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~ ~ ~ /~j l Wednesday, November 25, 19111 Houston Chronicle Pasadena police officer fights staff restructuring BY JOE ~icQUADE Chronicle Staff ~ Pasadena police sergeant. who would be deprived of a promotion by a proposed staff reorganization, is challenging the legality of the change. Detective Sgt. ;Viike Box, 3~t, placed highest among seven sergeants on a re- cent civil service exam to fill a vacant lieutenant's slot. An ordinance being con- sidered by City Council, however, would delete the position, leaving the depart- ment with seven lieutenants instead of eight. $ox sought an injunction to forestall -final passage of the ordinance Tuesday. State District Judge Thomas Stovall denied the injunction, but council tabled the ordinance later that day to study the legal issues in the case. Box's attorney. Bob Sussman. said state civil service law requires that va- cancies be filled within 90 days and that candidates scoring highest uii promotion exams be elevated immediately. The vacancy occurred in September. when Lt. C. L. Ellis was promoted to deputy chief. ••He iBox~ has worked hard all his ca- reer to attain this." Sussman said. "He studied hard for the test. It seems some- what unfair fur the city to pull it away from him." ' Mayor Johnny Isbell said he supports deleting the lieutenant's position because a study of the department completed this month indicates its staff "is too top- heavy." "We have 56 officers of sergeant's rank or above in a department of 200," Isbell' said. "I can't see keeping this position when it isn't needed." . The study, by Peat, Marwick, /Mitchell & Co., calls for deleting one of four cap- tains' slots or a captain's slot and one of three deputy chief positions. With either of those cutbacks, the study envisions eight or nine lieutenant positions. Isbell said he favors dropping a lieuten- ant's slot instead because all of the Higher ranks are staffed. "It's less painful to eliminate a position that isn't filled," he said. "I don't want to see anyone knocked down i a rankl." Acting Police Chief David ltullican said the proposed deletion has nothing to do with which sergeant would get the job. Asked if he thinks the proposed deletion results from a personal rift between him- self and :1lullican, Box declined com- ment. Sussman said a lawsuit against the city "is a definite possibility" if council drops the lieutenant's position. "They're chang- ing the rules in the middle of the game." he said. '•He's being denied the property right i to the lieutenant's slot) he earned on the exam." J