# Police Promotional Exam Eligibility



## policelaborlaw.com (Mar 7, 2006)

The Massachusetts Human Resources Division has recently denied candidates the ability to sit for promotional examinations based on a lack of "time in grade," by refusing to count time spent on an "eligible list" for the lower position and instead counting only time spent on a "certification," which is a list of names created in response to a vacancy and requisition.

G.L. c. 31, § 59 requires candidates for promotion to have one year "time in grade" in the lower position. This means that if you are taking the Lieutenant's examination, you must have 1 year "time in grade" as a Sergeant. However, G.L. c. 31, § 59 does not require you to have worked as a Sergeant for a full year prior to taking the Lieutenant's examination. You can use the time spent on Sergeant's list towards the 1 year "in grade" requirement.

The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission and HRD have repeatedly interpreted the "in grade" requirements to allow credit for time spent on a "certification," (the list of 3 names for 1 vacancy) and not the eligible list. I have just filed an appeal challenging this.

Please contact me if you have recently been denied and appealed the ability to sit for a police promotional examination due to your time spent on an eligible list not counting towards the "in grade" requirement of G.L. c. 31, § 59.


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

We are allowed to sit for an exam anytime after promotion to your current rank (ie. any Sgt. may take Lt. test, no matter how much time in rank they have). However you must perform 2 years in rank before you are eligilble to be promoted. Many times people are passed over while they wait for there time in rank to be fufilled, but are always promoted when they reach the 2 year mark. No one is allowed to take a test out of rank. (no police officer may sit for Lt. test).


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## LA Copper (Feb 11, 2005)

We have to be in rank for two years before being allowed to take a promotional test. It doesn't make any sense to be able to take a promotional test to an upper rank until it's been proven you can perform at the current rank. We occasionally have people downgraded to their previous rank because they couldn't perform to the department's standard at the promoted rank. That's the way it should be in my opinion. 

Out here from sergeant on up to deputy chief you're on "probation" for a year and are under scrutiny from your superiors. You actually have to be able to perform your duties at that rank before moving on up....imagine that.


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

We have the 1 year probation as well, and occaisionaly members are demoted, but not often. Above Captain is all appointment and not subject to probation. Our promotional system is 100% test based, which is good and bad. Some people get promoted numerous times with no proven leadership ability, but our "merit" based promotions for Sergeant Detective (SDS), Lt. Commander (LCD), and Detective Grade (1st and 2nd) is a mess and ruled by politics. I would much rather see inerviews for all promotions than what we have now. I also wish we had a Detective track promotion system like LA does. Most of our Detective executives have limited, or no, investigative background. Also Detective executives have a very limited promotional outlook, so any LCD who makes Captain wants out of the Detective Bureau and returns to patrol.


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