Clark v. Detroit Police Commissioner

Five petitions for mandamus were consolidated, tried together and brought here on one record. Petitioners are all retired members of the Detroit police department, each of whom, at the date of his retirement, had served more than 25 years in the department and was, therefore, entitled to pension “at the rate of one-half of the pay of the .rank in which such member was serving at the time of retirement,” according to the charter of the city of Detroit, title 4, chap. 21, § 23 (as amended March 19, 1923).

At various dates ranging from 1936 to 1939, petitioners had been promoted: Clark became…