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The police department in this seaside town has dropped its swimming requirement for new officers -- in part, to recruit more blacks to the force.
North Miami officials said knowing how to swim is not really necessary. And they said the requirement has discouraged some blacks in this Haitian-American enclave from joining the department.
"They have been intimidated because they don't swim. Very few of them swim," Mayor Joe Celestin, who is Haitian-American.
In fact, experts said blacks in general are less likely than whites to be proficient swimmers.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/04/22/police.swimming.ap/index.html
North Miami officials said knowing how to swim is not really necessary. And they said the requirement has discouraged some blacks in this Haitian-American enclave from joining the department.
"They have been intimidated because they don't swim. Very few of them swim," Mayor Joe Celestin, who is Haitian-American.
In fact, experts said blacks in general are less likely than whites to be proficient swimmers.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/04/22/police.swimming.ap/index.html