Colorado Springs draft would require police, fire hiring to exhaust score bands
The proposed rules would group entry-level candidates by score and require the city to consider each band before moving to the next, alongside changes to discipline, appeals and examinations.
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Colorado Springs’ proposed civil-service rules would require the Police and Fire departments to consider entry-level candidates in score bands, exhausting one band before moving to the next. The draft says candidates in the same band should be considered to have similar ability based on the selection process, under the proposed rules.
The proposal also would change procedures for discipline, appeals and examinations. If an appeal overturns a termination, an employee would receive the pay and city benefits they would have received if they had not been terminated. The city’s rule-revision summary describes the current approach as allowing terminated employees to remain on paid administrative leave while appeals are pending.
The rules would create an optional discipline-review process through the police or fire chief. Employees who choose it would have to acknowledge the underlying policy violation and waive rights including further Civil Service Commission and court review, lawsuits based on the chief’s decision, discovery, and the presentation and cross-examination of witnesses. The chief’s decision would be final. Employees would have time to consult an attorney before signing the waiver, the proposed rule text says.
The changes also would require at least 14 days’ public notice for entry-level and lateral-entry examinations and at least 30 days’ notice for promotional examinations. A separate proposed resolution would allow the Fire Department to use continuous testing for promotional Firefighter Driver/Engineer positions. Passing scores would remain valid for 12 months, during which candidates could not retest.
The Civil Service Commission approved the Driver/Engineer amendment June 15, according to the resolution. The broader rule changes are presented in drafts dated Sept. 8. The draft rules say they would take effect only after approval by both the commission and City Council and after the text is posted for at least 10 working days. They also call for a public hearing if employees object.