Police and Fire Department Rules and Regulations

Rule III - CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

SEC. 1. MEETING:
            Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held on the first and third Thursdays of each and every month, at the hour of 3:00 p.m., in an office or room provided for the Civil Service Commission in the City Hall, Stockton, California.  Special meetings may be held on the call of the Chair, Vice-Chair or any three (3) members of the Commission, notice of which shall be given as prescribed by the Ralph M. Brown Act.
(Amended by Resolution CS05-079, 06/16/05)

SEC. 2. QUORUM:
            Three (3) members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and no action may be taken by the Commission unless it is concurred and adopted by the affirmative votes of at least three (3) members of the Commission.

SEC. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
            Hearings and investigations that the Commission is authorized to conduct shall be public and shall be conducted as a body, but special investigations and detailed work may be delegated to a single member or to the Personnel Officer.  The procedure of any hearing or investigation shall be informal and shall not be restricted so as to deny the introduction of any evidence that the Commission may deem pertinent.  Unless incapacitated, a person pressing a claim or defending a privilege before the Commission shall appear personally and shall not be excused from answering questions and supplying information except upon claim of constitutional privilege in respect to self-incrimination.  All decisions, opinions, and recommendations arising from a hearing or investigation by the Commission shall be written and subscribed to by the members concurring, and shall be countersigned and filed as a permanent record by the Personnel Officer.  Any member may submit a minority or supplemental report which shall be filed as a matter of record.

SEC. 4. CONTINUANCE OF HEARINGS:
            In the event that a quorum is not present at the time and place set for the public hearing, it shall be automatically continued to the next regular meeting of the Commission.

SEC. 5. CLOSED SESSIONS
            (a)        Policy.  It is the policy of the Civil Service Commission that all actions taken by it shall be public and that all deliberations shall be openly conducted so that the right of the public to participate is protected, except as provided herein.
(b)  Closed Session Items.  The Commission shall adjourn to closed session whenever it is determined that an issue before it demands confidential deliberation and closed session is allowed in accordance with Government Code sections 54950, et seq.  Items referred to closed session shall include, but shall not be limited to:
            (1)        Review of examination results;
            (2)        Review of complaints, grievances, appeals, and other matters where charges have been filed against an employee;
            (c)        Participants in Closed Session.  Each member of the Commission, legal counsel, City Clerk, and such staff as designated by the Commission shall be present in closed session.
            (d)        Form and Manner of Notice.  All closed session items shall appear on the agenda, which agenda shall be made available to the public, and shall clearly state the date, time, and place of the closed session, along with descriptions of the items to be discussed.  Disclosure of information that would harm the Commission, the City, individual persons, or the public interest shall not be disclosed on the face of the agenda.
            After adjourning from closed session, legal counsel or such other appropriate staff shall provide an oral report on any action taken in closed session.

1. Transcription of Closed Session.  All closed sessions shall be transcribed by the City Clerk and retained in the archives of the Commission.

(Amended by Resolution CS05-064, 05/19/05)