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  • Glendale: Police, fire seek diversity

    Glendale News Press
    LATimes.com
    Sept 2 2004

    Police, fire seek diversity
    Both Glendale departments strive to hire more minorities for public
    safety jobs.


    By Jackson Bell, News-Press


    GLENDALE -- For Hagop Kurdian, the youthful dream of becoming a
    firefighter wasn't warmly received by the adults in his family and
    elders in his community.

    That's because Kurdian, a Glendale resident of Armenian descent whose
    parents immigrated from Lebanon, comes from an ethnic background that
    generally regards work in civil service as a "last-resort job" when
    one can't succeed in business.

    That was in Lebanon, where firefighting was primitive and a career on
    the force was not a well-paid or well-respected career. But in the
    U.S., he said firefighters receive good salaries and are held in high
    esteem in the community.

    "A lot of Armenians are not educated as to what the firefighters do,
    so they don't see this as much of an honorable profession or career,"
    said Kurdian, a 23-year-old Glendale fire cadet who aspires to join
    the force. "But the more they learn about [the job], the more
    supportive they become."

    For a city that estimates nearly one-third of its population is of
    Armenian descent, Glendale Fire and Police representatives say their
    department personnel does not reflect that statistic. And both
    agencies are striving to interest community members of all minorities
    to join their ranks.

    As of July 31, 2003, the police department's staff of 368 sworn
    officers and support staff had 17 people of Armenian descent, 23 with
    an Asian/Pacific Islander background, seven blacks and 84 Latinos,
    according to city auditors. The fire department's staff has two of
    Armenian descent, eight Asian/Pacific Islanders, six blacks and 33
    Latinos. Fire officials added that the department has never had a
    sworn firefighter of Armenian descent, and the employees with an
    Armenian background are civilian employees.

    Another reason Battalion Chief Harold Scoggins believes Armenians are
    underrepresented is because there has been a dramatic uptick in
    immigration over the past 25 years. And since the Glendale Fire
    Department hires less frequently than other agencies, he said it's
    hard for the department to keep up with sharp demographic shifts.

    "But just because we don't have one, it doesn't mean that we aren't
    working hard to get Armenians on the department," said Scoggins, who
    heads recruiting and hiring. "We have to start somewhere, and
    everyday we're getting closer."

    Glendale Police, although more diversified than its public-safety
    counterpart, is still making efforts to spur more community interest,
    said Lt. Bruce Fox, who heads the department's Professional Standards
    Bureau.

    An outreach meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Glendale
    Police Station's Community Room, 140 N. Isabel St., where people can
    learn how to join the force. Officers of Armenian, Asian and Latino
    descent will also be on hand to meet with the public.

    But fire and police representatives say standards for candidates will
    not be lowered just to diversify their staff.

    People interested in learning more can call Scoggins at 548-4050, log
    onto http://www.fire.ci.glendale.ca.us or stop and talk to a
    firefighter on the street, if they are not responding to an
    emergency.
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