Diversity In The Workplace

E. A. Diodati, "Believability: A Case of Diversity in Law Enforcement," pp. 278-282.

In this reading I feel that incidents like this are all too common. I currently work for an office that holds hearings when a union for the city submits a grievance on behalf of a city employee. I have heard of cases in the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) that are very similar to this particular incident. It is very sad to see that racial discrimination and sexual discrimination are still so rampant in such a diverse nation.

Racial discrimination is such an awful thing in our society today and it seems that it will never go away. There are many controversial instances, in police departments around the country, which are brought to the public's attention involving some form of racial discrimination. Not only does discrimination happen internally it happens too often externally. This only makes the situation so much worse. Being a minority is not so easy in the U.S. Depending on where you grew up, I would say that most minority individuals have experienced some sort of discrimination on some level. Janet Cruz was not only a minority but also a female who will fight to live her dream.

Sexual discrimination is another serious offense that needs to be placed under control. Janet Cruz knew that it was not going to be easy being a female in a line of duty that is generally thought to be fit for a male. Understanding this, she handled casual "passes" at her well and never let anybody talk her out of following her passions. However, after a while, Cruz let her guard down and began to date another officer in the same department. I think that this was a huge mistake on her part. When you date someone in the same work environment, you leave yourself open to vengeful feelings if the relationship doesn't work out. Many organizations prohibit dating or the like in the work place for these exact reasons.

Another issue in this case was the believability factor. The state review board decided to put Cruz on suspension without pay because many of the male officers said she instigated what happened. Cruz was accused of lying under oath. Cruz's testimony was put under such scrutiny because she is a woman. Many male officers on the bus who witnessed the incident felt MacKenzie was a "good guy" and Cruz was ultimately the reason he was fired. These male officers banded together to get back at Cruz.

These types of discrimination incidents will take away the credibility of those who are sworn to protect and serve our communities. It is imperative that we find a way to control these situations or our criminal justice system will continue to crumble.

Workforce diversity is something that every individual must learn to cope with. Our world is rapidly changing. "Norms" are no longer norms anymore such as the example of this case: more and more women joining the police department. I do know that management of diversity in a police department is an important role that requires close observation of all employees. Police departments often form little cliques, much like those in high school. They consist of a group that shares the same thoughts, ideas, and general mentality. This can pose a problem because one group of racists or sexists can ruin the image of a whole organization. This has proved to be true time and time again.

I think that the police department organization diversity issues arise because the individuals in the organization (generally males) have a pre-disposition about certain minorities or females. For example, some white males may feel that the Hispanic community is responsible for a lot of the crime in an area; therefore the Hispanics have no business in the police department. This sort of ignorance can tear an organization apart.

One concept that applies to this case is perspectives on organizational culture. There