Judge Orders Group to Oversee FDNY Hiring Efforts

A federal judge ruled today to appoint an independent watch group to monitor the New York City Fire Dept.’s diversification efforts.

In his verdict, Judge Nicholas Garaufis said the committee would oversee recruiting procedures and audit departmental compliance. Because Garaufis suspects that the city’s firefighter entrance exam discriminates against minorities, he bestowed the group investigative power over new firefighter appointments.

The verdict comes at the heels of a Brooklyn civil trial last month where high-ranking fire officials testified on the inner workings of the nation’s largest department.

The judge cited that more than half of the city’s population is comprised of a racial or ethnic minority while a meager nine percent New York’s 11,200 uniformed firefighters are black or Hispanic.

The city’s law department plans to appeal Garaufis’ decision.

To read more on Garaufis’ decree, visit CBSNews.com.