In order to be eligible for participation in the hiring/examination
procedure for any entry level patrol officer position with the Police
Department, every applicant must submit a completed application form
to the Commission, or its designee 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.A. § 4904
relating to unsworn falsification to authorities.
The Borough 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, veteran's status, marital status or non-job-related
physical or mental handicap or disability. The Borough and the Commission
will provide equal opportunities in regards to the examination process
and in regards to employment and promotion.
Application forms shall be available to all interested persons
in the office of the Chief of Police, 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 mail.
All applicants must have reached their 21st birthday before
the deadline for submitting completed applications.
Each applicant for a position in the Police Department shall
be a citizen of the United States, and shall possess a high school
diploma or an equivalent degree. Each applicant for a police officer
position must have successfully completed Act 120 training and be
able to be certified by the M.P.O.E.T.C. Every applicant must be physically
and mentally fit to perform all of the essential functions of a police
officer. Each applicant shall be of good moral character, and currently
licensed to operate a motor vehicle in the State of Pennsylvania.
A.
In addition to meeting the qualifications in § A296-21 above, all applicants for the position of Lieutenant and Sergeant shall not have received a formal written reprimand for one year prior to the deadline for submitting applications, or have been demoted for disciplinary reasons or suspended without pay at any time five years prior to the deadline for submitting applications. (Discipline which has been successfully challenged is not applicable.) Any formal written reprimand, disciplinary demotion or suspension to which the applicant has timely appealed pursuant to a contractual grievance procedure or these rules and regulations shall be disregarded unless the appeal is resolved prior to the creation of the eligibility list.
B.
All applicants [Note: prior service with the Borough Police Department
is not a prerequisite for the position of Lieutenant and Sergeant]
shall have continuous prior service with the Police Department of
West View as follows:
(1)
An applicant for the position of Lieutenant shall have at least
five years of service at the Department or, at the discretion of Borough
Council, may have a total of at least five years of policing experience
at the rank of Lieutenant or above;
(2)
An applicant for the position of Sergeant shall have at least
three years of experience as a patrol officer within the Police Department,
an applicant must demonstrate a working knowledge of police science
and administration as ascertained by an appropriate promotional examination.
(3)
An applicant must demonstrate an ability to supervise the work
of subordinates.
(4)
An applicant must have achieved at least a rating equivalent
to "excellent" on their latest service rating, if such a rating system
is established in the Police Department. At the discretion of the
Commission, an evaluation of experience, training general background
and other such records of performance of the applicant may augment,
or be substituted for, the service rating.
C.
The essential functions for the position of Lieutenant and Sergeant
are contained in the job description.
Every applicant for the position of Chief of Police must be
a United States citizen, be physically and mentally fit to perform
the essential functions listed in the job description for Police Chief,
must be able to be certified by M.P.O.E.T.C, and, prior to appointment,
possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license issued by the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A.
All applications for the Police Department shall be received at the
Borough Building only after a hiring or promotional test has been
properly advertised and before the deadline for receiving applications,
which are set forth in the public advertisement.
B.
The Borough, or its designee, shall review each application, upon
receipt, for the purpose of determining that such application contains
no errors or omissions. Any application received more than 10 days
prior to the filing deadline, containing errors or omissions shall
be returned to the applicant for correction or addition. An application
received within less than 10 days prior to the filing of the deadline
and containing material errors or omissions shall not be considered,
and will not be returned. The Commission, or its designee, shall date,
number, and record, in the order of receipt, all applications free
of errors and omissions. The individual recording the applications
shall note whether the individual has veteran's status and whether
the individual has given notice of a need for a reasonable accommodation
in the application or examination process. An application, once recorded,
shall not be returned to the applicant.
To insure the proper order of the selection process, the following
sequence of events shall be followed in the selection of entry level
police officers:
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 as prescribed
below. 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 to which he seeks employment, or who
is a habitual substance abuser, who is guilty of any crime involving
moral turpitude, or of infamous or notoriously disgraceful conduct,
who has been dismissed from public service for delinquency or misconduct
in office.
B.
Further, an applicant may be disqualified or rejected for one of
the following criteria, such conduct may include, but is not limited
to:
(1)
Having been convicted of a crime for which the punishment can
be more than one year imprisonment as defined in Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
Crimes Code, as defined in the jurisdiction where the crime occurred
or as defined in the Military Code of Conduct.
(2)
Having been released from any military or civilian Police Department
for actions or inactions which, though not committed while employed
as a Borough of West View police officer, could result in discipline
if engaged in by a member of the Borough of West View Police Department.
(3)
Having been released from any civilian Police Department during
probation.
(4)
Having a history of heavy gambling loss, or failure to remain
current in the payment of taxes.
(5)
Failure to provide support for minor children.
(6)
Evidence of present improper use of controlled substances as
defined in schedules I through V of Section 202 of the Controlled
Substances Act, 21 U.S.C.A. § 812.
(7)
Physically or mentally unfit to perform the full duties of the
position to which he seeks employment.
(8)
Any applicant who is a habitual substance abuser.
(9)
Is guilty of any crime involving moral turpitude, or of infamous
or notoriously disgraceful conduct.
(10)
Has been dismissed from public service for delinquency of misconduct
in office.
Any applicant or other person who believes that he is aggrieved
by the actions of the Commission, in refusing to examine or to certify
him as eligible after examination, may request a hearing before the
Commission. The applicant or aggrieved party must make their 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. Within 10 days after such request, the
Commission shall designate a time and place for the hearing where
the applicant may appear personally and by counsel. The hearing shall
be conducted pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Local Agency
Law, 2 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
A.
The statements made by the applicant in the official application
shall contain no falsification, omission or concealment of material
fact. Should investigation disclose any willful misstatement, falsification
or concealment with respect to an application:
(1)
The application shall be invalid and the applicant shall be
disqualified from examination;
(2)
If the applicant shall have been examined, the name of such
applicant shall be removed from the eligibility list;
(3)
If the applicant shall have been appointed, such deliberate
falsification, omission or concealment shall constitute grounds for
dismissal from the Police Department. (Such falsification, omission
or concealment shall be grounds for dismissal no matter how long the
time frame between appointment and the discovery of the falsification,
omission or concealment.)
B.
Any applicant or other person who believes that they are aggrieved as a result of the actions of the Commission referenced in this section may request a hearing before the Commission pursuant to § A296-27.
C.
No person who shall make any application containing a deliberate
misstatement, falsification, omission or concealment shall be permitted
to make any future application for any position in the Police Department
of the Borough.
The Commission shall conspicuously post in the Borough Building
an announcement of the hiring or promotional testing and set forth
the time and place of every examination, together with the information
as to the type of position to be filled, the requirements for that
position, where applications may be obtained for the examination,
and the deadline for filing those applications. In addition, at least
two weeks but not more than six weeks prior to each examination, publication
of the notice shall occur in at least one newspaper of general circulation
or a newspaper circulating generally in the Borough.
