WEBVTT WITH KMBC 9NEWS TAISHA WALKER TO TALK ABOUTTHIS CASE.DJ JONES DISCUSSES THE LAWSUITAGAINST KANSAS CITY, HIS WIFEAND TWO LAWYERS CLOSE BY.>> JONES IS A FIRE TRUCK DRIVERAND THEY CONTINUE BE DEPRIVEDHIM OF A PROMOTION BECAUSE OFRACE.MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE IT IS ANACCIDENT.>> AFRICAN AMERICANS MAKE UP13.5% OF THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.LESS THAN 8% OF CAP AND.DURING HIS 19 YEARS WITH KCFD,HE IS A PIPER CAP AND SIX TIMES.>> IT WAS NOT HAVING TIME AFTERTIME.>> JONES SAYS HE WAS QUALIFIEDAND HAD SENIORITY.>> MANY PEOPLE HERE AREFRUSTRATED ABOUT THIS.THEY'RE TAKING THE TEST THROUGHFOUR TIMES AND WHITECOUNTERPARTS ARE TAKING IT ANDGETTING PROMOTED.LACKS I THINK THEY'RE TESTINGPROCEDURE FOR PROMOTIONS ISOUTRAGEOUSLY SUBJECTIVE.IT IS VIDEO, THERE ARE MANY WAYSTO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS.THIS LAWYER HAS REPRESENTEDOTHER EMPLOYEES INDISCRIMINATION CASES.SHE CLAIMS BIAS IS SYSTEMATIC.>> IT IS DIFFICULT FOR AMERICANSDEPARTMENT ONCE IN, IT IS VERYDIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BEPROMOTED.>> WAS THE BIAS WHEN IT COMES TOTHE DEPARTMENT?>> I THINK IF YOU ASK ME THATQUESTION, I MAY HAVE ONE OPINIONBUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THATSOME PEOPLE FEAR THAT IT -- FEELTHAT IS.TO ME, THE PERCEPTION THAT THEREIS NOT BIAS IS MORE IMPORTANTTHAN ANYTHING.>> WANT TO THE APARTMENT HASDO IS CHANGE HOW THEVIDEOTAPED PART OF THE TEST ISGRADED.IS THAT BEING REVIEWEDINTERNALLY, IT IS NOW DONE BY ANOUTSIDE COMPANY TO HELP PREVENTFAVORITISM.>> ANOTHER WAY THE DEPARTMENT- HAS TRIED TO DIVERSIFY IS WITHTHIS RAP GRO RECRUITMENTVIDEO.AN APPRENTICESHIP GRADE WITHINLAST YEAR.>> IS NOT FOR NOT TRYING, IT ISFOR NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL.IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO KANSAS CITYFIRE.>> THERE IS HOPE THAT THELAWSUIT AND VERDICT WILL HELPBRING ABOUT CHANGE.>> I HOPE THAT THE MESSAGE THISJURY SENT THROUGH THIS VERDICTIS LET'S EXAMINE WHERE WE ARE ATAND LET'S FIX IT.>> THERE ARE TWO OTHER GOODDISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT PENDINGAGAINST THE KANSAS REGARDAPARTMENT.ONE SCHEDULED TO GO BEFORE AJURY IN FEBRUARY.WE HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHERCASES WHERE EMPLOYEES SAID THEY