There is another city that I know of that does this. They go off of a point scale, and you automatically receive extra points right off the bat if you are a minority of any sort. Female? Extra points! Learning disability? Extra points! Mexican? Lesbian? Oriental? Other disability? Missing a limb? Extra points! Drives me nuts....
I'm sorry, but I don't care if you are black, white, male, female, muslim, catholic, jewish, underweight or overweight, as long as you can save me from a burning building, a car accident, or a murderer, I don't care who or what you are. It should go to the most QUALIFIED person, no matter who they are.
Sorry, just my .02.