"There is no question that there is a continued need to provide people with real access to real opportunity," Riordan said. "While no single pronouncement or edict will end discrimination in our city or state, we must work hard to ensure that Angelenos live, learn and work on a level playing field where everyone has a fair shot at fulfilling their dreams."
Although Los Angeles officials stressed that the city does not discriminate in contracting or hiring, it is not true that race is ignored in evaluating all candidates for city jobs. The Los Angeles Police Department, for instance, has often accepted black and Latino job applicants who score lower on entrance examinations than white males who are turned away.
