Civil Service and the Adverse Effects on Municipalities: Considering Alternatives
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Date
2018
Authors
Vrana, Tracy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT)
Abstract
Description
Many Texas law enforcement agencies operate under a governing body called the Texas Civil Service Commission. The adoption of civil service is optional and is usually decided by the police officers’ association, which must be approved through citizens’ vote. Civil service outlines administrative rules, which are intended to fairly regulate processes such as hiring, promotions, and disciplinary action, thus removing the agency from the Texas at-will employment status. Research suggests that civil service generally improves officer treatment through structure (Whitton, 2011; Castillo, 1993; Walters, 2002). However, these agencies experience problems with respect to sustaining disciplinary action up to termination. The rigidity of civil service creates a financial burden on a city with hiring, promotions, and firing, often rendering them vulnerable to damaging effects of the inability to discipline or remove incompetent and troublesome officers. The focus of this research is on the problems it creates for a civil service agency with strong emphasis on adopting a less restrictive governing process as opposed to civil service. The suggestion made is for city administrators and their law enforcement agency administration to come together with police officer associations to sculpt contracts that will serve to provide police officers with similar protection while also providing the agency administration with flexibility to adequately control regulations of employment processes. Through a devised system of checks, balances, and obligations from each stakeholder group, a fully supportive covenant stands to better regulate an agency while protecting the interests of all. Rather than operate under ridged rules outlined by the state of Texas, this process would allow the creation and refinement of rules for an agency that would work best for their unique setting.
Keywords
Police administration, Collective bargaining, Civil service