Ferguson v. City of Philadelphia

86 Pa. D. & C. 87, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 4
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas
DecidedDecember 12, 1951
StatusPublished

This text of 86 Pa. D. & C. 87 (Ferguson v. City of Philadelphia) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ferguson v. City of Philadelphia, 86 Pa. D. & C. 87, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 4 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1951).

Opinion

MacNeille, P. J., and Milner, J.,

This is an action in mandamus in which plaintiff seeks to compel his reinstatement as a lieutenant of detectives in the bureau of police. The complaint in mandamus was filed on August 14, 1951, and defendants filed preliminary objections to the complaint on August 31, 1951. These preliminary objections were argued before the court en banc and were overruled at the bar of the court, it appearing that mixed ques[88]*88tions of law and fact were involved. Defendants then filed their answer and plaintiff has moved for summary judgment (see Pa. R. C. P. 1098). Defendants’ answer admits the material and essential allegations in plaintiff’s complaint and we must determine whether, upon the present state of the pleadings, plaintiff is entitled to immediate relief.

Taking all averments in the answer which are well-pleaded to be true the following pertinent facts appear.

Plaintiff, Clarence J. Ferguson, commenced service as a policeman for defendant city on August 27, 1919. In March 1930 he was promoted to the rank of detective; in March 1940 he was promoted to the rank of detective sergeant and in April 1948 he was appointed lieutenant of detectives, vice squad. Plaintiff’s initial appointment in the bureau of police and his promotion to detective were made as a result of his taking and passing the required civil service examinations. His promotions to sergeant of detectives and to lieutenant of detectives, vice squad, were made after exemption of these positions by the civil service commission. Defendants’ answer states that the latter exemption was granted only during the time that plaintiff held the particular position of “Lieutenant of Detectives, Vice Squad” because of testimony produced as to his experience and qualifications for the particular work of the vice squad.

By an ordinance dated November 28, 1950, city council amended the budget appropriation for 1950 for the Department of Public Safety, bureau of police, as follows:

“In Section 30, providing for an appropriation to the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Police, Item A-10, by striking out:

22 Lieutenant of Detectives (13-10) 10 at $4,510

23.Lieutenant of Detectives (13-10) 1 at $4,410

Vice Squad

[89]*89and inserting in lieu thereof;

1 at $4,410”

On the following day, November 29, 1950, the director of public safety, Samuel H. Rosenberg, notified plaintiff that under the ordinance “the position of lieutenant of detectives, vice squad, bureau of police, has been eliminated” and that he was therefore “dropped back to the position of sergeant of detectives”. Plaintiff was directed to report to the third detective division as a sergeant of detectives and complied with the direction.

Plaintiff immediately objected to his removal as a lieutenant of detectives and requested a hearing before the civil service commission. After a hearing the civil service commission on December 15, 1950, issued a ruling requiring plaintiff’s reinstatement as a “Lieutenant of detectives at the annual salary of $4,410.” The order was as follows:

“After a hearing by the civil service commission held on December 14, 1950, the commission has voted to sustain Clarence E. Ferguson, lieutenant of detectives, in his appeal from the order of the director of public safety, dated November 29, 1950; ‘dropping him back to the position of sergeant of detectives, bureau of police, effective November 28, 1950’.”

No attempt was made to appeal from the commission’s order.

Director Rosenberg refused to comply with the commission’s order and it is now argued by the city, as a legal conclusion, that the commission’s order was without legal effect; that the commission could not require reinstatement to a position which had been abolished nor could it require appointment to another position to which the director did not desire to appoint him; that plaintiff never qualified for the position of lieutenant of detectives by examination or exemption.

[90]*90In June 1951 the director of public safety requested the civil service commission to exempt, inter alia,- the position of lieutenant of detectives so as to permit him to appoint an individual other than plaintiff to the position. Plaintiff in the meantime performed the duties to which he was assigned as a sergeant of detectives but constantly maintained that he was entitled to receive the salary and emoluments of the office of lieutenant of detectives at an annual salary of $4,410. Plaintiff, by a letter dated June 28, 1951, advised the civil service commission of his objection to any favorable action upon the director’s request; he referred to the commission’s order of December 15, 1950, and claimed that he was entitled to be appointed to the existing vacancy of lieutenant of detectives and requested opportunity to be heard in the assertion of his rights.

At a hearing held before the civil service commission on July 11, 1951, plaintiff, by his counsel, objected to the director being permitted to select anyone else for the position of lieutenant of detectives. The director thereupon informed plaintiff, while the hearing was in progress, that since he was not accepting the position of sergeant of detectives the elimination of his former position removed him from the roster of the police department. On the same day the director sent a letter to plaintiff advising him that he was thereby “removed from the roster of the bureau of police as of November 28, 1950.” After receiving this letter plaintiff continued to report for duty but he was not given any assignments.

Plaintiff averred that he faithfully performed the duties of the various offices he held in accordance with the rules and regulations of the bureau of police. Defendants in their answer state they have no personal knowledge of such averment and can neither affirm nor deny it. Such answer cannot be accepted as made [91]*91in good faith since it is obvious that defendants have full access to all official data as to the manner in which plaintiff has performed his duties and the duty to so inform themselves even aside from this proceeding. See Tide Water Associated Oil Co. v. Kay, 168 Pa. Superior Ct. 263, 266 (1951) holding insufficient an allegation of no knowledge which on its face is untrue.

No charges were ever preferred against plaintiff and he was never accorded a hearing on any charges before the civil service commission. Defendants contend that it was not “necessary to file charges against the plaintiff or hold any hearings in regard to him”; that he was removed because the position he held was abolished by city council.

We have carefully reviewed the matter before us and are of the opinion that plaintiff is entitled to immediate reinstatement under the civil service commission’s order of December 15, 1950. The director of public safety, by the clear provisions, of the applicable statute, was obliged to obey the commission’s ruling; no right of appeal from the commission’s order is conferred upon any of defendants. The director cannot confer upon himself a right of review and appeal by simply refusing obedience to the commission’s order and thereby compelling an improperlyidisnhaxged employe to initiate a mandamus, proceeding in which the director may relitigate theissne.

The Act of June 25, 1919, P. L. 581, art. XIX, sec. 18, as amended by the Act of July 29, 1941, P. L. 579, sec. 1, 53 PS §3338, provides as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
86 Pa. D. & C. 87, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 4, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ferguson-v-city-of-philadelphia-pactcompl-1951.