Ash v. Police Commissioner

The plaintiff, a Boston police patrolman, took the civil service examination for promotion to police sergeant in November, 1974. Failing to achieve promotion, he brought an action in the Superior Court challenging the authority of the defendant Personnel Administrator to round off test scores to the nearest whole number. This method resulted in tie scores and increased the pool of certi*651fied applicants from which appointments could be made.2 In his complaint, the plaintiff also asserted an independent claim of discrimination for his union activities against another defendant, the police…