By Adam Allington, KWMU

St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has ordered Fire Chief Sherman George to stop holding up department promotions from a 2004 officer test.

The results of the test prompted a wave of resentment among black firefighters who claim that the exam was racially biased a judge ruled against those claims in May.

In a letter delivered to George earlier today (Wednesday) Slay said,

"Those opposed to the test had their day in court and lost. Ignoring the court's clear, unequivocal ruling is creating hard feelings among many of the men and women in the department who have waited patiently for promotions."

Captain Addington Stewart is the Chair of the Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality, F.I.R.E.

Stewart wrote a letter to Mayor Slay last week asking him to investigate the possibility of cheating on the Captain and Battalion Chief exams

"They're saying that it's in the best interest of the city and that he needs to promote. What I'm saying is that they can still conduct investigations because he hasn't promoted yet."

Fire Chief Sherman George has refused to issue promotions since the 2004 test...filling vacancies only on an "acting" basis.

George refused to return calls to KWMU for this story.

Read F.I.R.E.'s proposal.

Read Slay's letter.

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