Report: No evidence of bias in Lower Merion police officer's promotion claim

A consultant's report made public Friday takes issue with a Lower Merion police officer's claim that the department failed to promote him to sergeant because he is black and that its hiring and promotion practices are biased against minorities.

The report by a Malvern firm concluded that there was no evidence of discrimination at any stage of the department's appointment process.

The report was published Friday on Lower Merion Township's website, www.lowermerion.org.

The document said Officer Kerry Godbold, who has alleged that he was passed over for sergeant because of his race, was not considered for two appointments that were made from the 2009 Civil Service eligibility list because of the "rule of three."

Under the rule, only three candidates who have passed written and oral tests are brought forward for promotion when there is a vacancy.

"Officer Godbold was ranked fifth on the list," the report said. Godbold could not be reached Friday.

Diana Robertson, assistant secretary of the Pennsylvania State Conference of the NAACP, said she believed police officials manipulated the Civil Service list to block his eligibility, although they have denied that.

The report, relying on interviews with township officials and a documents review, did not address specific claims of racism made by Godbold at a public meeting in the spring. Instead, the consultant took a broader look at employment practices.

Godbold, a 17-year patrolman, noted there were only three black officers on the force, none in command roles - which he said was evidence of discrimination.

In July, the township responded by hiring Verita L.L.C. of Malvern, a company that investigates employment-related and regulatory claims against government bodies. The work cost $12,400.

On Sept. 13, before Verita's report was released, Godbold filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

Godbold's complaint alleged that the police department failed to promote him "based on his race, which is African American," according to commission spokeswoman Shannon Powers.

She said that a similar bias claim had been filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Elizabeth Rogan, president of the township Board of Commissioners, said Friday that she believed the resulting report would put to rest allegations of employment bias in the police department.

Rogan said the township waived its own policy never to make public personnel matters in order to make that point.