NEW YORK An aspiring police officer’s federal lawsuit for discrimination was rejected by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Robert Jordan was denied acceptance into the police force due to a high test score on the intelligence exam. Jordan scored a mere 33 points, the equivalent of an IQ of 125.

The Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision that the city did not discriminate against Jordan. The ruling maintains that the same standards were applied to everyone as the city only interviewed candidates who scored 20-27. The average national score for police officers is 21-22 or an IQ of about 104.

The reason for considering only lower test scores is due to a business strategy to reduce turnover that the court found unwise yet stated it was “a rational basis for the policy.” Their method of selection is based on the idea that smarter police officers could get bored with the work and quit shortly after costly training.

The world’s current average IQ is 100 with a standard deviation of 15 (68% of scores fall between 85-115). Furthermore 95% of IQ scores span the range 70-130. In order to be considered a genius, a minimum score of 160 is generally required. Jordan’s score was only slightly above average.

Jordan has worked as a prison guard since taking the test and maintains his stance:

“You have no more control over your basic intelligence than your eye color or your gender or anything else.”

He does not plan to take any further legal action though he still feels strongly about this matter. He says,

“[The policy] puts an official face on discrimination in America against people of a certain class.”

(Image 1)(Image 2)

Follow us

Share this article