HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSS 2023-01-23 Item 1C - Ordinance - TMC Section 2.42 "Civil Service Commission"W
i City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Community Services and Safety Committee
FROM: Chief of Police Eric Dreyer
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: January 16th, 2023
SUBJECT: Amendment to Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) Chapter 2.42 Civil Service
Commission
ISSUE
To meet the police department's recruitment needs, the police department is proposing that the
TMC language be amended to create a "rule of five," vs the current rule of three. This would
codify the process that has been presented to and support by the Civil Service Commission.
BACKGROUND
Chapter 2.42.030 of the TMC refers to a Civil Service eligibility list. (This list is generated
through an objective testing process and an oral board panel.) The appointing authority, (the
Chief of Police) must make an appointment from the top-ranked three applicants on the
eligibility list for each position to be filled. With only being able to select from the top three
candidates, this "rule of three" reduces the ability to find the most qualified candidates,
increases the time it takes to schedule and conduct interviews, and allows other agencies to
hire the quality applicants before we get a chance to interview them.
Almost every applicant that the police department interviewed in 2022 was in the hiring process
with multiple law enforcement agencies at the same time. The greatest threat to current
recruitment efforts is in having a hiring process that is not efficient or flexible, giving competing
agencies the edge.
DISCUSSION
In order to meet the police department's recruitment needs, the police department is proposing
that the TMC language be amended to create a "rule of five."
TMC 2.42.030 Commission Organization — Duties
B. Duties of the Commission.
10. When a vacant position is to be filled, to certify to the appointing
authority, on written request, the names of the three five persons highest
on the eligible list for the class. The Commission shall make provision in
its rules for provisional or temporary appointments to be utilized when
there is no such eligible list applicable to the vacant position, or which
may be utilized at the discretion of the appointing authority when there
are less than thrccfive names on the eligibility list applicable to the vacant
position. Such temporary or provisional appointment shall not exceed a
period of six months in duration but may be extended for up to an
additional six months if for any reason it cannot be determined at the
expiration of the initial appointment that the position being filled by
temporary or provisional appointment will in fact continue to be vacant,
such as in the instance of a position vacant due to an officer on disability
leave under the LEOFF Act, or for other good cause which in the
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INFORMATIONAL MEMO
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discretion of the Commission warrants an additional extension of such a
provisional or temporary appointment.
A "rule of five" will allow the Chief of Police to see a deeper pool of applicants per position
opening. A deeper pool creates a greater opportunity to identify the most qualified applicants,
reduces rescheduling of interview delays resulting from exhausting a shorter interview list of
applicants, and increases our ability to compete with other agencies vying for the same people.
Amending TMC 2.42.030 to read "top-ranked five applicants" will expedite our hiring process
and allow for greater potential to find quality applicants to serve the Tukwila Community.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No financial impact.
RECOMMENDATION
The Council is being asked to approve the amendment to TMC 2.42.030 and consider this item
at the January 23rd, 2023, Committee of the Whole meeting and subsequent Special Meeting on
the same date.
ATTACHMENTS
Ordinance updating TMC Section 2.42.030
https://tukwilawa.sharepoint.com/sites/mayorsoffice/cc/Council Agenda Items/Police/Informational Memorandum - Amendment to TMC Civil Service.docx
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 2691 §5, AS CODIFIED AT
TUKWILA MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.42.030,
TO UPDATE ORGANIZATIONAL PROCEDURES
RELATING TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND
ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, recruiting qualified law enforcement officers is a priority for the community;
and
WHEREAS, the City's Civil Service Commission is the established regulatory body
over the police hiring process pursuant to Chapter 41.12 RCW; and
WHEREAS, Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) Section 2.42.030, "Commission
Organization — Duties," currently requires that vacant positions in the Tukwila Police
Department must be filled based upon the names of the three persons highest on the Civil
Service eligibility list; and
WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila desires to create a more efficient hiring process that
allows greater opportunity to hire diverse applicants and is competitive with other law
enforcement agencies by increasing the Civil Service eligibility list from three to five persons;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
WASHINGTON, HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Ordinance No. 2691 §5, as codified at TMC Section 2.42.030,
"Commission Organization — Duties," subparagraph B.10, is hereby amended to read as
follows:
10. When a vacant position is to be filled, to certify to the appointing authority,
on written request, the names of the three five persons highest on the eligible list for the
class. The Commission shall make provision in its rules for provisional or temporary
appointments to be utilized when there is no such eligible list applicable to the vacant
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position, or which may be utilized at the discretion of the appointing authority when there
are less than three five names on the eligibility list applicable to the vacant position. Such
temporary or provisional appointment shall not exceed a period of six months in duration
but may be extended for up to an additional six months if for any reason it cannot be
determined at the expiration of the initial appointment that the position being filled by
temporary or provisional appointment will in fact continue to be vacant, such as in the
instance of a position vacant due to an officer on disability leave under the LEOFF Act,
or for other good cause which in the discretion of the Commission warrants an additional
extension of such a provisional or temporary appointment.
Section 2. Corrections by City Clerk or Code Reviser Authorized. Upon
approval of the City Attorney, the City Clerk and the code reviser are authorized to make
necessary corrections to this ordinance, including the correction of clerical errors;
references to other local, state or federal laws, codes, rules, or regulations; or ordinance
numbering and section/subsection numbering.
Section 3. Severability. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or
phrase of this ordinance or its application to any person or situation should be held to be
invalid or unconstitutional for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the
remaining portions of this ordinance or its application to any other person or situation.
Section 4. Effective Date. This ordinance or a summary thereof shall be published
in the official newspaper of the City, and shall take effect and be in full force five days
after passage and publication as provided by law.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at
a Regular Meeting thereof this day of , 2023.
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED:
Christy O'Flaherty, MMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM BY:
Office of the City Attorney
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
Filed with the City Clerk:
Passed by the City Council:
Published:
Effective Date:
Ordinance Number:
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