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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Civil Services Commission - 06/18/1987 (3) CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES June 18, 1987 The regular meeting was called to order by Chairman T. Richard Ried at 8:05 a.m. In Attendance: Commissioners Michele G. Hinz and Joseph A. Street, Assistant Chief Berg, Captain Byerly, Battalion Chief Fronsdahl and Firefighter Kevin Kearns, Ms. Nancy Maxson, Lateral Entry police applicant was also present. Mr. Street moved to approve the minutes of May 21, 1987 as submitted. Ms. Hinz seconded and the motion carried. Chairman made two announcements: It will be necessary for him to leave the meeting by 9:00 a.m. to make a phone call to Yugoslavia. The second announce- ment was his presentation of a beautiful plaque, Certificate of Appreciation to the Secretary, provided by the Civil Service Commission, for ten years service (August 1 ) , signed by Chairman T. Richard Ried and Commissioners Joseph A. Street and Michele Gentry Hinz, Chief Angelo and Chief Frederiksen. Secretary expressed her appreciation for the unexpected presentation. Secretary reported that the next phase after the evaluation of the Police Lateral Entry resumes by the Committee is the physical fitness assessment which will be held next Wednesday, June 24, followed by the oral board and • polygraph exam scheduled for June 25 and 26, and the psychological evaluation on June 26 and 29 for out-of-state candidates. Ural board for in-state candidates is to be held June 3U and July 1. Copies of correspondence from Judith E. Bendich of Bendich, Stobaugh and Strong, representing James Kinnunen, were provided the Commission prior to the meeting. Copies of the response from City Attorney Driscoll were distri- buted. Chairman related he spoke with Ms. Driscoll on the phone and told the Commission the initial letter to Mr. Kinnunen was correct but because of the new court decision on June 8, the Commission will release copies of his records with a few exceptions. Secretary noted the records were sent to the attorney's office yesterday. Ms. Hinz moved to accept the letter from the City Attorney into the record, Mr. Street seconded and the motion carried. Ms. Hinz amended her motion to include the acceptance of the correspondence from Attorney Bendich into the record, Mr. Street seconded and the motion carried. The letter and resume from Nancy J. Maxson, a Police Lateral Entry applicant, were provided earlier to the Commission. Ms. Maxson was given the opportunity to speak. She explained she does not have the required number of months of experience as a sworn officer, but she is a certified law enforcement officer in the State of Idaho and holds a four-year degree in Criminal Justice from Washington State University and has had extensive law enforcement background of 13 years. In describing her background she said she joined the Richland Police Department as a cadet and was allowed to actively participate in all patrol functions of a Police Officer. She also has experience working full time in a dual capacity as a dispatcher and satellite training coordinator assistant, coordinating all regional training. She was awarded the highest research award for undergraduates from WSU for her thesis, "Post Shooting Trauma", which is published by the Training Commission and distributed nationally without a copyright because she felt it is really important to share that information with fellow officers. After graduating WSU, she joined the Lewiston Police Department and worked 14 months there as a commissioned officer. She has done consultant work as a result of the thesis, wrote policies and procedures for Pierce County Sheriff's Department and sent outlines for trauma response teams all over western United States. She also instructed at Spokane Police Academy and WSU in Trauma Response. In January of this year, she made a personal decision to move to the West Coast with her future husband who was hired by Olympia Police Department and she is pursuing her law enforcement career in Western Washington. When asked for the department's recommendation, Captain Byerly declared that the real issue is that her request is to proceed to the selection process, not necessarily to obtain a position. He noted she lacks 10 months required experience as a full commissioned officer, but questioned if everything she has done is equivalent to ten months' experience. Captain Byerly reported that Chief Frederiksen has had an opportunity to review the applicant's resume and his recommendation is that although the candidate is very qualified in all areas, the standards are set for 90 college credit hours and 2 years of full-time police officer experience; and if we • make exceptions it may open the door for future conflict. Captain Byerly, in expressing his personal views, wished he had more time in establishing standards to possibly include people who have worked in reserve capacity as there are applicants who have 7 to lU years of reserve experience but receive no credit no for it. He has been personally involved in the police cadet program in Seattle and has found cadets to be very dedicated and Ms. Maxson having started at age 14 and maintaining a constant interest in law enforcement may be just as qualified as someone who starts their career at age 21 as a police officer. But he stated the language in the Lateral Entry Program is specific: "two years full-time commissioned officer experience." Mr. Street questioned if being experienced as a communication officer qualified as a police officer. Ms. Maxson responded that her 8 years as dispatcher was non-commissioned position. Ms. Hinz indicated she would like to find a way to include Ms. Maxson into the program but expressed her concern that others may not have applied because they did not meet the minimum requirement. Mr. Ried stated, in his opinion, that each case, particularly in a person as well qualified as Ms. Maxson, the Commission should look at it on the basis of equivalency and each case as an individual case and an exceptional allowance should be made. But he thought it better to defer any decision until the City Attorney returns and gives her opinion, if the rules allow for exceptions. Mr. Street moved to request the City Attorney to give us her opinion at a • - 2 - special meeting on Tuesday, June 23 regarding Ms. Maxson's request for an exception to the experience requirement. Ms. Hinz seconded and the motion carried. Captain Byerly informed the Commission that other applicants who did not meet specific qualifications were told the same thing, that they could request an appearance before the Commission to present their case. Chairman acknowledged that is the proper procedure. The letter dated May 15, 1987 from officer Gail Keil notifying of her resigna- tion effective immediately was read. Mr. Street moved, Ms. Hinz seconded, to accept the letter from officer Keil into the records. Motion carried. The letter from Jeffry A. Steadman, dated June 9, 1987 requesting substitution of additional month of educational time for the required months of experience or, if not acceptable, a refund of his application fee. It was noted some of his experience at Central Washington University is not at a municipality, county, or state law enforcement agency and does not meet minimum require- ments. Mr. Street moved to authorize a refund to Mr. Steadman. Nis. Hinz seconded and the motion carried. A memo of June 12, 1987 from Assistant Chief LaBore informing of the termina- tion of Christopher Kroha, effective May 26, 1987, was read. Ms. Hinz moved, Mr. Street seconded, to accept the memo into the records. Motion carried. The memo of June 17, 1987 from Assistant Chief LaBore informing of his • resignation effective June 30, 1987, was read. He has accepted a position with King County Fire District No. 24. Mr. Street moved, Ms. Hinz seconded, to accept the memo regretfully into the records, and motion carried. The memo of June 17, 1987 from Assistant Chief Berg informing of the temporary appointment of John E. Aldridge to the position of Assistant Fire Chief, effective June 22, 1987, was read. Ms. Hinz moved, Mr. Street seconded, to accept the memo into the records and motion carried. Assistant Chief Berg requested permission to start a testing process for the position of Assistant Fire Chief. He confirmed for Chairman that it would be the same testing procedure used in the past. He explained that their intention is to use an oral resume process to reduce the candidates to six for the assessment center. The oral resume is anticipated to be held in mid-July and the assessment center in early August. Ms. Hinz moved to authorize an Assistant Fire Chief examination process. Mr. Street seconded and the motion carried. Copies of the new printing of the rules and regulations incorporating Police Lateral Entry were distributed. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 1987 at 8:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers. • - 3 - Meeting adjourned at 8:45 a.m. Respectively submitted. AMY Kato, Secretary and Chief Examiner Approved: T. Richard Ried Chairman • 237V-lV 4 -