DENVER — The now-former head of Denver’s Civil Service Commission says the city is lowering its standards to hire police officers and firefighters.
Niecy Murray is alleging recruits who fail psychological evaluations and score low on entrance exams are still allowed to move forward with their applications, so the mayor can accomplish his campaign goal of hiring more first responders.
"The role of the Civil Service Commission is far too important to be diminished to one which is strictly performative," Murray said at a news conference in front of the city county building Tuesday morning.
9NEWS has learned Murray was set to be terminated from her position as executive director at a Civil Service Commission meeting Tuesday night. The five commissioners on the board released a statement alleging Murray tried to preempt her release by holding a press conference to publicly announce the allegations.
"On Thursday, May 16, the Board of Commissioners met and decided to release Executive Director Niecy Murray from her position after weeks of deliberation. The President and Vice President of the Board had scheduled a meeting for later in the afternoon today, May 28, to inform Ms. Murray of the decision," the Board of Commissioners of the Civil Service Commission said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Ms. Murray’s claims to the press this morning appeared to have been a preemptive attempt to block or influence her release. These developments have not deterred us from our course of action, and we have separated Ms. Murray from her position."
On the steps of the city county building, three city councilmembers called for an investigation into allegations that recruits who failed psychological evaluations were invited to continue with their applications.
"Since the beginning of the Johnston administration, in an attempt to essentially fill a quota in public safety positions, her agency has come under significant political pressure to lower standards, cut corners, and even in one case, ignore a second psych evaluation that came back as not recommended to be hired," Councilmember Sarah Parady said.
"It has been clearly raised that there are concerns with passing people through that did not pass their psychological evaluation," said Councilmember Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez.
The civil service commission is an independent body that oversees hiring for police officers and firefighters. While Murray was the executive director, there are also five commissioners appointed by the mayor and city council.
The commissioners do not agree with what Murray is alleging.
“The Board of Commissioners is extremely disappointed in Executive Director Murray’s decision to hold a press conference and make public comments about Commission matters without our knowledge or consent,” the commissioners wrote in a statement. “We strongly dispute her claims that standards have been lowered or rules violated due to political pressure.”
During the campaign, Mayor Mike Johnston promised to hire 200 more clinical professionals, EMT’s and police officers. It comes as the recruit classes for first responders in Denver have been smaller than expected. Only once in the last three years has the city been able to meet or exceed its target.
"We expect those who keep our community safe to be well prepared, adequately trained and of the appropriate mindset to do their difficult jobs," said Councilmember Shontel Lewis. "We cannot lower standards to fill an arbitrary quota."
The mayor’s office denies the allegations and points out that the civil service commission is independent and can make their own decisions on hiring and recruitment. 9NEWS was told Mayor Johnston has never met with the director of the commission nor has he given her any directives.
Murray was still terminated from her position Tuesday afternoon.
"We thank Ms. Murray for her service as the Executive Director and as a previous Commissioner," the commissioners wrote. "An Acting Director has been put in place and we will begin a search for a new Executive Director immediately."
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