Seattle Improperly Transferred Police Functions from Civil Service Commission to Department of Personnel

RCW 41.12 is intended to insure that an independent body protects police officers from management.? ?In late 2001, the Seattle City Council passed on ordinance transferred from the Civil Service Commission to the Department of Personnel?? certain?? functions?? including?? certain rules related to competitive examinations.?? The Police Guild sued to overturn the new ordinance. The superior court dismissed the Police Guild?s case.?? The court of appeals reversed.?? The court held that the City?s ordinance compromised the protection the law affords to police officers regarding promotion based on merit because the Department of Personnel is not independent in the way the civil service commission is. ?The case was remanded for the superior court to determine which portions of the new ordinance were merely ministerial and therefore enforceable.? ?Seattle Police ?Officers ?Guild ?v. ?City ?of ?Seattle, ?No.52042-3-I (05/03/04; Baker, Kennedy, Becker).