A.
Whenever the need for a new police officer eligibility
list occurs, the Commission shall make public notice of the police officer
examination application period at least 30 days prior to the date of commencement
of the examination process. This notice shall be given by publication in a
minimum of one newspaper of general circulation in the Borough, and a copy
of the notice shall be posted on the bulletin board in the Borough offices.
Additional public notice may be given at any time at the discretion of the
Commission. The public notice shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
B.
The public notice may further include a statement of
the residence requirements, starting salary and benefits, education requirements,
application processing fee and/or any other pertinent information as deemed
appropriate by the Commission.
In order to be eligible for participation in any examination for any
position with the Police Department, every applicant must submit a completed
application form to the Commission (and meet all other applicable eligibility
requirements) before the deadline stated by the Commission for that specific
examination. The applicant must make an oath or affirmation that the application
is completed truthfully, and the applicant is subject to the penalties of
18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 relating to unsworn falsification to authorities.
The Commission shall establish the application form to be used. Said application
form shall be submitted to Borough Council prior to its use and adoption for
comment. The Borough shall establish the amount of a nonrefundable application/processing
fee which must be paid at the time of submission of the application.[1] The official application form and all notations, references and
statements appearing in it are incorporated by reference into these rules
and regulations and shall be as much a part of these rules as if they were
fully described herein.
A.
The Borough of Catasauqua is an equal opportunity employer.
It is the Borough's and the Commission's policy to grant equal employment
opportunities to qualified persons without regard to race, religion, color,
national origin, gender, age, marital status or non-job-related physical or
mental handicap or disability. The Borough and the Commission will provide
equal opportunities in employment and promotion.
B.
Further, no discrimination shall be exercised against
any disabled person capable of performing normal customary police functions,
except to the extent permitted pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities
Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Application forms shall be available to all interested persons in the
office of the Borough Manager and from such other offices and officers that
the Commission, from time to time, may choose to designate. Application forms
may be mailed upon written or telephone request. However, the Commission assumes
no responsibility for missed filing deadlines due to a delay in the receipt
of the application.
The application period shall be no less than 14 calendar days in length.
Completed applications for police officer positions may be received
at any time during normal business hours in the office of the Borough Manager
and by such other offices and officers as the Commission may designate. The
receipt of such applications shall be subject to the following conditions:
A.
Applications must be received on or before 4:30 p.m.
of the day set by the Commission as the close of the application period.
B.
At the time of filing, all applications must be accompanied
by the nonrefundable processing fee paid in cash or by personal check. A receipt
will be given for any fee paid. No application will be accepted for filing
without payment of the appropriate fee.
The Commission shall review each application as soon as practical after
filing for the purpose of determining that such application is complete and
contains no omissions. Any application which is incomplete is invalid and
may, at the discretion of the Commission, be returned to the applicant for
completion and refiling prior to the filing deadline. The Secretary or other
designated officer shall date, number and record in the order of receipt all
completed applications which, once recorded, become Commission records and
shall not be returned to the applicants.
No person who has made any willful false application in the past to
any police department shall be permitted to make an application or future
application for any position in the Police Department.
All applicants must have reached their 21st birthday before the deadline
for submitting completed applications.
All applicants for police officer must meet the following qualifications:
A.
Shall be a citizen of the United States.
B.
Must have reached his or her 21st birthday before the
deadline for submitting completed applications.
C.
Must possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license
from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
D.
Shall be physically, medically and psychologically fit to perform the essential job functions of a police officer as further defined § 30-24.
E.
Must have acquired, before the deadline for submitting
completed applications, at least one of the following:
(1)
A diploma from an accredited high school or graduate
equivalency diploma and be certified under Pennsylvania Act 120.
(2)
Have obtained a bachelor's degree from an accredited
college or university.
(3)
Have obtained an associates' degree from an accredited
college or university in criminal justice/law enforcement or a related police
field.
(4)
Must be in the last semester of obtaining his or her
college degree or associates' degree in law enforcement and certify that
he or she will have obtained that degree by the time the civil service testing
is complete ("complete" to be defined as the time after completion of the
written test, oral test, physical agility test and background examination).
Further, if an applicant is allowed to proceed under this provision, if they
have not obtained a degree at the time the civil service testing is complete,
his or her name shall be automatically removed from the testing process and
he or she shall be considered ineligible.
(5)
A high school diploma or graduate equivalency diploma
and have served successfully as a full-time police officer for two continuous
years with a state police force (or its equivalent, such as highway patrol)
or as a police officer in a municipal police department.
F.
Shall speak, read and write the English language.
G.
Must be of good moral character.
H.
Must reside in the Borough or within 10 miles of the
geographic limits of the Borough. This requirement must be satisfied within
two years following the date on which the oath of office as a police officer
of the Catasauqua Police Department is signed.
Each of the following are essential functions of a police officer's
job:
A.
Running for several hundred yards;
B.
Climbing over obstacles;
C.
Crawling;
D.
Pushing motor vehicles;
E.
Pulling or carrying accident, fire or crime victims;
F.
Using physical force to apprehend and subdue arrestees;
G.
Withstanding prolonged exposure (as long as eight hours)
to extreme weather conditions;
H.
Withstanding prolonged periods of standing and sitting;
I.
Withstanding frequent exposure to stress-producing situations,
such as encountering persons injured or killed by accidents, crimes or suicide;
J.
Dealing with domestic disputes;
K.
Dealing with verbal and physical abuse of the police
officer, including taunts, insults and threats to the police officer, family
members or fellow police officers;
L.
Communicating effectively with individuals suffering
from trauma;
M.
Operating a motor vehicle for long periods of time;
N.
Using a firearm effectively;
O.
Filling out written reports in a clear and concise manner;
P.
Hearing;
Q.
Walking;
R.
Using hands to finger, handle or operate objects, controls
or tools such as a police car, police radio, VASCAR unit, telephone, handgun
and other weapons, handcuffs, breathalyzer, pager, first aid equipment and
a personal computer, including word processing software;
S.
Reaching with hands and arms;
T.
Balancing;
U.
Smelling;
V.
Stooping and kneeling;
W.
Seeing, including close vision, distance vision, color
vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus;
X.
Working in an environment with a noise level that is
generally moderate, although occasionally louder;
Y.
Working near moving mechanical parts;
Z.
Working in high, precarious places;
AA.
Working with explosives;
BB.
Withstanding exposure to wet and/or humid conditions,
extreme heat or extreme cold; and
CC.
Withstanding short-term exposure to fumes, airborne particles,
toxic or caustic chemicals and/or vibration.
A.
The Commission may refuse to examine, or, if examined,
may refuse to certify as eligible after examination, any applicant who is
found to lack any of the minimum qualifications for examination prescribed
in these rules and regulations for the particular position for which the applicant
has applied. In addition, the Commission may refuse to examine, or, if examined,
may refuse to certify, any applicant who is physically or mentally unfit to
perform the full duties of the position applied for, or who is a habitual
substance abuser, who is guilty of any crime involving moral turpitude, or
of infamous or notoriously disgraceful conduct, or who has been dismissed
from public service for delinquency or misconduct in office, or who is affiliated
with any group whose policies or activities are subversive to the forms of
government set forth in the Constitutions and laws of the United States and
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B.
The Commission shall refuse to certify as eligible any
applicant who fails to accurately and truthfully disclose all facts and information
requested of the applicant in the application, psychological testing, physical
examination or interviews conducted pursuant to the background examination.
If an applicant fails to appear for any scheduled examination or interview,
that applicant shall immediately be removed as an eligible applicant. If an
applicant's credit history is unsatisfactory so as to possibly affect
police work, this may disqualify the applicant.
C.
If, at any time, an applicant desires to be removed from
further consideration for inclusion in the eligibility list, the applicant
shall submit that request to the Commission. After receipt of the same, the
Commission shall remove that person's name from further consideration
as an applicant. The Commission shall notify that person in writing of the
same.
Any applicants or other persons who believe that they are aggrieved
by the actions of the Commission, including but not limited to refusing to
examine or to certify them as eligible after examination, may request a hearing
before the Commission. Within 10 days after such request, the Commission shall
designate a time and place for the hearing, which shall be conducted pursuant
to the procedures set forth in the Local Agency Law, 2 Pa.C.S. § 101
et seq. The applicant or aggrieved party must make his request for a hearing
in writing within 10 calendar days of the date when the party knew or should
have known of the Commission's action which is being challenged.
All applicants or persons on the eligibility list shall have a continuing
duty to apprise the Commission/Borough of the applicant's or eligible
person's current address and telephone number. All notices will be deemed
received by the applicant or eligible person if sent to the current address
of that applicant or eligible person on file with the Commission by regular,
first-class mail.
