NYPD Downplays Drop-Off
Low Pass-Rate For Latest Sgt. Exam

By REUVEN BLAU

JOSEPH POLLINI: 'Something's wrong.'

Police experts and union officials last week said they were concerned that only 13 percent of the 4,934 officers who took the latest Sergeant exam passed it. An NYPD official, however, asserted that the low passing rate is a tribute to its rigor and ensures that the department is promoting only the best officers. Chief Michael Collins explained, "The results are more merit based."

Pass-Rate Drops 11 Points

Only 644 of the 4,934 cops who took the January exam passed. That figure was down from the 1,729 out of 7,196 officers, or 24 percent, who passed the 2003 exam.

Sergeants' Benevolent Association President Edward D. Mullins blasted the department for downplaying the latest figures. "What concerns me is not the small percentage of people who passed the test, but rather the incompetence of those who continue to ignore the internal problems within the department as related to recruitment and promotional exams in general," he said in a statement.

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly has said that he wants to schedule the Sergeant exam more frequently to spur continuous study of the NYPD Patrol Guide and enable the department to promote only the highest scorers.

EDWARD D. MULLINS: 'Can't ignore problems.'

"We find that when we give the test more often, it's better for morale," Chief Collins said. Filing is currently open until Oct. 24 for the next exam leading to Sergeant jobs.

Anthony Garvey, the president of the Lieutenants' Benevolent Association, said that the department should be "concerned" with the low passing ratio. Mr. Garvey and other veteran supervisors who passed the exam years ago speculated that cops today aren't studying as much as they did in the past.

Don't Care As Much?

"I think a lot of it is reflective on how much effort and time people put into taking the exam," he remarked. "I don't know if that same commitment and the effort are there today."

Joseph Pollini, an Assistant Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said, "There is something seriously wrong if only 600 people passed the test; either lack of intent or something to do with ability of the people taking the test."

The retired Lieutenant recalled that when he took the Sergeant exam in 1984, he began studying several hours a day nine months before the test. In addition, he took his five weeks' vacation right before the test in order to study more. "You locked yourself away," he said, noting that he was the top-ranked candidate on the roughly 2,000-name list. "I don't think people are that motivated anymore to spend that kind of time. People don't have that desire to move ahead."

'Have to Put in the Time'

Mr. Garvey agreed that studying is essential. "I think there is a large segment who says, 'Let me take it, maybe I'll get lucky,''' he remarked. "I think there is more and more of that occurring. You don't pass these promotion exams unless you take the time to go to these promotional courses and study."

According to Mr. Pollini, more officers have also decided to seek promotion to Detective. "They get Sergeants' pay at Second Grade and Lieutenants' pay at First Grade and have no supervisor responsibilities," he noted. "More and more people are looking for the more comfortable position."

Mr. Pollini also pointed to the drastically reduced starting salary as a key reason why officers decided against seeking the promotion. "If they are not motivated, they are going to be studying less," he said.

'A Lack of Leadership'

Last fall, the SBA reached a deal with the city that provided 10.25 percent in raises over 24 months. But part of that deal was financed by freezing the starting salary and reducing pay until the final rung of the progression for future Sergeants.

Mr. Mullins charged that the low passing scores showed that there "is clearly a lack of leadership of this department and fear of decision-making amongst those in charge."

An officer working in lower Manhattan said he failed the test because he was busy studying for his master's degree. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "I don't think I'm going to take the next exam."