A U.S. Justice Department lawsuit against the Pennsylvania State Police reached a $2.2 million settlement after alleging the PSP’s physical tests resulted in discrimination against women.

The suit, brought in federal court in 2014, alleged that tests dating back to 2003 assessed “physical skills not required to perform the job” that “disproportionately excluded female applicants,” the Justice Department said.

These requirements were in violation of the 1963 Civil Rights Act, the suit alleged.

The money will go into a settlement fund used to compensate the women who were harmed by these practices, the department said. The agreement also says the PSP must hire up to 65 women for entry-level state trooper jobs if the women meet the agency’s lawful criteria.

Between 2003 and 2008, only 71% of women passed the PSP’s physical fitness test compared to 94% of male applicants, the original complaint filed by the Justice Department stated.

A different test, used between 2009 and 2012, saw 98% of male applicants pass compared to 72% of female applicants.

If women had passed the tests at the same rate as men, there would have been 119 more women available for further consideration of entry-level trooper between 2003 and 2012, the suit states, resulting in 45 of them being hired for the position.

In a statement, PSP communications director Ryan Tarkowski said: “The Pennsylvania State Police ... is committed to the recruitment, hiring, training and retention of the most qualified applicants to become Pennsylvania State Troopers, with an emphasis on women and minority recruitment.”

Mick Stinelli: mstinelli@post-gazette.com; 412-263-1869; and on Twitter @MickStinelli.

First Published: April 13, 2021, 5:48 p.m.