The City of New Haven has recently embarked on revising its charter, a process that cities undergo after a set period of time has elapsed since the last charter revision process, or after a voter referendum calls for it. A city charter is a city’s constitution and dictates the functions and duties of various elected and appointed officials, city departments, and city boards and commissions. In New Haven, the charter revision process takes place only once every 10 years.
The current charter contains a provision regarding civil service promotions called the "Rule of Three." This provision has been criticized extensively, and was discussed by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 2009 opinion in the case Ricci v. DeStefano. As New Haven’s Charter Revision Commission embarks on revising the city’s charter, it should consider altering the Rule of Three to promote diversity within the ranks of the fire and police department leadership.
