See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote of this measure means:

A "yes" vote would increase the number of candidates to be certified by the Commission from the Police Captain eligible list from one to three. The appointive authority would then choose any one of the three candidates so certified. If more than one vacancy exists, an additional name is certified for each additional vacancy.

A NO vote of this measure means:

A "no" vote would keep the number of candidates to be certified by the Commission from the Police Captain eligible list as one. If more than one vacancy exists, an additional name is certified for each additional vacancy.

According to the current Charter language, when the City desires to fill a vacancy in the position of Police Captain, the City Manager may request that the Civil Service Commission of the City of Stockton certify the name and address of a candidate from the entry level Police Officer eligible list. If such a request is made, the Commission is required to certify the name of the candidate standing highest on the list who is willing to accept appointment. If more than one vacancy exists, an additional name is certified for each additional vacancy.

This measure would increase the number of candidates to be certified by the Commission from the Police Captain eligible list. Instead of one candidate per vacancy, the Commission would certify the top three candidates standing highest on the eligible list for a single vacancy. The appointive authority would then choose any one of the three candidates so certified, without regard to the candidates' relative standing on the list. For multiple vacancies, one additional candidate for each additional vacancy would be certified from those persons standing highest on the list. For example, if three vacancies existed, the first five candidates standing highest on the eligible list would be certified. The appointive authority could select any one of the fourteen candidates to fill any one of the five vacancies.

THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS AN IMPARTIAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURE B. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the City's Elections Official's Office at (209) 937-8459, and a copy will be mailed to you at no cost.

Presently, the Police Chief has no decision-making ability in the selection of Captains. It is solely based on the test score received by the candidate.

The Police Chief should be able to consider, not only test scores, but other factors, such as performance in their present position, in deciding whether the individual should be elevated to the position of Captain.

The position of Captain is extremely important to the Department and the community in that Captains manage major divisions in the Department involving critical issues and have responsibility for up to 175 personnel.

Providing the Police Chief the ability to make a choice from the top three eligible persons will establish the needed flexibility to be able to select the most effective eligible person to become a part of the police Department's command management team.

/s/ Mayor Gary Podesto

/s/ Vice Mayor Gloria Nomura

/s/ Chief Edward J. Chavez

/s/ Chamber CEO Douglass Wilhoit

/s/ Howard L. Seligman

The Chief of Police and the Deputy Chiefs' of Police make up that team and they are at-will positions. That means those persons can be removed from office at the pleasure of their appointing authority.

The rank of Captain is an administrative position, which places it under Civil Service protection within the current Charter rules. The difference is, no politics.

Where does a Captain come from? Not through test scores as alleged.

That person would spend five years as a Police Officer. Then if successful, he or she is then eligible to become a Police Sergeant. With two years in that position, that person is eligible to become a Police Lieutenant.

Each of those levels of competition are exercized at a city cost of approximately $10,000 per sequence, and is administered by professionals. The Stockton Personnel Department is also involved in that process, and its current budget is approximately $1,500,000.

With that level of sophistication in mind, the Chief of Police seems to know more than those within the "system" about selecting employees. How absurd.

The proponents emphasize that the position of Captain is extremely important.

So too are Police Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and especially so, the Civil Service "Merit System", which is a barrier to the "spoils system", which is the goal of Measure "C".

What problems have occurred to justify a yes vote? None.

/S/ Bill St. Clair

What was proposed by the Police Chief, and was modified by the City Council, is to allow the chief to select a candidate for Captain from a list of three eligibles. That would allow the two top candidates to be passed over each time a vacancy occurred within that rank for the entire tenure of the eligibility list.

The chief's so called justification for that political privilege is "Does No. 1 mean that that person is more qualified than No. 50 or No. 75? I would submit to you that that's not the case.

His argument is 100% pure, unadulterated baloney, and here is why: A part of the current Civil Service rules covering police promotions state "...all promotions shall be based on merit and standing as determined by competitive examinations." That rule applies from Police Officer on up through rank of captain, and protects those on eligibility lists from any disenfranchisement.

This proposal has all the same "lack of accountability" problems as Measure "B" and you may not like our employment system now, but you would be very unhappy with employment under the "spoils system".

Please voters, let's keep the Police Chief out of the employee selection process by voting "no" on Measure "C".

/s/ Bill St. Clair

The arguments presented in opposition to Measure "C" fail to recognize that a person who does the best on a test is not necessarily the most qualified person to be elevate toa command management position in the Stockton Police Department.

It is most important for Stockton's Chief of Police, who is responsible for ensuring the safety of our citizens, to be included in the selection process of Police Captains. The result of a test is only one of the measurements for qualification. A candidate's overall job performance as a member of the Stockton Police Department is a factor that should also be considered. Additionally, demonstrated management and leadership skills should also be key to determining the abilities of eligible persons.

It is the Chief of Police who is ultimately responsible for administering an effective police department. Measure "C" is another tool to be used in implementing the Chief's responsibilities.

Vote Yes on Measure "C".

/s/ Councilmember Ann Johnston

/s/ Oscar Anzaldo, Businessperson

/s/ Chief Edward J. Chavez

/s/ Howard L. Seligman