[Amended 11-10-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-20]
A.
At the completion of the examination requirements set forth in Article IV, written examination, oral examination, background investigation, physical fitness test and polygraph examination, the Commission shall rank all passing applicants on the list with the applicant receiving the highest passing score at the top of the list and the applicant receiving the lowest passing score at the bottom of the list. Applicants who qualify for veterans preference points shall have those points added to their passing score prior to being ranked on the eligibility list.
B.
For promotional positions, fulfilling the performance requirements set forth in § A211-14 above is also required. In the case of tied scores, the tie will be broken by giving preference to the applicant who submitted a final completed application first. If both tied applicants submitted their completed applications on the same day, then the applicants shall be ranked in alphabetical order by surname.
C.
The eligibility
shall be valid for one year from the date the Commission ranks all
passing applicants, assigns veterans’ preference points and
formally adopts the eligibility list. Prior to the expiration of the
one-year period, the Commission may extend the validity of the eligibility
list for up to an additional 12 months by a majority vote of the Commission
at a duly authorized Commission meeting. In the absence of a lawful
extension by the Commission, the list shall expire.
A.
The appointing
authority of the Township may fill any vacancy in an existing position
in the Police Department which occurs as a result of expansion of
the police force, retirement, resignation, disability or death by
the reappointment or reinstatement of a former employee of the Police
Department who had been furloughed. Except for physical and psychological
examinations, no other testing shall be required for a furloughed
employee or a rehired or reappointed employee.
B.
If no
furlough list exists or if positions remain to be filled after all
of the officers on the furlough list were offered reemployment, every
position, except that of Chief of Police, shall be filled only in
the following manner:
(1)
The
appointing authority of the Township shall notify the Commission of
any vacancy which is to be filled and request the certification of
three names from the list of eligibles.
(2)
If
three names are not available, then the Commission shall certify the
name(s) from any on the list.
(3)
The
appointing authority shall make an appointment from one of the three
names certified with reference to the merits and fitness of the candidates.
However, for the initial appointment to the position of Police Officer,
when one of the three applicants on the certified list is a veteran,
that applicant shall be selected.
C.
The appointing authority may object to one or more of the persons certified for the reasons set forth in § A211-17 of these rules and regulations. If the candidate to whom the appointing authority objects fails to timely exercise the rights of appeal as set forth in § A211-20 or if the Commission declines to uphold the appeal, the Commission shall strike the name of that candidate from the eligibility list and certify the next highest name for inclusion on the list of three candidates for each name stricken off.
D.
Whenever
the appointing authority of the Township of Bristol causes a reduction
in the number of police officers, then furloughing shall occur on
a strict seniority basis, that officer with the least seniority being
first to be furloughed. In the event of furlough the Commission shall
prepare and maintain a list of all furloughed officers, together with
the position held by each officer at the time of the furlough. The
names on the furlough list shall be arranged in the order of strict
seniority so that the officer with the greatest seniority is at the
top of the list and the officer with the least seniority is at the
bottom of the list. Seniority shall be determined by calculating the
number of days of service with the Bristol Township Police Department.
In the event that two or more officers have identical seniority, their
names shall be arranged on the furlough list in accordance with the
order of their employment as officers from the eligible list, that
officer who was appointed earlier being placed higher on the list.
E.
The Chief
of Police shall be exempt from the seniority provisions pertaining
to furlough lists and may not be furloughed unless or until all the
other officers in the Department have been furloughed.
After the appointing authority selects a candidate from the certified list of three for appointment to the vacant position, that candidate shall submit to a physical examination and a psychological examination by the appropriate medical experts. If the candidate successfully passes the physical and psychological examinations, then that employee shall be appointed to the vacant position of the Police Department for which the application was submitted. The appointment shall be contingent upon successfully passing both the physical and psychological examinations. Failure to pass either examination shall result in the candidate being rejected from consideration. The rejected candidate may appeal this decision under § A211-20. The Commission shall then certify another name to be included with the two previously certified names for consideration by the appointing authority pursuant to §§ A211-30 and A211-31.
[Amended 9-2-2010 by Ord.
No. 2010-07]
A.
In addition
to other reasons stated as grounds for removal in these rules, the
name of any person appearing on a furlough list or an eligible list
shall be removed by the Commission is such person:
(1)
Is
appointed to a position in the Police Department of the Township;
or
(2)
Declines
an appointment to a permanent position in the Police Department of
the Township; or
(3)
Fails
to make written reply to the Commission within seven calendar days
from the date of mailing of a notice of certification; or
(4)
Indicates
availability for employment and is appointed to fill a vacancy but
fails to report for duty at the time prescribed by appointing authority,
unless, in the opinion of the appointing authority, such person can
show good and sufficient reasons for failing to report.
(5)
If
a candidate’s name simultaneously appears on two promotional
lists, and the candidate is offered positions from both lists, the
list from which he/she declines an offered position will result in
the candidate being placed at the “bottom” of the list
from which he/she declined the opportunity. If the candidate appears
on two lists, but is only offered a position from one list, he/she
remains on the other list, in the same position, for as long as that
list remains in effect. However, once that candidate is offered a
position on the second list, during that list’s lifetime, and
declines a position, then his/her name will be placed at the bottom
of the list, consistent with the procedure referenced above. A candidate’s
declining of a position on any promotional list will only be effective
once the candidate has signed and acknowledged the choice for the
particular promotion, as described, above, on a written form. Nothing
herein impairs the Police Department’s authority to remove an
officer from a position, as is set forth elsewhere in these rules.
B.
Nothing
in this section, however, shall be construed as authorizing the removal
of the name of any person on any furlough list who accepts the position
of a lower rank than that for which he was qualified.
[Amended 12-18-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-12]
Every successful applicant to the position of police officer or to a promotional position with the Police Department shall serve a twelve-month probationary period in that position. For newly hired police officers, the probationary period shall not commence until after the officer has completed training under Act 120 and receives a certification number. Newly-hired officers who have already completed Act 120 training will commence their twelve-month probationary period when they are placed on the Township Police Department’s payroll. During the probationary period, a newly-hired police officer may only be dismissed for cause for the reasons set forth in § A211-17. A promoted officer, during probation, may be returned to a prior rank only for cause for reasons set forth in § A211-17. However, at the end of the twelve-month probationary period, if the conduct of the probationer has not been satisfactory to the appointing authority, the probationer shall be notified in writing, that the appointment will not be permanent. At that time, a newly hired officer’s employment shall terminate, and/or those officers appointed pursuant to provisional appointments as a promoted officer shall return to their pervious rank. Alternatively, if the conduct of the probationer is neither satisfactory nor unsatisfactory, the Chief and the Managing Director can extend the probationary period for one additional year. Any officer who is not informed in writing that their performance has been unsatisfactory or that the probationary period has been extended for one additional year, shall receive a permanent appointment to the new position. Any probationer, who is certified in writing that an appointment will not be made permanent or that the probationary period is being extended for one additional year, has no rights of appeal under these rules and regulations.
Whenever there are urgent reasons for filling of a vacancy in
any position in the Police Department and there are no names on the
eligible list for such appointment, the appointing authority may nominate
a person the Commission for a noncompetitive examination, and may
be appointed provisionally to fill such vacancy. It shall thereupon
become the duty of the Commission within three months to schedule
a competitive examination and certify a list of eligibles, and then
a regular appointment shall then be made from the name or names submitted
by the Commission, provided that nothing within this section shall
prevent the appointment, without examination, of persons temporarily
as police officers in cases of riot or other emergency.
