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- Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 1 ALBANY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT 165 HENRY JOHNSON BOULEVARD ALBANY, NEW YORK 12210 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION GENERAL ORDER NO: 2.3.00 Issue Date: August 2, 2019 Effective Date: March 1998 Revision Date: November 29, 2015 CALEA: 31.1.1, 31.1.2, 31.2.1-31.2.3, 31.3.1- 31.3.3, 31.4.1-31.4.6, 32.2.1-31.4.6, 31.5.1, 31.5.2, 31.5.6-31.5.8 Volume 2: Logistics Chapter 3: Recruitment Distribution: All Personnel NYSLEAP: 11.1, 12.1, 12.5-12.8 Issuing Authority: Chief Eric Hawkins Page: 1 of 10 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for the recruitment and selection of department personnel. POLICY: It is the policy of the Albany Police Department to actively recruit and select applicants based on the best qualified applicant pool, which is representative of the demographics of the community as a whole. I. AGENCY PARTICIPATION AND ASSIGNMENT A. The Albany Police Department shall maintain a documented recruitment plan for all full-time sworn personnel that outlines steps to achieve the goal of ethnic, racial, and gender workforce composition in the sworn law enforcement ranks that approximates the makeup of the available workforce in the Albany community. 1. The focus of the department’s recruitment plan shall be on additional recruitment steps to be taken to increase the likelihood of hiring a member of an underrepresented group. B. The Commander of the Administrative Services Bureau (ASB) shall be responsible for the administration of the recruitment plan, which shall include managing and overseeing all sworn recruitment and ensuring those members conducting recruitment activities are knowledgeable in personnel matters, especially equal opportunity employment and personnel matters. C. The recruitment plan shall include, but not be limited to the following: 1. Statement of objectives; 2. Elements of the demographic/geographic characteristics of the City; 3. Past successful recruitment initiatives/efforts of the Albany Police Department; 4. Utilization of minority personnel who are aware of the cultural environment in the recruitment drive; Eric Hawkins Chief of Police 1789 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 2 5. Depiction of females and representatives of ethnic/cultural/race minority groups in law enforcement roles in recruitment literature; and 6. A plan of action designed to achieve objectives. D. The Commander of the Administrative Services Bureau or his/her designee shall be responsible for completing a documented annual analysis on the recruitment plan. The analysis report shall include the following: 1. Progress toward stated objectives; 2. Suggested revisions to the plan, as needed; and 3. Demographic data of sworn personnel. a. The results of this analysis shall be documented on a memo to the Chief of Police. b. The annual analysis shall utilize data between the dates of January 1st and December 31st of each calendar year, and shall be completed by March 31st of each year. II. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT AND RECRUITMENT A. The Albany Police Department shall strive to offer equal employment opportunities on the basis of merit, without unlawful discrimination and shall ensure that positions are filled without regard to a person’s race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. B. The Albany Police Department shall maintain a documented equal employment opportunity plan that ensures equal opportunities for employment and employment conditions for minority persons and women. An equal employment opportunity plan is a document that is designed to state the steps the department intends to take to ensure that there are no artificial barriers that would prevent members of a protected group from a fair and equitable opportunity to be hired, promoted, or to otherwise take advantage of employment opportunities. 1. The equal employment opportunity plan shall focuses on ensuring that applicants are treated fairly in the selection process (and in other personnel activities) by giving them the same opportunities for employment. C. The equal employment opportunity plan shall include, but not be limited to the following: 1. A strongly worded statement from the Chief of Police regarding the department’s policy to ensure that all individuals be given equal opportunity for employment, regardless of race, sex, creed, color, age, religion, national origin, or physical impairment; and 2. Specific action steps the department should take to ensure equal employment opportunity is a reality, such as: a. Advertising that the Albany Police Department is an equal opportunity employer; ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 3 b. Providing applications or testing processes at decentralized, easily accessible locations; and c. Incorporating the policies relating to GO 2.2.25 - Harassment in the Workplace into the agency's overall equal employment opportunity effort. III. JOB ANNOUNCEMENT A. The City of Albany Human Resources Department shall be responsible for posting entry level employment vacancies in print or via electronic media on the City’s website, at City offices, at community/social service organizations, and at any other location appropriate for the advertisement of such positions. These postings shall include, at a minimum, the following information: 1. A description of the duties, responsibilities, requisite skills, educational level, and other minimum requirements or qualifications to be met by the applicant; 2. Information that prospective candidates need to know about the application process; 3. That the department is an equal opportunity employer, which shall be advertised on all employment applications and recruitment advertisements; and 4. The official application filing/closing date for the position. IV. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS A. Candidates must meet the minimum requirements, as described in Section 58 of the NYS Civil Service Law, which includes, but is not limited to the following: 1. Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency or comparable diploma; and 2. United States Citizenship at time of appointment. a. United States Citizenship is not necessary for admission to the written examination. V. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS A. Candidates must meet the special requirements, as described in Section 58 of the NYS Civil Service Law, which includes, but is not limited to the following: 1. Age – Eligibility for Admission to Written Exam: a. Candidates must be at least nineteen (19) years of age on or before the date of examination in order to be admitted to the written test. b. Per section 58.1(a), candidates who reach their thirty-fifth (35th) birthday on or before the date of the written examination are not qualified, except as follows: i. Candidates may have a period of military duty or terminal ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 4 leave up to six years, as defined in Section 243 (10-a) of the NYS Military Law, deducted from their age for the purposes of meeting the age requirement. ii. Proof of active service DD 214) is required. 2. Age – Eligibility for Appointment: a. Eligibility for appointment as a police officer begins when the candidate reaches twenty (20) years of age. 3. Driver’s License: a. Effective July 24, 2013, a valid NYS Driver’s License is required at the time of appointment and for the duration of employment. VI. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS A. An applicant for competitive examination must be a legal resident on the date of the examination and must be a legal resident of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schoharie or Schenectady County for at least thirty (30) days immediately preceding the date of such examination, unless otherwise mandated by law. 1. This residence requirement may be suspended or reduced by the Commission in cases where recruitment difficulties make such requirement disadvantageous to the public interest. B. When preference in certification is given to residents of the City of Albany, in order to be included in certification as a resident of such municipality, an eligible candidate must be a legal resident of the City of Albany at the following times: 1. On the date of the examination; 2. At the time of certification; and 3. At the time of appointment. C. Preference in appointment may be given to successful candidates who have been legal residents of the City of Albany for at least thirty (30) days immediately preceding the date of the written examination. VII. EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS A. The Albany Police Department shall recruit and select persons in accordance with the New York State Civil Service Law working through the Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission. 1. The Office of Professional Standards shall be responsible for administering selection activity processes. 2. All elements of the selection process for sworn members shall be designed to use only the rating criteria or minimum qualifications that are job related. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 5 B. All candidates considered for a sworn position must meet standards as prescribed by the Municipal Police Training Council and the Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission. 1. All elements of the selection process for sworn and non-sworn personnel shall be administered, scored, evaluated, and interpreted in a uniform non- discriminatory manner, within the classification. 2. The elements of the selection process for all full time sworn and non- sworn personnel shall be listed on the job announcement. C. At the time of formal application, candidates for all positions shall be informed of the following: 1. The expected duration of the selection process; 2. The department's policy on reapplication; and 3. All elements of the selection process. D. The various testing phases of the selection process for all sworn employees includes several different steps, most of which are dependent on successfully completing other steps involved in the selection process. These steps occur in the following order 1. Initial Written Application: a. Applications and a copy of job announcements may be secured at Albany City Hall or at the City of Albany website. b. Applications shall be completed and submitted to the Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission, City Hall Room 301 Albany, New York 12207. 2. Civil Service Written Examination: a. Testing for the purpose of establishing an eligibility list for entry level law enforcement positions for use by the Albany Police Department, will be conducted by the New York State Civil Service Commission in conjunction with the Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission. b. The examination shall be prepared and rated in accordance with Section 23.2 of the NYS Civil Service Law. i. The provisions of New York State Civil Service Law rules and regulations, dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations, apply to the written examination process. c. Applicants must achieve a score of seventy (70) or higher on the exam to be considered for employment. d. The Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission will provide a certified list of applicants, in ranking order of exam score. e. Eligibility lists are established for a minimum duration of one year, but may be extended by the Commission before expiration for a total of no more than four years. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 6 f. Once openings exist, and the City Mayor authorizes the hiring of police officers, only persons on the eligibility list will be considered. i. Eligible candidates will be notified and informed of the elements of the selection process and the duration of said process by the Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission. 3. Physical Fitness/Proficiency; a. All candidates must satisfactorily complete a physical fitness test. i. Such test shall be administered in accordance with the current standards adopted by the Municipal Police Training Council. ii. The Municipal Police Training Council adopted the physical fitness-screening test based on the model formulated by the Cooper Institute of Aerobics Research. The minimum passing scores, depending on age and sex, represent the fortieth (40th) percentile of physical fitness as established by the Cooper Institute. a) If a candidate does not successfully score to the 40th percentile of fitness for each of the elements of the test battery, the candidate shall not be deemed to have successfully completed the physical fitness screening test and is not eligible for hire. iii. Before taking this test, the candidate must provide written documentation from a physician which indicates the person is medically capable of safely taking the test. 4. Background Investigation: a. A full background investigation of each candidate for the position of police officer shall be conducted prior to appointment to probationary status and shall include the following: i. Completion of a background questionnaire by all eligible candidates; ii. Verification of candidate’s qualifying credentials; iii. Fingerprinting and photographing of candidates; iv. Investigation into the candidate’s residence, family; education, military background, previous employment; history, personal references, social contacts, physical and emotional health, organizations and affiliations; v. Check of CAD/RMS records; vi. Department of Motor Vehicles check; vii. Liens, judgments and credit check; viii. Criminal history inquiry and review; and ix. Verification of at least three personal references. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 7 b. Office of Professional Standards (OPS) detectives shall receive training in how to collect required information for background investigations, and once trained shall be responsible for conducting a thorough background investigation of each sworn and non-sworn candidate. i. Personnel conducting background investigations shall be provided written instructions and a checklist of tasks that must be accomplished in order to successfully complete a background investigation. 5. Oral Interview: a. Prior to appointment, candidates shall be interviewed by detectives of the Office of Professional Standards. i. Such interviews shall employ a set of uniform questions, and the results obtained shall be recorded on a standardized form. 6. Once a candidate meets all the above established requirements, the candidate shall successfully complete the following two additional examinations, in accordance with Civil Service rules and regulations. These examinations are considered a conditional offer of employment and consist of the following: a. Emotional Stability and Fitness Examinations: i. Prior to appointment to probationary status, candidates shall participate in a written examination. ii. Candidates shall then be evaluated by a qualified professional, chosen by the Albany Police Department, to establish if the candidate has the required fitness that is compatible with the position of police officer. b. Medical/Physical Examination: i. Prior to appointment to probationary status, a licensed medical physician or practitioner, chosen by the Albany Police Department, shall conduct a medical examination to certify the general health of each candidate for a sworn position. ii. The licensed physician or practitioner shall utilize valid, useful, and non-discriminatory procedures to examine each candidate. iii. Candidates must meet all minimum requirements/standards, as determined by the Municipal Police Training Council and the Albany Police Department. iv. The medical examination shall include a urinalysis. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 8 7. Candidates who successfully pass the and medical/physical examination, along with all other applicable steps, are eligible for appointment to the position of police officer, by authority of the City Mayor. a. Probationary Appointment: i. Upon appointment to the position of police officer, the candidate will be placed in the probationary position of recruit. ii. The probationary recruit who has met the required standards will be administered the standard Oath of Office for Police Officers by the City Mayor. iii. The recruit must then attend and complete the prescribed Basic Course for Police Officer, as established by the Municipal Police Training Council. iv. All appointments to the position of recruit/police officer will be considered probationary for a period of one year from that date of appointment (including the Albany Police Academy), as per current applicable Agreement. E. The elements and activities of the selection process for all full-time non-sworn personnel shall consist of the following: 1. Initial Written Application: a. Applications and copies of job announcements may be secured at Albany City Hall or at the City of Albany website. 2. Civil Service Written Examination: a. When applicable, testing for the purpose of establishing an eligibility list for use by the Albany Police Department will be conducted by the New York State Civil Service Commission in conjunction with the Albany Municipal Civil Service Commission. 3. Background Investigation: a. A full background investigation of each candidate for the position of telecommunication specialists shall be conducted prior to appointment to probationary status and shall include the following: i. Completion of a background questionnaire by all eligible candidates; ii. Verification of candidate’s qualifying credentials; iii. Fingerprinting and photographing of candidates; iv. Investigation into the candidate’s residence, family; education, military background, previous employment; history, personal references, social contacts, physical and emotional health, organizations and affiliations; v. Check of CAD/RMS records; vi. Department of Motor Vehicles check; ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 9 vii. Criminal history inquiry and review; and viii. Verification of at least three personal references. b. All other non-sworn candidates will be subject to background checks for review of any criminal history and RMS records prior to appointment to probationary status: 4. Oral Interview: a. All non-sworn candidates shall be interviewed by detectives of the Office of Professional Standards. i. Such interviews shall employ a set of uniform questions, and the results obtained shall be recorded on a standardized form. 5. Candidates who successfully meet and pass all applicable steps are then considered eligible for appointment to the applied position by authority of the Chief of Police or the City Mayor. VIII. Maintaining Applicant Contact: A. The Office of Professional Standards shall maintain contact with applicants for all positions from initial application to final employment disposition. 1. Applicants shall be periodically informed of the status of their applications. 2. Applicant contacts shall be documented and logged. 3. The department may utilize technological resources when appropriate for maintaining contact with applicants. IX. Applicant Disqualification: A. All candidates not selected for positions shall be informed by civil service, in writing, within thirty (30) days from the time of their disqualification. B. Applications processed by the department shall not be rejected because of minor omissions or deficiencies that can be corrected prior to the testing or interview process. 1. All candidates that are disqualified for the physical agility shall be placed back onto the eligibility list and may be canvassed for subsequent openings. 2. All candidates disqualified during the screening may be canvassed for further openings after one year of being disqualified. 3. Candidates who have been disqualified as a result of the background investigation have the opportunity to file an appeal with the Civil Service Commission. a. If the Commission so decides, the candidate shall be placed back on the eligibility list and shall be contacted at the time of the next canvass. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Recruitment and Selection, G.O. 2.3.00 Page 10 b. If the Commission rules against the candidate, he/she must take the next exam if he/she wishes to re-apply. X. MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS A. All selection materials gathered on a candidate not kept by the Civil Service Commission shall be maintained in a secure environment in the Office of Professional Standards for a period of at least six years past the duration of their employment and destroyed, in accordance with New York State Records Retention and Disposition Schedule MU-1. Such records shall include, but not be limited to the following: 1. Background information; 2. Emotional Stability and Fitness Examinations; and 3. Medical/Physical Examinations.