◆ SpookStack

v HE ATLAN@A CONSTITUTION | For 120 Years the South’s Standard Newspaper a james M. Cox, Chairman 1950-7957— janes At, Cox ir, Chairman 1957-1974 eee en a a Jay Smith Publisher - Bill Kovach Dennis Berry Tom Feepen Glenn McCutchen Editorial Page Edaor Managing Editor PACE 16A, TUESUAL, SEPTEMBER 13. 1988 ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED prem ies as are pnapie. HEREIN 13 UNCLASSIFIED ees os wee He 1S BPE P DATE 01-11-2007 BY 60324 AUC BAW/CPB/CLS A Plan t to Overcome Racism at the FBI “Credit FBI Director William S. Sessions with doing the honorable thing. Without waiting for the outcomes of pending lJaw- suits that accuse the Federal Bureau of In- vestigation with discrimination against, and racial! harassment of, minority employees. Mr. Sessions has instituted an aggressive al- firmative action plan to correct inequities in his agency. Judging from testimony in the iegal pro- ceedings so far, there is much lo be correct- ed. A suit’filed by 31] Hispanic agents charges discrimination in the assignment, promotion and discipline of Hispanic agents. An action by a black agent in Phila- deiphia accuses supervisors and agents of racial harassment. Severa) of the. agent's complaints have been upheld bv the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Of $,597 FBI. agents, fewer than 10 per- cent are black or Hispanic. Only 417 are biack; 439 are Hispanic. This even though blacks. and Hispanics make up more than.20 percent: of the’ WS.” Bopuiation and despite the fact that a number of the bureau's cases reguire work in minority communities. Such cases would seemingly benefit from the in: om . . ~~ lycd - 70 80 58. = b volvement of minority agents. In any event, Mr. Sessions, who says he has wanted to improve the bureau’s treat- ment of minority employees since he took over the agency, has apparently realized the difficulty of trying to change an entrenched bureaucracy whose members’ altitudes may stil] be influenced by the less enlightened policies of the J. Edgar Hoover years. Over the next five years, the FBI will ageressively recruit women and minorities, and not just for “traditional” minority jobs. Mr. Sessions said minority members will be sought for crucial job categories such ast lin- . guist, lawyer, engineer, computer scientist and accountant. An advertising agency has been hired for that purpose and several of the agency's lop employees will be asked to serve as recruiters. Career development and training pro- grams are being improved and: promotion and complaini procedures are being re- viewed. Mr. Sessions’ -actions are welcome. They indicate he is serious about his vow to stamp out racism and discrimination in the agency — an accomplishment that will ben- efit the bureau and the nation. EROLOSTINE oo A \ m~