Nondiscrimination Policies and Procedures

DPSST's Commitment to Nondiscrimination and Equal Access

The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or service that it provides. DPSST will not tolerate intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination against any individual or group. DPSST's substantive policy statement under Policy #141 and #142 establishes a framework for taking reasonable steps to ensure access to all services provided by DPSST and establishes procedures whereby DPSST will receive and investigate allegations of discrimination.

Federal Civil Rights Laws

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the overarching civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, in any program, service, or activity that receives federal assistance. Specifically, Title VI assures that “No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal assistance." Nondiscrimination prohibitions have been further broadened and supplemented by related statutes, regulations, and executive orders.

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, in any program, service, or activity that receives federal assistance]
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) [Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education or training program receiving federal financial assistance, with a limited number of defined exceptions]
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) [Prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual's disability by all federal agencies and in all federally funded activities]
• The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended [Prohibits discrimination in federally supported activities on the basis of age]
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulation 6 C.F.R. Part 19 [which prohibits discrimination based on religion in social service programs] 

DPSST adheres to Title VI activities as a recipient of federal assistance from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) From the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

What Does This Mean?

DPSST will make every attempt to not restrict an individual from receiving any service under its programs, regardless of the funding source for the program.

DPSST will not tolerate intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination against any individual or group for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege guaranteed under law or regulations, or because the individual has filed a complaint or has testified, assisted, or participated in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing or has opposed any DPSST action or decision.

DPSST will take reasonable measures to provide access to DPSST services to individuals with limited ability to speak, write, or understand English and/or to those with disabilities.

Nondiscrimination Policy

Policy 142

Filing a Complaint

If someone believes they have suffered from discrimination under a DPSST program, they may contact the DPSST Nondiscrimination Program Coordinator Jarom Robertson at jarom.robertson@dpsst.oregon.gov to seek informal resolution. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, the following steps will be followed:

• Within 180 days of the alleged discrimination, complainants may submit a written or verbal complaint to the Nondiscrimination Program Coordinator. Complaints must include the complainant's name, the nature of the complaint, the dates of the complaint, requested action, and contact information.
• The Nondiscrimination Program Coordinator will forward the complaint to the appropriate department manager for review who may solicit additional information from the complainant as needed. If additional information is requested and not received, the case may be closed. The case may also be closed if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case.
• If the complaint is outside the jurisdiction of DPSST, the complainant will be notified of the name and contact information for the appropriate agency with jurisdiction, if known.

Complaint Processing

If the complaint is within the jurisdiction of DPSST it will be promptly and impartially investigated. DPSST's goal is to address complaints within 60 days of receipt, though the time to carefully investigate complaints may be longer depending on the nature of the complaint and complexity of the issue.

Preliminary Inquiry

DPSST will conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine the need for further investigation.

• DPSST will notify the complainant in writing that a preliminary inquiry is underway to determine the need for further investigation.
• If the preliminary inquiry by DPSST indicates that an investigation is warranted, the complainant will be notified in writing and an interview will be scheduled.
• If the preliminary inquiry indicates an investigation is not warranted, the complainant will be notified in writing, of the reasons why and factors considered.