Police applicants asked if they are sex assault victims
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland, California, police department asks officer applicants if they've ever been sexually assaulted, which appears to be a rare and potentially problematic question, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The San Francisco Chronicle queried police in the state's 10 most populous cities and could not find another instance of screening for sexual assault victims.
Legal experts told the newspaper the inquiry is odd and potentially problematic, but there is disagreement over whether it's illegal.
Oakland police officials said a candidate would not be denied a position for being a sexual assault victim. Officials said they want the information so they can review police reports in which applicants may appear.