# @ffice of tf-Je IBttornep &ma1

DAN MORALES Al-rORSLY GESERAL 

### iibtatt of 7arxae

**septemba**

**3.1993**

Honorable

FredHiG Opinion No. DM-248 cbldr committee on urbanAffairs Rc: wlletk, under chapter 143 of the Local TexasHouseofReprsentativa GovunmatCode,rpoliceo5certill8s StateCapiiolExtauion, Room2.704 resigned his commission rmy rescind his Austiq Texas 78768-2910 msigMtionMdkninrtusd,Mdrd8ted **questions (RQ-532)** 

Yw6nluLwhethertllispoGce~ar,uDdachrpta143oftheLocrl OovanmentCode,mryrerciadbis~onmdk~~bytheDeSotochiefof **poGce. cbapter143cmtaimtbertrMesthatngulrtemunici~civiiraviceryrtansfor**  **poGcedepmmauMd!iredcportmentr. TkJeino9fovihiachnpter143tht**  **involves**

**r&nation by**  **poGa oilicers**  **and 6m**  **6gbta-s**

**accpt for**  **section**

**143.088,**

**wbicb** definesmoffawforgivingorlcccptinerbribeiantumf~ntiriagorrrsigning~r civil service position. PoGce 05~ are publicofficers,so it is appropriate to consultthe generalrulesregarding

resignations

ofpublic officers. Sawyer v. City ojSan Antonio, 234 **S.W.2d 398.401**  **(Tcx.** 1950). ’
The stated purpose of chapter 143 “is to secure eflkient fire and police departments

composedof capable

personnel who are6ee hm political inthence andwho

p. 1288HoDonbleFr&W--2 (DM-248)

hwepamMaltcnrplaymenralure8spubGc-: LoalGov?ckde~143.001. ThegenaJrulcirthttheknefhofpamu~ntanployment~rppGar~onlyto pelXMUWbtClIUiDinUUpl~UKlUranployeeWbotigOSbrllt&bURfitS pmvidal by the civil smite rd. 1% AM.luk 2d Civil Sewice 0 58 (1976); see, e.g.. Nebmrkarel. Sctmubv. C&qA%ut&b~, lOON.W.2d 202,205 (Neb. 1960). It also isthegeaalrulethtoncetberrsignrtionofrpolice~~hsbecomeefliaiveby 8rqtmceby8n8utbo~power~tberesign8tioncannotkwitbdr8wnevalwitbtb8t powds commt. See Adews v. hb, 57 A2d 365,367 (N.J. 1948); 67 C.J.S. Q@ers andpUblic Enplopes 4 104 (1978); c/. Cnwch v. Civil Serv. Cbmwh, 459 S.W.2d491. 494 (Ta Civ. App.-Houston [14tb Dial 1970, wit rtfd UC.) (wbcre poGce05&s

. . rwgnMonludbecolne~by~sroaptMce WitbWtkWWl~CfOf6CCfS dCSiEtOWitb&8Wf+SgdOQdvil#vicecommirrion ’ S8CtiWtbaerAaiD~ tkIMttWW8SWitbCUtkg8l&~).

YOlKSCCOlldquestion8SkSWbdKXtkD&OtOpdiceCbi~llUynhirrtbe*CCt poGceo5~bymymahodoshrthnrppoimmead~~~~lidforpoG~ 05Mccrl5edbytbccivil~~ A.tigll8thfi.Olllcivilravicc cONtitutes8cOmpletebre8kblaervice8nd8rOf8ll~8ad~. Lbwing

v. Hiwick, 43 N.B.2d 709, 710 (N.Y. 1942); 1M AM. iuR 2d Cid snvicr Q 58; 3 E. MCQULLw,

MuNlclp~t COwoit~~1o~8 0 12.122 (3d d. rev. 1990). Reentry into theCiV9ravia8tkd@UtiOlli&fCW~OfIdOXi@dpnwasios8aeW b+lil@OfdtXb8SGdOOttEWrppointwrrs,tba?ghcl~8’ rdnrtrtaMa ’ DoerIng v. Hinricbs, 43 N.E.2d at 711. We havefound no uatutov provision

thatwould changetheregmeralrules;thadon,wedethathepoGeeoffi~murtbebeatad 8s 8n applicant

for 8 begin&g position and may be appointed and eventwGypromoted only by the methods applicable to aG 11ppGc3nts

for begim1in8

positions, as providedin suwta B of chapter 143, LaxI Gov ’t Code 08 143.0211.038. and, to the extent applicable,subchapter

G of cbpta 143. ti $8 143.101- .134 (most of subchqtex G :;;!T, :, Z+X!itiS of 1.5 malionpersonsor more). ’

p. 1289HonombleFredHiG- Pw 3 (DH-248)

YOWtbifdCp&0”89lSWhUhWthGD&tOCiVtlSWiCC-Ollh8S ~dktion~~$e~muterofthepmPc!&+auamlt0fthesobject05cu.

conlauwwdashwrmcb~oe gection143.009- tbecivilselvice wmmissionto%vestig8te8ndfeporton8Gm8tta%rrlrtingtothe enforcanentmd~~of...chpta[143]udrayruler~~sduadatbir~~ **[to]** determine

ifthe chqter endrulesUC beingobeyed. ’ The r&statement of the subject police 05cer relates to the enforcement of ch8pter 143. so the commission does have jurisfGction

of the m8tter.

The1TiVkViCecommiSSidw’r8Utholityto~~dirmirc8poliCeO5~ derives solely from dmpter 143. Section 143.052 of the Local Gowment Code provides that the bead of 8 police deprrtmentmry upend 8 police 05cer for 8 nuonrblepaiodofnomorrthnlS&yror~torviottionof8civilravice ~k811d~t8testht8t1b~k&~itG~~pe1~ionirequivrlent~8~. ’ &&nl43.051 rpedfiacthepamisPiblCgrwnbfortkdvilrervicecownirrionto~inpromulgating rulesp~~~uuKtorrrmonlornupauionoffirrfightarradpoG~o5casmdrtltesthrtm,nJepr~~rucbcuueirnlidunlaric~aaeormorrofthpamissiile grounds. Sections 143.052 8nd 143.053 at8bGsh tk pro&me tar 8 rmspaded Ike fighter or police officer to 8ppead 8 supension to the civil raviu: commission. Section 143.053, subsection (e), quires the commission in its decision of the rp@ to state whether the 6re fighter or poGcc 05cer is permWltly dismissed, teanpomrily suspended,

or restored

to his or herformer

positionor status. Nowhere in chapter143 is the civil service commission urthorizedto suspend or dismiss 8 police 05cu or Gre fighter except on 8ppeaifrom 8 auspaion or dismkd by the de head. we conclude that the following language from Civil Service Commksiun v. Gmer, 344 ;;.:. ‘ .zd 225 (Tex. Cii. App.-Texarka~ 1960. no writ) (per auiam), c.onau@ the 8t8tutory

predecessor :0~~143,irtillcomcturppG~tothewrarokw: [O]nly the Chiefor Hud of the Police w m8y suspend8 poticeman

iqddkitdy, 8nd ody the cii &fVhX(hIUdiW, 8s 8

p. 1290Honomble FredHiG - Prge 4 (DM-248)

hurdof&pe&m8yorder8poGcem8udkh8r@~mthe ravia8ftOrfilldhGthC~liamrn@li@ ‘ ofthCVbkiOnOf8CiVG 8wvicendespec5edint&deprrlmmt’rHe8d[sic]orChiePstimdy

.

Underchpter 143, only the police chiefhas the authority to inithte the processof remcvhg 8 police 05cef hm his or ha position. See Arm&f v. Ci@ ofXhwmar1,222 S.W.2d 314,317 (Ta Cii. App.-D&s 1949). reVdan ofher-, q S.W.2d620 (Ta 1950) (a8mtory predecessor of bpter 143 %upefsed~ 8G powar of the chukr Biviagunhoritytormayor,citycouncil,orcitymanrga.tonwmrtwinganplayas of tid Cii Senice dep8ttmcms”). The police ddefs 8hority to dismiss the police otsar,~irbrordathnthtprovidsdiachrpa143pdiraot~in~aK merelybecwenoneoftbegroundsfbr#lspe&normnonl~edinDec6on 143.0518pplytotbesul&ctofGcer. ’ Ilrweh8ve88id$iftheofGcer,wbosetign8tion hdbecome&ctive,w8snotrappohtedtohispositioninsubstmMcolllpliur;ewith tbe~~for~inrmenttorbeeinnineporitiW~inchrpta143,thcn hk~pOiBtmaIt~8Idky. Hehrnorighttoo5aradbnocivGaenkeprotection Ida Ch8pta 143. &d.ocd &v? code 0 143.003 (‘ ToGce~flicd mews 8 mcmbcT of 8poG~depamneatorothcrpaceo5~~wurppoinstdin~~~

p. 1291HoaombleFredW - F%ge 5 (DM-248)

IftbereisnogeacnltamimtioneutMtyiot&~sdurtathuwouldbe rppliabletothc~ar,or~tbedulyruthorizsdparonwpaMnr¬wirhto adlie such mholity, the commiuionm8yrequatthsttherttonraygena8lorthe owntyor~~m~redLautaOfthcofScabywryor8procesdiaginquo lbwT@lfO.see cii. Pmt. & Ran. code 0 66.002 (8tIomey galelal or wunty or district momymaypuitionanlltf~kJvctofikQuitionbqJ/o~); se also, eg., Lewis

v. hake, 641 S.W.2d 392.394 (Ta App.-Ddl8s 1982, no writ) (quo wmranto gcnarllyicacckuive~to~~ewtborityofparontoretuo5~&lda). Quo worrwro is rv8il8ble to RQOVe”8parOn[WhO]USlUpS,iOtNd~intO,OrUld8~y boldsorexecutm...mo5ce.g Cii.Pmc.&Ran.CodeQ66.001. Altbougbwelme fbuUdru,TexUcuS lOCO@&thU~8procadineiSnniLMc~fw8 police offica who unh ’t%y holds 8 civil serviceposit&-d the 8uthoritk we founj ftom other states hold or imply th8t police oBccrs of my mk hold %n oi3ke” and therefore M occupant

of suchM office couldbe subject to remov8l

by quo IV-ro. Set Civilsent. Cmm’n v. Pebd, 571 AZd 715, 719 (Corm.Supa. 1989) (police officers, witboutregard

to rank, are public

05cers whose title to theirofficemay be cbaGenged by quo worrantoproceedi&; Cooper v. Tomr OfBelkviile, 118 A. 332, 333 (NJ. 1921) (pa curiam)

(actionfor certiwmi cbaGenging &ry 8w8rded

to city police patrohn on --**-d :%Ihe w&s

neither drjure nor &f4co patrolman WLP impropa es 8ttackon title Y - ---- topubGco5ce,whichcuIbebroughtonlybyquo -)~;cj.CXcXl..MV. Ci@ ojChil/icoU~, 601 N.E.2d 612,614 (Ohio &p. 1991) (wbae court hnd enjoined $ilGng0ff&lrth0ffW ~esinpoGcedeprrtmenfno&ionrdionfbr~owiGGe

p. 1292nonor8o1e ma mu - r8ge 0

hrtrvorofrinslerrLtorto~iadividualsfrommyofoshathntpodtionsbsuuse removal not necesuy to putrektor in potice05ca position). ’
Youri?dquedtion8&swhoh8stbewthorhytowfbrcednpta143. We 8ssumeyourefbrtothe~contextyouh8vepm8mtedtow. Aswes8id8bo-& da clmpta 143 of the Locdl W CodethepoGceddefhastheauthMyto ~~8~nwhounlawfUnyholdrrpoliceofficerpositiWmdthe~ravioe commission

has only 8ppeG8tejurisdiction to remove such 8a 05cq while underch8pta 66 of the Cii Pm&e 8ndRemediesCode the 8ttomey gened or the districtor anmty 8ttomey ia 8uthoriz.dto initi8te8 quo wtzmmto proceedmg to oust the officer. Another -Of8UthOli~tOdidl8f&tbeSUbjectO5C!Gl~CXiStSill8citycbrrta provisionPrthoridnethcitycounrilorthedty ’rcbidac~to~~1~.

undadupta143oftheLoal GovanmcntCodc,~8pOGceO5cefsre&n8tiOn~8civil~cepOsitiOneffectivebyproper~~ theresigMtionm8ynotbeevalwiththeconsMtofthepasonwho8cwptedthemsign8tion. TIlatf~8pOGaO5~inRlcb-m8ynOtbc fht8tdtOhiS~sitiOilbecrwc8UCh808CtiOtliS-tO8 8bWmw8lofthem8ign8tion
chpta 143 mquires 8 police o&a seeking mppobmm 8fta 8 ~0ht8ry 8d dfbctive r&~tiw born 8 poGa depmnat to&tre8t~888n8ppGantf6r8begin8@position. m 8uch8no5c8rlll8ybe8ppointed8devaWGypmmotedonlyby themethodsappGcabletoallappGcantsfbrbqhingpositions,Is providedi11a1bdqtaBofctqta143,LoalGov ’tCodc8ections 143.021 throua 143.038,8nd, to the extent 8ppGdle, subch8pta G of chapter143. Locd Gov ’t Code 5s 143.101- .134.

The DeSoto Civil Savlce Commission ha9 jurisdiction to investigatethe matta of the purported rebsbtement of 8n 05cer who hasvoluntarily

andeEectively

resigned.

p. 1293HonombleFredHill - Pege 7 (DIG248)

ApoGceo5cawhowuaoteppointedtohiscommisionin ~rdencewithchapta143isnotentitledtocivGaavicestetus. Undaehepta143oftheLucdGwaunent codethepoGcechief h86the 8UthOIity

to remove 8 personwho ud8wfully holds 8 police **05cer pitioq**  **8nd the** **civil service**  **ammission h8s** **only 8ppeG8te**  jurisdiction

to remove such 8 person,while underchapter 66 of the CivilPruztice

end Remedies

Code the ettomey g&ml **or the** **district**
or county utomey is ulthorized to initiete 8 quo worru?lro procding to oust the person. Anotha source of Who* to dkcharge the subject

05cer perhaps

exists in 8 city charta provision 8uthorizingthecitywuncilorthecity ’schiefexecutiveto~e -Pw=.

DAN MORALES Attorney Genad of Taps

wlu PRYOR FirstAadantAttomeyGeneml

MARYKELLER DeputyAttorney

Genu8l forLitigation

RENEAHlcKs State Solicitor

MADELElNE

B. JOHNSON Chif, Opinion

Committee

Prepared by James

B. Piin A ^r:“^-1: !.%mey Galad

p. 1294