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Judge: Independent Monitor To Oversee FDNY Diversification Effort

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A federal judge will appoint an independent monitor to oversee an effort to make the Fire Department of New York more diverse.

Judge Nicholas Garaufis gave his findings Wednesday following a civil trial last month in Brooklyn. The Justice Department had sued on behalf of a black fraternal organization.

The judge says despite progress from recent recruiting, the FDNY hasn't committed enough time or resources to reverse a long history of discrimination. He says an independent monitor is needed to ensure the department becomes more diverse.

The FDNY has announced that nearly half of the people who signed up for its next exam are minorities. Currently, only about 3 percent of firefighters are black.

Do you believe the FDNY has a problem with diversity? Sound off in our comments section below…

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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