Brown

Darryl Brown (Brown), a police officer for the City of Los Angeles Police Department (Department), appeals from a judgment denying his petition for writ of mandate challenging the Department’s downgrade of his advanced pay grade position from Police Officer III to Police Officer II. His principal contentions are that the trial court erred in determining (1) he held no property interest in his advanced pay grade, (2) his petition was premature for failure to exhaust administrative remedies, and (3) procedures for administrative appeal set out in Los Angeles Police Department Administrative Order No. 15 satisfy due process requirements. Brown also challenges the failure of the trial court to grant his request for backpay due to defendants’ failure to provide him with a timely administrative appeal.

Factual and Procedural Background

A. Administrative Proceedings.

Brown was appointed to the Department in November 1989; in 1990 he was promoted to Police Officer II. In 1992 Brown was assigned to the Van Nuys area. In July 1997, he was granted an advanced pay grade to Police Officer III, also known as a Field Training Officer, responsible for training probationary police…