Fourteen deputies and Local 838 of the Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Union have gone to court seeking an injunction to delay promotional exams scheduled for Nov. 14 and 15 because of conflicts with work schedules and court appearances.
Sheriff Robert E. Comes, the defendant in the complaint filed in Harford County Circuit Court, said Friday that he was not aware of the deputies' problems.
"Nobody will be denied the right, if they are eligible, to take the tests," he said.
"It can be worked out. We'll take the steps to resolve it."
The complaint, signed by the 14 deputies and Michael Marshall, attorney for the deputies union, alleged that deputies eligible to take promotional exams for corporal, sergeant and lieutenant learned of the times and dates for the tests on Oct. 26 when a personnel order signed by the sheriff was posted in the Sheriff's Office in Bel Air.
"The sheriff has provided no other options," said John J. Miner, president of the deputies union.
The complaint lists Mr. Miner, Patrick Dailey, Michael Davis, James Eyler, Kimberly Gigac, Douglas Keithley, Joseph Mina, Jeffrey Petty, James Plummer, Michael Saylor, Dale Stonesifer, Joseph Vanseeters and Hugh Williams as plaintiffs. All hold the rank of deputy first class.
The other plaintiff, Teresa Walter, is a corporal.
All are eligible to take the promotional exams, Ms. Walter said, but not all will unless a judge grants the injunction or the sheriff decides otherwise.
Deputies assigned to road patrol during the exam times have been told they will not be excused, Mr. Miner said.
"They have been told there are too few deputies available for patrol, so they will have to work," he said.
Five deputies are scheduled to work the midnight shift, ending at 7:30 a.m.
The tests for corporal and sergeant begin at 9 a.m.
Deputies on the night shift would be treated unfairly because their work might carry over beyond the start of the exam, causing them to miss it, or they might be too tired from working all night to take it, said Ms. Walter.
Both officers said the matter had been taken to a superior in the Sheriff's Office who deals with personnel matters, but the problems were unresolved.