The U.S. Department of Justice has fined the Denver Sheriff's Department for making U.S. citizenship a job requirement for its deputies during a hiring spree in 2015 and early 2016, reports the Denver Post.
The sheriff's department will pay a $10,000 fine and will have to sort through old applications to identify people who were eliminated from consideration because they were not U.S. citizens, according to a news release from the justice department.
The department must reconsider those applicants for future jobs, the justice department said.
In an emailed statement, sheriff's spokesman Simon Crittle said, "The Denver Sheriff Department maintains its commitment to treat all people with dignity and respect, and is proud to have one of the most diverse workplaces in Colorado.
"While we didn't commit this violation intentionally, we accept responsibility and are taking steps to clarify policy and amend language in hiring documents."
