📋

Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

El Dorado County Grand Jury • 2000-2001

Candidate Not Qualified to Sit for Lieutenant's Exam

Published: June 25, 2001 3 pages

View PDF View Full Original

⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 9 findings

In 1995, the Board of Supervisors approved a request from the Director of Human Resources Department to divest its responsibility for personnel actions to be taken by four major departments within the County to those department heads. One of those departments was the Sheriff's Department.

The Director of HRD in a letter dated May 8, 1997, advised the Sheriff's Department to discontinue the past practice of allowing candidates who did not meet the minimum qualifications at the time of the final filing date for application for a position, to take promotional exams. The new policy effective May 8, 1997: "...mandates that applicants for Sheriff's Sergeant and Sheriff's Lieutenant meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing date in order to be eligible to participate in the examination process."

In direct violation of HRD's Policies and Procedures, one candidate taking the Lieutenant's Exam on March 3, 2000 did not meet the "time- in- grade" qualification. 18

The situation described in F3 was known to, and approved by, the Sheriff's Department and by an employee of the HRD. Nevertheless, the Director of HRD is responsible for the actions of her employees.

The minimum qualifications of applicants for promotion are not verified by the Sheriff's Department.

The minimum qualifications of applicants for any position within the County are not verified by HRD.

There are at least nine separate personnel files on any given employee within the Sheriff's Department. This situation significantly complicates the investigation and verification of personnel issues within the Sheriff's Department.

The candidate who did not meet the minimum qualifications for the Lieutenant's Examination at the time of the final filing date for that examination was promoted.

The promotion of personnel not meeting the minimum qualifications is a violation of policies and procedures, suggests favoritism, and has a negative impact on department morale.

Recommendations 5

R1

The Sheriff's Department should adhere to existing policies and procedures for promotional testing.
R2

The Sheriff's Department should institute a process for verification of minimum qualifications for all applicants for promotional exams.
R3

HRD should institute a process for verification of minimum qualifications for all positions of employment in El Dorado County.
R4

The number of personnel files maintained by the Sheriff's Department should be reduced to a manageable number, and those files should be maintained according to prevailing industry standards.
R5

HRD should be responsible and accountable for the administration and/or oversight of all personnel actions within El Dorado County. Responses Required for Findings