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Reverse Bias Demoralizes

To the Editor:

I read Mr. James A. Brown's Chief article, "Discarding Civil Service Exams Now Harder," dated July 31. I, like hundreds of white police officers, was discriminated against by being "passed over" on the 1983 NYPD Sergeant's promotion exam.

I studied and attended promotion school (which was expensive) for one full year to be best prepared for that exam. I received an 83 percent on the technical knowledge portion and 83 percent on the job sample. Respectable scores, but a white male officer needed 87 percent on the job sample to make the list. I missed it by two questions.

From what I was told, minority officers' scores on the job sample were not graded and the city went down significantly on the technical knowledge part to find candidates for promotion. Outrageous, but true.

It's important to know all the facts and that reverse discrimination works for some and demoralizes others. May there be justice for all, not just for some.

JAMES SULLIVAN