Conkel v. Civil Service Commission

LARSON, Justice.

Sidney W. Conkel and Merlin L. Christian were police officers in Ankeny, Iowa, with the rank of lieutenant and sergeant, respectively. When the captain of the police department resigned in April 1986, the chief of police, Conkel’s brother-in-law, assigned the duties of captain to Conkel and the duties of lieutenant were assigned to Christian. Neither officer was officially appointed by the chief to his new position, and at the time of the assignment, the civil service commission had abolished the post of captain. Conkel and Christian served under their new assignments until…