No person shall be admitted to an examination for a position in the Police Department of the Borough of Blawnox until he shall have filed, on the official form prescribed by the Civil Service Commission, a sworn application giving such information as the Commission may require. The official application form and all notations, references, and statements appearing in it are incorporated by reference into this chapter as if they were fully described herein. The candidate must take an oath or affirmation that the application is completed truthfully, and the applicant is subject to 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 employment and promotion.
Application forms shall be available to all interested persons in the office of the Borough Secretary and from such other offices and officers that the Commission, from time to time, may choose to designate.
A. 
In addition to meeting the qualifications fixed for each applicant, every applicant for any position in the Police Department shall:
(1) 
Be a U.S. citizen;
(2) 
Be at least 21 years of age at the time of application;
(3) 
Possess a current Pennsylvania driver's license;
(4) 
Possess a diploma from an accredited high school or a graduate equivalency diploma;
(5) 
Be physically and mentally fit to perform the duties of a police officer;
(6) 
Possess training certification pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 2161 et seq., or currently be a Pennsylvania-certified police officer.
[Amended 11-12-2020 by Ord. No. 612; 9-14-2022 by Ord. No. 627]
B. 
Applicant need not be a resident of the Borough of Blawnox, but upon appointment must take up residence within seven air miles of the Borough's boundaries prior to attaining permanent status.
[Amended 11-9-2022 by Ord. No. 628]
C. 
Applicants for full-time positions may be required to submit a nonrefundable filing fee when they request and receive an application. Payment of the fee shall be made before an application is processed. The filing fee shall be established by resolution of the Mayor and Council.
[Amended 11-12-2020 by Ord. No. 612]
A. 
In addition to meeting the qualifications in § 24-20 above, all candidates for a promotional position, except Chief, shall have not received any formal written reprimand for one year prior to the deadline for submitting applications and shall have not been suspended without pay at any time five years prior to the deadline for submitting applications. Any formal written reprimand or suspension to which the candidate has timely appealed pursuant to a grievance procedure of this chapter shall be disregarded unless the appeal is resolved prior to the creation of the eligibility list.
B. 
All candidates for Sergeant and Lieutenant shall have had continuous prior service with the Police Department of the Borough of Blawnox as follows:
(1) 
A candidate for the position of Sergeant shall have had at least four years of experience as a police officer within the Police Department.
(2) 
A candidate for the position of Lieutenant shall have had at least four years of experience as a police officer within the Police Department.
C. 
Further, all candidates for Sergeant and Lieutenant shall:
(1) 
Have satisfactorily completed all mandatory in-service training requirements;
(2) 
Have demonstrated an ability to carry out orders from superiors;
(3) 
Have demonstrated a working knowledge of police science and administration as ascertained by an appropriate promotional examination; and
(4) 
Have demonstrated an ability to supervise the work of subordinates.
In the case of a vacancy in the office of Chief of Police, the Council may nominate a person to the Civil Service Commission. It shall thereupon become the duty of the Commission to subject such person to a noncompetitive examination, and, if such person shall be certified by the Commission as qualified, he may then be appointed to such position. Such person must demonstrate a working knowledge of police science and administration and demonstrate the ability to supervise the work of subordinates.
A. 
The Commission shall request the Chief of Police or the Chief's designee to conduct a background investigation on each applicant. The background investigation shall include interviews with the applicant's family, acquaintances, current and former employers, current and former neighbors, references and current and former teachers and school officials. In addition, the applicant's credit history and record of criminal convictions should be investigated. The applicant may be interviewed directly when the information collected during the background investigation requires clarification or explanation.
B. 
After the background investigation is completed, the Chief, or designee, shall make a written recommendation to the Commission on whether the applicant is appropriate for consideration for appointment as a police officer.
C. 
If the recommendation is to disqualify, a detailed written explanation of the reasons for disqualification must be included. The Commission shall take the final determination on whether the information collected during the background investigation warrants rejection of the candidate. Within 30 days after the Commission considers the recommendation of the Chief of Police or the Chief's designee each applicant will be informed of whether they have passed the background investigation.
Applications for any position in the Police Department shall only be obtained during the advertised period and only during normal business hours in the office of the Borough Secretary. No application shall be accepted after 3:00 p.m. on the day of the close of the advertised period.
The office of the Borough Secretary shall review each application upon receipt for the purpose of determining that the application contains the required documentation and contains no errors or omissions. The Borough Secretary shall date, number, and record, in the order of receipt, all applications in compliance of this section. An application, once recorded, shall be a public record and shall not be returned to the applicant.
A. 
The statements made by the applicant on the official application shall contain no falsification, commission or concealment of material facts. Should investigation disclose any willful misstatement, falsification or concealment with respect to any application:
(1) 
The application shall be invalid and the applicant shall be disqualified from examination; or
(2) 
If the applicant shall have been examined, the name of such applicant, if listed, shall be removed from the eligible list; or
(3) 
If the applicant shall have been appointed, such willful misstatement, falsification or concealment shall constitute grounds for dismissal from the Police Department.
B. 
No person who shall make any willful false application shall be permitted to make any future application for any position in the Police Department of the Borough.
Public notice of the time and place of every examination, together with the information as to position to be filled, shall be given by publication in the newspaper designated by the Council for Borough notices in the Borough. The public notice shall be published at least two weeks prior to an examination and a copy of the notice shall be posted on the bulletin board in the Borough Municipal Building. Additional public notice by publication, posting or otherwise may be given at any time at the discretion of the Commission.
A. 
In addition to the public notice, the Secretary shall give written notice to each qualified applicant as follows:
(1) 
By mailing or otherwise delivering notice which shall include the date, time and place of the physical ability and written examinations.
(2) 
Those who successfully qualify for oral examination will be notified by mail or registered letter of the date, time and place of such oral examination.
(3) 
By mailing or otherwise delivering to each applicant qualified for a medical examination a notice which shall include the name of the medical examiner and the date, time and place of such medical examination.
B. 
Every such notice shall be mailed or otherwise delivered at least three days prior to the date fixed for examination. Only applicants receiving notices to report for an examination shall be permitted to participate in such an examination, and each applicant shall present his notice to the examiner before he shall be examined. Failure to report for any examination in accordance with the instructions contained in the written notice shall disqualify the applicant.