Patrol Hiring/Recruitment Policy (full time/less than full time)

Transcription

1 Patrol Hiring/Recruitment Policy (full time/less than full time) Date Issued: Reviewed: Revised: PURPOSE Law enforcement is a job field more associated with public contact than other jobs. That interaction is usually of a very personal nature and may often grant the officer access to people s homes. This is referred to as a passkey job, and the courts have found that the employer has a higher duty of care to conduct a thorough background investigation of its employees in these situations. Few careers place more discretion with employees than that of law enforcement. On their first day of work, police officers have the power to make discretionary life or death decisions. It is critical that the right person be selected for that job. In addition, the courts have determined that in negligent hiring cases, it will allow evidence about the person s past negligence and reputation to be admitted as evidence. Therefore, the Amherst Police Department will thoroughly investigate and test each candidate who is seeking a position or lateral transfer within the department. POLICY The goal of every Ohio law enforcement agency is to recruit and hire qualified individuals while providing equal employment opportunity. Ohio law enforcement agencies should consist of a diverse workforce. Communities with diverse populations should strive to have a diverse work force that reflects the citizens served Non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity is the policy. Law enforcement agencies shall provide equal terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, veteran status, military status, or disability. This applies to all terms or conditions associated with the employment process, including hiring, promotions, termination, discipline, performance evaluations and interviews. Agencies should utilize due diligence in ensuring that their prospective employees have the proper temperament, knowledge and attitude to handle this very difficult job. Agencies should have appropriate mechanisms in place in or der to achieve this mission. Further, agencies should ensure their employment requirements are related to the skills that are necessary to be a successful employee. (Added 09/16/2015 per the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board jk) It will be the policy of the Amherst Police Department to establish hiring practices in order to remain consistent with all hiring, regardless of position involved and to obtain the best possible candidate to fill a position within the department. New Hire Requirements for Patrol Officer (Full-time/Less than Full-time): 1. When a patrol officer position becomes available, is anticipated, or when the current eligibility list expires, the City of Amherst and/or the Amherst Civil Service Commission (see below for link to Rules and Regulations of the City of Amherst Civil Service Commission) will start the announcement of the intent to administer a civil service examination. This will include the

2 preliminary requirements for the position and other information regarding the examination and application process. 2. Non-sworn applicants that are currently not employed by Amherst Police Department and are seeking a patrol officer position will be required to submit to and pass a civil service exam and achieve a passing score of 70% as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code to be further added to an eligibility list. 3. Entrance examinations may include an evaluation of such factors as education, training, capacity, knowledge, manual dexterity, and physical or psychological fitness. An examination shall consist of one or more tests in any combination. Tests may be written, oral, physical, demonstration of skill, or an evaluation of training and experiences and shall be designed to fairly test the relative capacity of the persons examined to discharge the particular duties of the position for which appointment is sought. Tests may include structured interviews, assessment centers, work simulations, examinations of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and any other acceptable testing methods. If minimum or maximum requirements are established for any examination, they shall be specified in the examination 4. Current patrol officers, who are currently employed by the Amherst Police Department and in the part-time patrol bargaining unit, will automatically be placed on the qualified candidate list according to their seniority, after submitting a letter of intent as outlined in # 7 below. 5. Those required to take and pass a civil service exam or those placed on the eligibility list as outlined in # 3 above, will have any extra credits added (college degree credit, military, nonexpired OPOTA certification,) to their score according to Amherst Civil Service rules. They will be placed on the qualified candidate list according to their final score below any current patrol officers already employed by the Amherst Police Dept, who are in the part-time patrol bargaining unit. 6. Once the qualified candidate list is established, it will be certified by the Amherst Civil Service Commission. 7. A current Amherst Police Department patrol officer who is seeking a full-time bargaining unit position from the part-time bargaining unit must submit a letter of intent to the office of the chief of police as soon as practical in order to be considered for the full-time bargaining unit, should a position become available. The chief of police may require the letter of intent to be updated. 8. All candidates must have passed either physical fitness Standard 1 or Standard 2, as outlined below, within 24 months prior to appointment. 9. All candidates who have not passed either physical fitness Standard 1 or Standard 2 as outlined below within 24 months prior to appointment are required to do so before any original appointment will be made. The candidate is responsible for all applicable agility testing fees, if any. 10. Those who take and fail the physical agility test the first time will have the opportunity to retake the agility exam within 1-year of the date the qualified candidate list was certified. Failure of the agility test will cause that qualified candidate to be removed from the list and everyone below that candidate will move up accordingly. Should the candidate who passed the civil service exam, but fails the physical agility test elect to take the agility test again within 1 year and pass, that candidate will be moved to the bottom of the qualified list. 11. The Amherst Police Department generally employs the Lorain County Police Academy to administer physical fitness tests when needed. Those test dates are controlled by the academy. 12. The Amherst Police Department accepts physical fitness Standard 1 results from any OPOTA certified academy. 13. The Amherst Police Department accepts physical fitness Standard 2 results from the Lorain County Police Academy OPOTA certified fitness instructors. 14. A current Amherst Police Department patrol officer who is in the current part-time bargaining unit is required to have taken and passed either of the required physical agility test within 24- months prior to full-time appointment regardless if there is a current eligibility list.

3 15. It is the intent of this policy to have a qualified candidate submit to and pass a physical agility test, as determined by the chief of police, either 24 months before or 12 months after a qualified patrol officer list is certified by the Amherst Civil Service Commission. 16. Those who meet the minimum standards during the agility test will remain on the qualified list as determined by Amherst Civil Service. 17. The Amherst Civil Service Commission will provide the Amherst Police Department, at their request, an eligible list as outlined in the Amherst Civil Service Rules. The Amherst Police Department will review 10 candidates at a time, or the top twenty-five percent (25%) of the list, whichever is greater, and by a process of elimination during a preliminary background check, remove less desirable candidates from the list. Elimination from the list may be caused by; a. Driving record b. Arrest record (through CCH or OHLEG) c. Federal, state, local court records d. Negative police contact e. Ohio Police Officer Training Academy certification grades 18. Once the preliminary background is complete the Amherst Police Department will contact at least the top 3 qualified candidates to investigate further by requesting they pick up, complete and return in a timely manner, a pre-employment informational packet established by the Amherst Police Department. Once that packet is returned, an investigator will be assigned to further investigate the candidate as necessary. 19. The investigator will be responsible for performing a more in-depth investigation, including but not limited to; a. verifying information on the application and informational packet b. contacting candidate references, acquaintances and neighbors c. contacting previous employers d. checking additional databases e. frequent job changes f. terminations g. unexplained gaps in employment h. reputation of candidate i. credit history j. unannounced home visits 20. The below standards are prima facie disqualifiers for police applicants. The standards include but are not limited to: a. Not possessing a high school diploma or equivalent GED. b. Failing to pass a civil service entrance exam. c. Not being a citizen of the United States by birth or naturalization. d. Failure to demonstrate the failure to read and write the English language. e. Not possession a valid Ohio driver s license f. Dishonesty, integrity or credibility issues. g. Use of illegal substance within a given period time specified by the City of Amherst. h. Evidence of drug and/or alcohol dependency. i. Criminal conviction of a felony. j. Criminal conviction of some classified misdemeanors as specified by the City of Amherst. k. Current or past court order of CPO or TPO restrictions. l. Learn abilities that would integer with the job description requirements of a police office. m. Failure to cooperate with the overall hiring process. n. Verbally or in writing, expressing you no longer wish to be considered for employment. 21. At the conclusion, the investigator will complete a full report and submit that to the chief of police.

4 22. The Amherst Police Department will strive to select the three (3) top candidates and schedule them for an interview with a panel of personnel selected by the chief of police. 23. The interview process will consist of a question and answer period with the candidate in order to clarify any issues discovered during the background investigation. The applicant may also be required to log onto their social media accounts to ensure the applicant is not associated with people, activity, or postings that may shed a negative light upon themselves or the department, if hired/transferred. 24. Additional testing may be required during the formal interview. Additional testing may consist of, but not limited to: a. computer familiarity b. typing skills c. spelling and grammar d. comprehension skills 25. At the conclusion of the formal interview process, the panel shall convene and discuss the candidates. The panel shall recommend to the chief of police their professional opinion on who will be the best candidate for a vacant patrol officer position. The chief of police will have final say. 26. Once a candidate(s) is/are selected, a Conditional Offer of Employment shall be prepared for those currently not already employed by the Amherst Police Department as a patrol officer. 27. Once the candidate(s) accepts the conditional offer, the chief of police, or his designee, shall schedule a psychological exam, occupational health exam, drug screen, and CVSA truth verification exam. 28. A current Amherst Police Department patrol officer who is in the current part-time bargaining unit will be required to submit to a psychological exam, occupational health exam, drug screen, and CVSA truth verification exam prior to a full-time appointment. a. Results from psychological exams and drug screen administered within 12-months prior to full-time appointment will be acceptable. b. Results from occupational health exams are at the discretion of the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Board (generally nine months before full-time appointment). 29. The chief of police shall review the results of the psychological exam and occupational health exam and make a final determination on the candidates desirability for employment. 30. Should the chief of police decline the candidate, the chief has the option to select another interviewed candidate, request that additional background checks be performed on other candidates, or request an additional ten (10) candidates from the Amherst Civil Service certified list where preliminary background checks will be started. 31. Any waivers on any of the above requirements will be at the discretion of the Chief of Police. 32. It is the intent of the Amherst Police Department to comply with federal and state laws and acts, such as Ohio Civil Service and Collective Bargaining, Privacy Act of 1974, Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act while progressing through the selection and hiring process. Recruitment Plan: The Amherst Police Department maintains a recruitment plan and philosophy to attract qualified applicants for positions within the police department, including but not limited to advertisements in local media, social media, area OPOTA certified police academies, public speaking events, and general one-on-one interactions with the public. When a vacancy within the police organization exists, the hiring and recruitment policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary, or annually by the Chief of Police. Equal Employment Opportunity:

5 The City of Amherst is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows the guidelines noted in the Ohio Civil Rights Act which protect applicants and employees of private employers, state, county and local governments, educational institutions, labor organists, employment agencies and personnel placement services from unlawful discriminatory employment practices. It is the policy of the City of Amherst to provide employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, sex, age, veteran status, marital status or ancestry as provided by law. This policy and practice shall apply to all phases of the employment relationship, including recruitment, hiring, assignments, training, promotions, compensation, discipline and termination. The Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Program Physical Fitness Requirements are as follows: STANDARD # 1 SIT-UPS (1- PUSH-UPS (1-Min) Min) 1.5-MILE RUN AGE Male Female Male/ Female Male Female < /35 11:58 14: /27 12:25 15: /22 13:05 16; * 26/17 14:33 18; * 20/8 16:19 20:08 *Modified form per OPOTC Lesson Plan STANDARD # 2 Minimum Push ups 27 no time frame Minimum Sit ups 31 within 60 seconds Illinois Agility Run 19 seconds or faster 1 Rep bench press 78% of your body weight 300 meter run 62 seconds or faster 1.5 mile run 16 minutes 36 seconds There standards are the same for both male and female applicants regardless of your age.