Wash. Rev. Code » Title 41 · Chapter 41.14
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 41.14.070 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) The classified civil service and provisions of this chapter shall include all deputy sheriffs and other employees of the office of sheriff in each county except the county sheriff in every county and an additional number of positions, designated the unclassified service, determined as follows:
Staff Personnel
Unclassified
Position Appointments
1
through 10
2
11
through 20
3
21
through 50
4
51
through 100
5
101
through 250
6
251
through 500
8
501
and over
10
(2) The unclassified position appointments authorized by this section must include selections from the following positions up to the limit of the number of positions authorized: Undersheriff, inspector, chief criminal deputy, chief civil deputy, jail superintendent, and administrative assistant or administrative secretary. The initial selection of specific positions to be exempt shall be made by the sheriff, who shall notify the civil service commission of his or her selection. Subsequent changes in the designation of which positions are to be exempt may be made only with the concurrence of the sheriff and the civil service commission, and then only after the civil service commission has heard the issue in open meeting. Should the position or positions initially selected by the sheriff to be exempt (unclassified) pursuant to this section be under the classified civil service at the time of such selection, and should it (or they) be occupied, the employee(s) occupying said position(s) shall have the right to return to the next highest position or a like position under classified civil service.
(3) In counties with a sheriff's department that operates the 911 emergency communications system, in addition to the unclassified positions authorized in subsections (1), (2), and (4) of this section, the sheriff may designate one unclassified position for the 911 emergency communications system.
(4) In addition to the unclassified positions authorized in this section, the county legislative authority of any county with a population of five hundred thousand or more operating under a home rule charter may designate unclassified positions of administrative responsibility not to exceed twenty positions.
[ 2001 c 151 s 1; 1997 c 62 s 1; 1991 c 363 s 116; 1979 ex.s. c 153 s 3; 1975 1st ex.s. c 186 s 1; 1959 c 1 s 7 (Initiative Measure No. 23, approved November 4, 1958).]

Notes:

Purpose—Captions not law—1991 c 363: See notes following RCW 2.32.180.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1979–1986 · leading case: Auto. Drivers & Demonstrators Union Local No. 882 v. Dep't of Ret. Sys., 598 P.2d 379 (Wash. 1979).
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Auto. Drivers & Demonstrators Union Local No. 882 v. Dep't of Ret. Sys., 598 P.2d 379 (Wash. 1979). · cites it 2× “RCW 41.14.070. RCW 41.12.010, which provides for civil service for police of cities and towns, exempts "cities having a police force of not more than two persons including the chief of police".”
Greig v. Metzler, 653 P.2d 1346 (Wash. Ct. App. 1982). · cites it 3× “RCW 41.14.070. On July 1, 1980, Gary Waddell, who had been employed by the Sheriff's Department in an unclassified position, elected to return to his former classified position as sergeant.”
Chelan Cnty. Deputy Sheriffs' Ass'n v. Cnty. of Chelan, 725 P.2d 1001 (Wash. Ct. App. 1986). “RCW 41.14.070. As a result, all deputy appointments are to be made solely on merit, ascertained by open, competitive examination and impartial investigation.”
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