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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 01/21/1982 VAM CITY OF � CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ` January 21, 1982 TO: THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION The following names represent the Eligibility List for the position of Lieutenant in the Fire Department: Jed E. Aldridge James L. Moline Daniel L. Hertlein Michael P. Scott David B. Thatcher John M. Klopfenstein Robert J. Jennings Gene A. Grenstad Robert A. Johnson Randal G. Anderson Robert D. See H. Leo Higgins Martin R. Woodin Michael Somerville Ernest Rideout Michael Ernst I hereby certify that the list was legally prepared and represents the relative rating of the names appearing thereon. Amy E. Kato Secretary and Chief Examiner � Chairman Donald Whitener • Terry Y n ■ ! �\ 220 SO.4th AVE. /KENT, WASHINGTON 98031 /TELEPHONE(205) 872-8250 KENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES January 21, 1982 The regular meeting was called to order by Acting Chairman Terry Yahn. Commissioner Donald Whitener was present. Also in attendance were: Chief Angelo and Martin Woodin • from the Fire Department and Chief Skewes, Captains Byerly and Rees, Sergeant LaBelle and Officers Beal, Fletcher and Koransky. Before approving the minutes of the special meeting of January 14, 1982, Mr. Whitener said that he had intended to say 'several of his comments were inappropriate'. With the minutes amended with the word, 'several' , the minutes were approved as submitted. Chief Angelo reported that the Assistant Chief's assessment lab is being held today. He invited the Commission to observe the session or any part of the session. Captain Rees reported there will be a physical agility test this Saturday, January 23 and a written exam to follow the same afternoon for police officer candidates. The letters protesting the sergeant's exam which were accepted into the record at the previous special meeting were next on the agenda. Officer Fletcher began by stating that he did not feel the sergeant's pre-screening test was an appropriate test as it could be passed better by a person fresh out of the academy, that the ten persons who passed are directly involved in field training with new recruits and have to know the answers. He further stated he has 11 years of police experience and:shouLd not have been excluded from the assessment center. Officer Beal said he feels somewhat the same way but his one concern was the lack of definition of technical skills, that the test should have something to do with operational and administration with the Kent • Police Department, not a test that a graduate from the police academy would take. He said most officers are highly qualified and don't retain all reference matters. He thought the test was going to be designed to test supervisory potential rather than knowl- edge of the law. He stated he has many years as a police officer, most of the time as a senior officer and came out No. 3 in the last sergeant's exam. Officer Koransky explained he has been with the Kent Police Department for almost 3 1/2 years and has been a police officer close to 11 1/2 years, being assistant shift supervisor for the past 1 1/2 years. He also said that the test was inappropriate because it did not cover supervisory abilities. He said that after he had taken the test, he said he was going to protest the test whether he passed or not because he felt it was an inappropriate test for a sergeant's exam. He said he had studied a sergeant's book and other material to help him with the test and found not one item was covered in the pre-screening test. Officer Koransky requested the Commission to allow everybody to take the exam including the assessment center. Officer Beal questioned when in the previous test for sergeant 16 to 17 persons participated, why the 19 candidates couldn't be processed this time. Sergeant LaBelle said that the comments and conversations he had heard concerning the sergeant's test was that the candidates did not know where to obtain the correct information. He made a recommendation in reference to the testing process: an assessment center going through five phases. Two sections with a multitude of people would include an in-basket exercise and a strefsproblem as a screening method. By using those two portions of assessment center, it would be possible to evaluate each section and twb-fifths of the examination would be completed and those grades would remain dnto the final three phases of the assessment center. Officer Fletcher com- mented that he deals with the Prosecutor's Office, critiques cases, prepares cases and often establishes guidelines, yet failed this test. Officer Koransky said the group feels strongly about the test and said he feels the Commission should possibly reconsider i� Kent Civil Service Commission Meeting Minutes - Page 2 January 21, 1982 the concept presented by Sergeant LaBelle. Chief Skewes said some clarification should be made that an assistant shift supervisor position was filled from the last exam and there were complaints about the last exam. He said the pre-screening process is not new as this Commission has been using it since he has been here. When he was approached, he said he prepared the last exam for sergeant, but with his private business, he chose not to become involved in this test and all future exams as there is skill within the city to design them. Chief Skewes also said he has no concern with any of the applicants, that pre-screening is a legitimate process. The tool all police officers use every day on his job is the law or elements of the crime. He further stated that the WSCJTC exam given was one that anyone without any field experience should know and supervisors have to be at that level so should know as much as any one outlof..the academy. He said the one issue is that there was no pass-fail, they were just looking for higher;level of skills in that one area to go into the assessment center. Officer Koransky responded that the screening process is arbitrarily cutting off at the top nine and if you are looking for the best candidate, you have eliminated the possibility of getting the best candidate. Officer Beal said he disagreed with Chief Skewes because he does not think the law is the No. 1 tool the supervisor is going to need and he relied on experience. He said he acted as a sergeant for half of 1981 and the most common problems were procedures, operational and dealing with the public. The main problems, he felt, had to be dealing with personnel and a supervisor should be dealing with personnel. Mr. Whitener commented that though he is not involved and knowling little about the working of the police department setting, he was very impressed with the comments that the officers have presented, referring to the letters and presentations. He further stated that it seems that we have some very • fine officers and for one reason or another won't have the opportunity;to become involved. He said he believes in the screening process. Mr. Whitener said he likes Sgt. LaBelle's proposal but he is not familiar with the cost. Mr. Yahn stated that all the statements have been noted and to be taken under advisement, but that we must go on with the meet- ing. Captain Rees asked to make one comment: that he looks at the police field as a profession and there is a definite requirement of information that a supervisor must know and have available. He further stated that if we are going to be professional, we should know the professional aspect we deal with every day. Chief Skewes added that we have very fine officers and very fine officers on the list, that there are some excep- tionally fine officers on the list. Acting Chairman Yahn thanked the officers for coming and told them they were welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting. Secretary requested the correction of the Firefighter Eligibility List of December 17 , 1982 be approved. It was explained that there was an error in the addition of the score. The list was approved as corrected with Mark W. Thompson ranking No. 5. Sergeant LaBelle brought up the special Civil Service Commission meeting of January 14, 1982 regarding the change of Rule VII, Section 2. He expressed his objections to this meeting along with Sgt. Hammer. He said he was in anticipation of being notified of the meeting but neither he nor Sgt. Hammer was notified. He said he would like to have expressed.his feelings and voiced his objection that there was no prior notice. He also said he would like to know that a lieutenant has some supervisory experience, referring to the rule change. Secretary explained that the meeting was hurriedly scheduled as soon �. as the letter from the Guild was received on Tuesday so that the Fire;Department Lieu- tenant exam which was going to begin on Friday could be officially approved. She said she had requested the Guild president be notified of the special meeting as well as the Kent Civil Service Commission Meeting Minutes - Page 3 January 21, 1982 Firefighter Union president. It was determined after the meeting that notices of all future special meetings will be posted. Mr. Whitener remarked that sometime in the future, he would like to look at all of the positions to see if there are discrepancies and alsoito contact other Civil Service Commissions and look at some of their requirements. Chief Skewes' memo of January 4, 1982 to Sergeant Jilbert granting his request for leave of absence without pay was read. It was moved, seconded and carried the memo be made a part of the record. The memo of January 20, 1,982 from Assistant Chief Fronsdahl requesting the removal of Robert S. Schneider from the Firefighter Eligibility List because of his failure to pass themedical examination was read. It was moved and seconded to remove Robert S. Schneider's name from the Firefighter Eligibility List for the reason give. Motion carried. It was moved and seconded to certify the Fire Department Lieutenant Eligibility List as follows: Jed E. Aldridge James L. Moline Daniel Hertlein Michael Scott David Thatcher John Klopfenstein Robert Jennings Gene Grenstad Bill Lee Johnson Randal Anderson • Robert See H. Leo Higgins Martin Woodin Michael Somerville Ernest Rideout Michael Ernst Motion carried. Chief Skewes reported the hiring of Roger Tanaka and Wayne Himple starting February 1st. A written notification will follow. Chief Skewes noted that both men are from the Port of Seattle Police Department. Captain Rees' letter of January 20, 1982 requesting notification of Mr. Webby of the need of a police lieutenant promotional exam was read. It was moved and seconded to notify Mr. Webby. Motion carried. Captain Byerly requested that, as a result of the last oral board, the following names be removed from for failing the oral board: Hugh D. Carino Bradlpy J. Reuben William R. Moore Tim E. Morford It was moved and seconded to remove the preceding names from the Law Enforcement • Officer Eligibility List for the reason give. Motion carried. IKent Civil Service Commission Meeting Minutes - Page 4 January 21, 1982 The next regular meeting is scheduled for February 18, 1982 at 8:00 a.m. at Fire Station I. • Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:00 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Amy E. Kato Secretary and Chief Examiner Approved: erry en Acting Chairman • •