The civil service board represents the public interest in matters of personnel administration concerning fire and police employees; advises and assists the appointing authority and governing body as to maintenance and improvement of personnel standards and administration; advises and assists all classified employees; makes such investigations and determinations as required; makes such rules as necessary to conduct the business of the board; makes and adopts a classification plan appropriate for the needs of the jurisdiction; and makes such reports, as required or requested, to the governing body.

The St. Tammany Fire Protection District No.1 Civil Service Board members include David Burns (Fire Department); Mark Myers, Chairman (College List); and Carolyn Barringer, Member (Governing Authority).

The primary goal of the civil service system is the effective application of personnel activity based on a system of merit, efficiency, and length of service. Civil service accomplishes this goal in two major ways. First, it provides individual employees, with a sense of job security through the application of three principles:

1. Procedures for qualifying personnel by objective selection.
2. Classification and description of each job and position according to actual duties performed and responsibilities involved.
3. Appointment and promotion of personnel on the basis of examination qualifications, job performance, and departmental seniority.

Second, it protects elected officials from unnecessary political pressure and embarrassment in matters of personnel selection. Under this system, employees who are performing their jobs competently will not be subjected to wholesale terminations upon changes of political administrators. Personnel selections are made on the basis of merit rather than favoritism and political patronage. This creates a mutually beneficial system of efficient personnel management. Additionally, the civil service system does not infringe upon the duties, authority, or responsibilities entrusted to the mayor or other elected officials. It insures that management of personnel will be conducted in such a manner that benefits the fire and police departments and provides to the community in which it functions, an atmosphere of continuity and professionalism as it relates to public safety for the citizens which are served by these departments.