Original Article Diversity survey pans Police Dept. Katie Nelson The Arizona Republic Jun. 18, 2005 12:00 AM The "Good Old Boy" network is alive and well in Tempe's Police Department, according to a diversity survey presented this week to the City Council. But although some say the survey sheds light on a rift in the department between sworn officers and civilian employees, department leaders say it is a skewed version of reality. Tempe's Diversity Committee conducted the survey of about 60 city employees this fall using anonymous focus groups. The committee aimed to assess how well the city is addressing racism and intolerance in light of problems alleged in recent years. The majority of responses were positive, said Christy Slover, chair of the focus group task force and a Municipal Court Services supervisor. Participants cited the emphasis on diversity training, multicultural events and the creation of the Diversity Office and Multicultural Task Force as ways the city has fostered communication and tolerance. Yet participants also identified almost as many disconcerting issues, specifically singling out the Police Department as having problems. The city's internal recruitment works against creating a diverse workforce, the participants said, according to the report. Others said Human Resources isn't perceived as the "safe haven" for employee concerns and isn't easily accessible, as the city has indicated it should be. And within the Police Department, some civilian employees perceive a double standard between sworn members of the force and civilian support staff, the report said. "They cited perceptions, and this came from civilians, they were treated as a subclass," Slover said. "Most examples were based on interactions: being supervised differently, or perhaps their concerns and issues were taken more lightly by not being given as much credence." Police Chief Ralph Tranter emphatically denied any preferential treatment of sworn employees over civilian staffers. But he pointed out that this perception may exist in many police departments, "because after all, policing is our business." "When they say the two are different, they are absolutely correct," he said. "Police officers are in exceptionally high demand because of a national shortage. They have market leverage working on their side. "But that doesn't change that the civilian side are all part of the team that makes us so successful," he continued. The police were about the only group singled out for department-specific criticism. Its employees also by far dominated in participation in the survey. Of the 60 people who showed up, 25 were from the police, the city's largest department. The Public Works and Fire departments, the city's second and third-largest, respectively, had six and two people participated. The city has been accused in the past for discrimination after a racial bias scandal broke in the city's Public Works department about six years ago. The accusations eventually led to a lawsuit currently being heard in Federal Court.