Full Text
APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT Update 1/08/2019 1 Minimum Requirements for Original Appointments and Selection Process for Promotional Appointments Minimum Requirements for Original Appointments. All candidates for original appointment within the Police Department shall meet the minimum requirements set forth below and all amendments thereto. a. Applicants for examination and appointment shall have passed their twentieth (20th) birthday at the time of the examination. Applicants shall be required to have successfully obtained a high school diploma or its educational equivalent (GED). b. Applications shall be made in writing and under oath to be accompanied by such references or other information that the Human Resources Department may reasonably require. The applications for original appointment shall remain active for a period of one year from the submission date. The candidate need not re-submit an application for vacancy(s) provided the candidate's name remains on the active eligible list. c. Applicants shall be required to satisfactorily pass a written examination and a physical fitness test administered by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. However, the Chief of Police may waive the requirement for a written entrance examination upon proof that the candidate has successfully completed the Municipal/County Basic Police School at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy or its equivalent and is either a fully or conditionally certified police officer. Such equivalency and certification shall be determined by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The candidate's name shall be immediately placed on a certified list and submitted to the Police Chief. In such cases, the candidate must submit to the provisions of and below. d. Candidates for appointment shall submit to a careful physical examination by a qualified physician selected by the City Administrator. Applicants shall be rated by the physician which may include a Chest X-Ray, EKG and Back X-Ray, in addition to submitting a signed self-disclosure form and any other criteria selected by the Human Resources Director as possessing adequate physical qualifications for the work to be performed or failing the examination. In addition, applicants shall be required to undergo a examination by a qualified selected by the City Administrator to determine whether an applicant is mentally, emotionally or temperamentally suited for service. In all cases, the cost of the examinations shall be borne by the City. e. Candidates for appointment shall be required to undergo a polygraph (lie detector) examination. In addition, they shall all be interviewed by the Police Chief and/or designee. Selection Process for Promotional Appointment. Appointments to positions above the rank of Patrol Officer shall in each case be made from candidates listed on the certified list. Any member of the department may apply for any promotional appointment and take the promotional examination upon completion of the probationary period. However, the candidate must have served at least three years as a ---PAGE BREAK--- APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT Update 1/08/2019 2 patrol officer in the City of Lewiston to be considered for promotion to Detective or Corporal and five years as a patrol officer to be considered for promotion to Sergeant and must have at least two years of experience as Sergeant to be considered for further promotion. Candidates may be promoted to the rank of Detective or Corporal after having served three years as a patrol officer in the City of Lewiston. In all such cases, years of experience shall be determined as of the effective date of the promotion to the position. The Human Resources Department shall post a notice indicating the date, time and location of the written examination at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the examination. The selection process and technique used for promotional appointments shall be as follows: a. A job-related aptitude/capacity written examination to measure the skills and ability of the candidate necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position to which the candidate seeks to be promoted. The format of the written examination shall be selected by the Police Chief. The total score of the written examination shall be multiplied by .35. b. Since employee performance evaluations are an integral part of the selection process, summaries of such evaluations shall be submitted to the Human Resources Director for all candidates being considered for promotion. The Human Resources Director shall multiply the quantitative score submitted by .45. c. A quantified measure of seniority shall be calculated to arrive at a combined quality point score for each candidate. Credit for seniority shall be given for actual service from the date of the original appointment. Seniority credit shall be given at a rate of one quality point for each full year of service up to a total of ten (10) quality points or a credit for ten (10) years of service. d. A quantified measure of education, training and promotional experience shall be calculated to arrive at a combined quality point score for each candidate. Up to ten (10) quality points may be awarded to a candidate's combined score, as follows: 1. A total of five quality points shall be awarded to candidates who possess a four-year Bachelor's degree or 2. Two and one-half (2-1/2) quality points shall be awarded to candidates possessing a two-year Associate's degree. 3. One eighth (1/8) of a quality point shall be awarded for the successful completion of each three credit hour college course or one quality point for twenty four (24) credit hours. 4. Two quality points shall be awarded for each full year of promotional experience up to five years to a total of ten (10) quality points. 5. One quality point shall be awarded to any candidate who has completed the Military Police Service Training Academy. NOTE: The maximum ten (10) quality points awarded under above are an "either/or" accumulation. For example, a detective with five years in grade would receive all ten (10) quality points and would not receive more in this category for an Associate's degree. ---PAGE BREAK--- APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT Update 1/08/2019 3 A composite score shall be calculated for each candidate for promotion. The composite score shall represent the accumulative total of quality points earned by each candidate in accordance to the categories described above and summarized below: 1. written examination - 35 quality points 2. employee performance evaluations - 45 quality points 3. seniority - 10 quality points 4. education/training/promotional experience - 10 quality points TOTAL COMPOSITE SCORE - 100 QUALITY POINTS The Human Resources Director or designee shall quantify the quality points for each candidate to determine the order in which the name of the candidate shall appear on the eligible list. The eligible list shall contain the name and cumulative quality point score total attained by each candidate and be arranged in order of their rank with the highest first. Each candidate shall have been assigned a number at the time of the written examination and only that number along with the score shall be submitted to the Police Chief. The Chief shall then post on appropriate bulletin boards the results of the written examination for at least twenty (20) calendar days. Whenever the Chief requests a certified list of names to fill a vacancy, the Human Resource Director shall submit to the Chief ten (10) names for one to two vacancies for consideration [tie scores shall be considered as one name]. If there is an insufficient number of names on the eligibility list, as determined by the Chief, a written promotional examination shall be administered to develop a new eligibility list. Eligibility lists shall remain active for a period of two years from the date of the written promotional examination.