To provide all eligible candidates for promotion with fair notice
and equal access to the promotional process. Additionally, to strive
to identify the most qualified members of the Police Department for
promotion to leadership positions within the Department and to set
forth the components of the promotional process that will be utilized
by the Chief of Police in carrying out the process and reporting the
results to the Township Committee.
Promotion denotes vertical movement in the organizational hierarchy
from one rank classification or position to another, accompanied by
increases in supervisory duties and responsibilities as well as salary.
The Township desires to identify and promote the most qualified candidates
for open positions of higher rank who possess not only thorough job
knowledge, but integrity and leadership ability. All promotions shall
be made based on merit, experience, seniority, education, demonstrated
ability and competitive examinations. All promotional processes will
be conducted in accordance with the process established by the Township
Committee, in Woolwich Township Ordinance No. 2023-23.
There shall be a one-year working probationary period for all
employees who are promoted. The promoted employee shall be observed
based on criteria related to the job description for the position
to which they were promoted. Such criteria shall include, but shall
not be limited to, a promoted employee's ability to supervise
those employees under his/her direction, the employee's administrative
capabilities, and/or the employee's commitment to the promoted
position. As early as possible during the probationary period, any
promoted employees who are performing unsatisfactorily shall be alerted
by the Chief of Police or his/her designee, in writing, about the
need for improvement, shall be advised as to what specific areas of
their performance require improvement, and shall be advised that if
their underperformance is of such a degree that it may potentially
result in their return to their former rank or status. If satisfactory
improvement is not demonstrated, the employee may be returned to his/her
former rank, which shall be in writing and which notice shall state
the reasons therefor.
Any time more than one candidate is being promoted for the same
rank using the same promotional process and sworn in on the same date,
the officer who obtained the highest overall score in the process
shall be considered the senior officer.
All promotional materials shall be confidential personnel records
and shall be stored in secure areas.
All promotions shall be made without regard to race, gender,
national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or any other unlawful
basis. Employees who have cause to believe that unlawful discrimination
factored into a promotional decision are required to immediately report
it.