Civil Service Decisions

The appeal of a Somerville Police Lieutenant who was challenging a five-day suspension for alleged harassment was allowed by the Commission. The Commission found the City failed to build its case with witnesses, and instead relied on testimony of an investigator from the Office of Professional Standards.

The Commission affirmed the decision of the Boston Fire Department to suspend a District Fire Chief for four tours of duty based on his off-duty misconduct, including violation of the Department’s social media policy.

The City of Revere had just cause to suspend the Appellant for five days where he twice refused the Fire Chief’s order to file a report immediately. The refusal was not the first time that the Appellant had refused to immediately follow a superior officer’s order and continued a pattern of poor decision-making.

The Appellant’s Section 42 procedural appeal is dismissed as he was unable to show that he was prejudiced by the City’s short delay in conducting a local hearing to contest his five-day suspension. His separate appeal, in which he is contesting whether there was just cause for the suspension, is going forward.

The Commission dismissed the Appellant's layoff appeal as moot as the Appellant was not a civil service employee and did not occupy a civil service position.