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Dallas police sergeants urge Civil Service to restore eligibility for lieutenant promotional exam
Summary
Multiple Dallas Police Department sergeants told the Civil Service Board they believe an announcement and internal interpretation have left about 40 employees ineligible for the upcoming lieutenant promotional process and asked the board to reconsider eligibility rules or permit affected candidates to sign up.
Several Dallas Police Department sergeants and an association representative pressed the City of Dallas Civil Service Board on June 3 to reconsider who is eligible to take the department's upcoming lieutenant promotional examination.
The most detailed public comments came from Police Sergeant Christa Cortinez, who said the exam announcement implied candidates who meet the written-test requirement would be eligible, but that the department is treating the later assessment center as part of the same examination in a way that prevents some employees from qualifying. "The assessment center is 65% of the grade, the written is 35%, and you have to get a total score," Cortinez said, urging the board to allow affected candidates a fair opportunity to register.
The complaint was echoed by Lieutenant Frederick Mears, who told the board he believes a City rules interpretation could prevent as many as 40 employees from taking the written test. "Based upon the civil service rule definition, the examination includes the assessment center," Mears said, and he asked the board to consider permitting eligible employees to be added or reconsidered so they could take the July written test and the September assessment center.
Sean Heese, a sergeant and vice president of the Dallas Police Association, and Sergeant Jesse Rodriguez also appeared and pressed the point that the department should follow existing rules so employees who meet time-in-grade and other criteria are not excluded. Heese described one example — Sergeant Mark Johnson — who, he said, accumulated more than five years total as a sergeant but was denied eligibility.
Board staff said they cannot act on the matter during the meeting because the topic had not been posted on the board's agenda in advance, and public meeting rules require a 72-hour posting. Jared Davis, Civil Service Board secretary and department director, said the board would need to review the matter and, if necessary, seek legal advice before taking action. He also guided speakers on how to submit formal grievance packets for review. "If they have a grievance that they would like to present, they could turn that in at the front, and I'll take that under due course and work with it as our policy procedure requires," Davis said.
No formal vote or change in policy was taken at the meeting. Several speakers said they would submit written grievance materials to civil service staff.
Board members and staff indicated they will review submitted grievances and follow the board's formal procedures, which may include legal review and, if appropriate, a future agenda item for the board to consider.
