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By Doug Cunningham

A federal lawsuit against New York City seeks to change the hiring selection and exam process at the city’s fire department. John Coons is with the Vulcan Society, a black firefighters organization within FDNY. He says its ironic that New York City is one of the most racially diverse cities in the world while its fire department is not nearly diverse enough.

[Coons]: “Yet the fire department doesn't reflect that in its hiring of firefighters. So this case is really about people's opportunity to work."

The U.S Justice Department has intervened in the lawsuit, filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, also alleging that the hiring selection and exams process discriminates. Coons hopes the suit can be resolved before it’s scheduled for trial in June.

[Coons]: “We’re lookin’ for justice to be upheld. We’re lookin’ forward to this case being dealt with in an expeditious manner. We’re talking about future careers here. We’re talking about the well-being of the city.”