Letters: Not so hot on LAFD hiring
Re “Swift LAFD hiring cutoff limits pool,” Feb. 27
In 2011, Los Angeles voters passed Measure Q, which substantially changed civil service rules for the city. Measure Q eliminated a charter provision requiring the examination process, which includes interviews, to be open to all qualified applicants.
The League of Women Voters of Los Angeles opposed Measure Q because of this change.
Efficiency should not be allowed to trump fairness and merit in hiring. A “first applications submitted” policy with a 60-second cutoff is not fair to the applicants, who had no idea that their futures depended on being ready to hit the “send” button right at 8 a.m.
It is also not fair to Los Angeles residents, who want their Fire Department to hire the best-qualified applicants.
Elizabeth Ralston and Sandra Trutt
Los Angeles
The writers are co-presidents of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles.
Good reporting, but you missed some issues.
We love and need our firefighters and other first responders. However, when there are several dozen qualified applicants for each job opening, the qualifications are too low, the duties are too easy or the pay is too high.
Revise some or all of these and the applicant pool will be smaller and more manageable.
It might save some money too.
Mike Johnson
San Marino
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