to admit to the crime of being white. Their recent murder of a young Mexican man in his own apartment, which they burst into without a warrant and shot him, an unarmed man, many times, tells us exactly who Arnie Schultz is and who he represents. Always amazed by people who apparently know more facts than a grand jury who investigates matters. . . . Then again, facts rarely get in the way of opinions of many. Spelling errors are acceptable, murder by incompetent White cops isn't. Actually, the officer who fired most of the rounds was Hispanic. While murder was not involved, I do not believe race provides an exemption from any wrongdoing. If you're not familiar with this case - it was a screw-up. A tactical unit, working street-level narcotics, went into a location without a warrant. The information received from an informant was incorrect. After entering a room a shot was fired, and an officer went down. The other officers believed the suspect had shot the officer. Other officers opened fire on the suspect. Turned out, one officer accidentally fired his weapon and hit another officer. Considering the rapid unfolding of events, and the related stress involved in entering a room where it is believed an armed suspect is waiting for you, I may have well reacted the same way. I wasn't there, and am not in a position to fault the officers for that aspect of an unfortunate event. Bottom line - they didn't follow procedure for entry into the dwelling, and shame on them for that. For that reason, they were all fired. The shooting is a seperate matter, and even the grand jury (the folks who had ALL of the facts) found no fault with the officers. It is no secret that there probably isn't a single White Houston cop who could even get hired in LA or San Diego. Hell, they probably couldn't even get hired in Dallas. Ah, L.A. - that land of promised dreams where no one, including the police, do no wrong. I don't personally know if any of our officers are really interested in employment elsewhere, but I wouldn't presume to classify 5,300 individuals in one category of qualifications (or lack of). Have to hand it to the guy on this one. While I wouldn't attempt to get a job in LA, San Diego, or any other place that practices discrimination under a "consent decree" - once upon a time I did in fact apply for a job with Dallas PD. I was told I was qualified, but under their affirmative action plan (in 1975) they had to hire 300 mexicans before they could hire a white. Think the guy was missing the point (o.k., he missed most points) - when Lee Brown was chief of the Houston PD, the double standard was not anti-white. It was anti-anyone but black. The circular for SWAT prohibited Hispanics, Asians and whites from applying. Thanks. Arnie Schulze President, Houston Police White Officers Association (okay, should have been named the "works and plays well with everyone group") (An Equal Opportunity, Anti-Affirmative Action Organization) mailto: schulze@sprynet.com