Three Bainbridge Island police officers were promoted to the rank of sergeant at Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Detective Scott Weiss, Officer Ben Sias and Officer Trevor Ziemba took the oath of office and were pinned with their new badges before a crowd of more than 50 family members, fellow officers and residents.

Bainbridge Police Chief Matthew Hamner praised the caliber of the new sergeants and highlighted the outstanding service the trio has provided since Hamner took over the department 22 months ago.

The new sergeants will fill the management role previously handled by the police department’s lieutenants. The department has removed the rank of lieutenant from the agency’s command structure, a move that prompted union complaints when it was attempted under former chief Jon Fehlman several years ago.

Under the city’s new contract with the police union, however, the shift to sergeants was restarted on Bainbridge and both sides agreed to the reorganization. And over the past year, three of the department’s four former lieutenants retired from their Bainbridge jobs, leaving only one lieutenant still serving the city.

The new move to install the rank of sergeant is still unpopular with the department’s former lieutenants.

Former lieutenant Chris Jensen complained to the city’s Civil Service Commission earlier this year about the plan, as did then-Lieutenant Bob Day.

Day told the commission that the change in rank from lieutenant would be a demotion, and that he planned to file a grievance over the change.