A. 
Before any person shall be appointed as a member of the Police Department, the Borough Council may classify all the duly qualified applicants for the position or positions to be filled in the following classes:
(1) 
Class I. Residents of the municipality.
(2) 
Class II. Other residents of the county in which the municipality is situate.
(3) 
Class III. Other residents of the state.
(4) 
Class IV. All other qualified applicants.
B. 
Within each sure classification, duly qualified applicants who are veterans shall be accorded all such veterans' preferences as are provided by law. Persons discharged from the military service of the United States service within six (6) months prior to making application who fulfill the requirements of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-123.1 and who, thereby, are entitled to appointment notwithstanding their failure to meet the New Jersey residency requirement at the time of their initial application, shall be placed in Class III.
C. 
The first criteria for appointment shall be merit, and thereafter the next criteria may be residency. The Borough Council shall first appoint all those Class I and then those in each succeeding class in the order above listed and shall appoint a person or persons in any such class only to a vacancy or vacancies remaining after all qualified applicants in the preceding class or classes have been appointed or have declined an offer of appointment.
D. 
This section shall apply only to initial appointments and not to promotional appointments of persons already members of the Police Department.
E. 
In making temporary appointments, the Borough Council may utilize the classifications set forth in this section and shall classify accordingly all duly qualified applicants for the positions to be temporarily filled.
A. 
Applicants for initial appointment shall be selected on a basis of education, experience, previous training and the successful completion of interviews, background investigations and any other requirements deemed necessary by the Chief of Police and Police Committee. Eligible applicants shall also be required to undergo medical and psychological examinations and any further testing deemed necessary.
B. 
Applicants eligible for appointment. Upon successful completion of all examinations, interviews and other requirements, the Chief of Police shall compile and rank a list of successful applicants from which the Borough Council shall hire in order from the top.
C. 
The competitive examination for initial appointment may be waived in its entirety or any part or parts thereof for candidates who meet one of the following criteria:
[Amended 2-2-2015 by Ord. No. 2462]
(1) 
Have successfully completed the Police Training Program at a school accredited by the Police Training Commission and is Police Training Commission certified (PTC certified) within the Division of Criminal Justice of the Department of Law and Public Safety of the State of New Jersey.
(2) 
Is a Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer with the ability to receive certification by the Police Training Commission certified (PTC certified) within the Division of Criminal Justice of the Department of Law and Public Safety of the State of New Jersey.
A. 
Vacancies in the positions of Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain shall be filled by recommendation of the Chief of Police, with the advice and consent of the Mayor and Council, based upon general qualifications, service records and attendance records.
B. 
No person shall be eligible for a promotion to Sergeant unless he shall have previously served as a patrolman in the Somerville Police Department or force.
Each Sergeant shall become eligible for any higher rank within the Department, except as provided for in § 33-149.6 below, after he shall have completed his probationary period of service as a probationary Sergeant; provided, however, that no Sergeant shall be eligible for promotion to any higher rank within the Department until he shall have served in that capacity for at least one (1) full year following the completion of his probationary period of service.
Each member of the Department shall become eligible for the rank of Sergeant within the Department after he shall have served in the capacity of police officer, investigator or some other rank below the rank of Sergeant for a combined period of at least three (3) years, exclusive of his initial probationary period.
Any appointment to the office of Chief of Police shall be made and chosen from a list of eligible candidates who shall be evaluated by a committee formed by the Mayor for the purpose of recommending the next Chief of Police. The committee shall be known as the Chief of Police Appointment Committee and shall consist of the Mayor, the Borough Administrator, two (2) members of the Council, and, if he is available and willing to serve, the then current or most recently retired Chief of Police if the office be vacant. The Committee shall conduct interviews of all eligible candidates and administer such tests as it shall determine to be appropriate. The Committee shall recommend appointees to the Mayor and Council based upon its evaluation of the candidates' general qualifications, appearance, speaking ability, comprehension and presentation of ideas, maturity of judgment, interest in law enforcement and knowledge of procedures and techniques thereof, and evidence of supervisory and administrative ability. Due consideration shall be given to each candidate's length and merit of service and preference shall be given according to seniority in service in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129. The Committee may retain the services of an independent third party entity to assist in all aspects of the evaluation and recommendation process. The Chief of Police shall be appointed in accordance with law upon nomination of the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council.