Every person appointed to the Department shall, as a prerequisite to becoming a member thereof, and before entering upon his duties as such, take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation as may be required and prescribed by the laws of the State of New Jersey.
No person shall be appointed a member of the Department unless:
A. 
He is a citizen of the United States.
B. 
He is sound in body and of good health sufficient to satisfy the Board of Trustees of the Police Retirement System of New Jersey, and he is eligible to enter the retirement system and shall pass such medical examinations as are requested by the Board of Trustees.
C. 
He is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently and shall have a high school diploma or the equivalent thereof.
D. 
He is of good moral character. No person shall be so appointed who has been convicted of an indictable offense or the equivalent thereof or who has been convicted of any crime or offense involving moral turpitude.
E. 
She or he is 18 years of age and under the age of 35. The maximum age limit does not apply to special officers.
[Amended 6-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-18]
F. 
He is physically and mentally sound and emotionally stable and possesses the necessary ability to understand and obey orders and to perform the duties required of a member of the Borough of Palmyra Police Department to the satisfaction of the governing body of the Borough of Palmyra.
G. 
He serves a probationary period as prescribed below.
H. 
He holds a valid New Jersey driver's license.
I. 
He shall meet other qualifications as may be required by the State of New Jersey or the statutes and rules in such cases made and provided.
Each appointee shall serve a probationary period of one year and shall be designated as a probationary officer and shall not be considered a permanent member of the Police Department during the term of his probation. Upon satisfactory performance of his duty as a probationary officer for a period of one year after graduation from an approved training school, he may be appointed to the position of police officer by the governing body. No person shall hereafter be given or accept a permanent appointment as a patrolman in the Department unless such person has successfully completed a police training course at a school approved and authorized by the Police Training Commission in the Department of Law and Public Safety of the State of New Jersey. For purposes of seniority and vacation privilege, the period of probation shall be included in determining the length of service. All appointments of probationary officers shall be made by the governing body.