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:
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.
Only members of the Department holding the rank of Sergeant
or a higher rank shall be eligible for examination for promotion to
a rank within the Department above that of Sergeant.
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.
Only members of the department holding the rank of Sergeant
or above shall be eligible to be promoted as the Chief of Police.
