Police officers and firefighters in Huntington do not have to live inside the city limits after a judge's ruling Friday.

The Huntington City Charter currently requires all city employees to sign an affidavit they will live in Huntington within 90 days of being hired. But the employees challenged the charter provisions in court.

It recently became an issue when a council member said he looked through the phone book and could not find the address of many city employees.

Judge John Cummings ruled against the city, saying police officers and firefighters are protected by West Virginia civil service laws. Those laws require due process before an employee is dismissed, and Cummings says the city did not provide the due process in its charter and ordinances on the matter.

Sanitation workers and other employees not protected by civil service status may still be forced to live in the city.

The judge is still deciding if the non-protected employees should also be exempt from the city requirements.