[Adopted 4-5-2006 by Ord. No. 15-2006[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided that it shall apply to all promotions of police officers effective upon passage, with the exception of § 55-41 only (thus, this ordinance as to sergeants' promotions only shall take effect 6-14-2006). Any promotions to the rank of Sergeant, which are made prior to 6-14-2006, shall be accomplished in accordance with General Order 19.8 and by utilizing the Sergeants' promotional list which was posted by the Police Department on 6-14-004.
The purpose of this ordinance is to establish
a policy and procedure by which all police officers and members of
the Eatontown Police Department will be considered for promotion within
the Eatontown Police Department.
Promotion denotes the vertical movement in the
organizational hierarchy from one rank classification or position
to another, accompanied by an increase in salary and responsibility.
The evaluation and selection of personnel for promotion begins with
the identification of employees who possess the qualifications and
potential for assuring greater responsibility and leadership, that
were demonstrated by their performance, interest, knowledge, skills,
talent, aptitude, and abilities required to perform at the promotional
level.
All prior ordinances, resolutions, and Police
Department general orders and policies concerning promotion are hereby
rescinded.
All promotions of employees in the Police Department
shall be made by resolution of the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Eatontown.
When the Chief of Police deems that a vacancy
exists to be filled in the rank of Sergeant or above in the Eatontown
Police Department, the Chief shall so inform the Mayor and Council
in writing. Upon receipt of this notice, the Mayor and Council shall
decide whether to set in motion the procedures for filling of said
vacancy.
If the Mayor and Council decide to fill the
aforementioned vacancy, it shall so inform the Chief of Police, who
will thereafter issue a memorandum containing the following information:
A.
The position for which the vacancy exists.
B.
The date, time and location of the first phase of
the examination process.
C.
The name and/or authority of the organization administering
the examination process.
D.
The format and time length of the examination process.
E.
The eligibility requirements for being considered
for the promotion.
To be eligible for a promotion to Sergeant,
a candidate shall complete a minimum of five years of service as a
patrol officer for the Eatontown Police Department. These five years
of service must have been completed on or before the date of the written
examination. To be considered for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant
or above, a police officer must have successfully completed the probationary
period for the rank immediately below the promotional position. At
the discretion of the Borough Council, candidates not holding the
rank directly below what they are being tested for may participate
in the examination process.
A.
Since the Department has instituted a college educational requirement as a prerequisite for police officers, an extension of this initiative is an educational standard for promotion. All sworn officers are subject to the following educational provisions for promotions. Those appointed as probationary police officers prior to July 1, 2001, will receive 30 imputed credits which can be applied towards the requirements of Subsection A(1), (2) and (3) of this section. The educational requirements that follow shall apply only to promotional examination processes that commence on or after the effective dates for the ranks in question. Any promotional list already in existence shall not be affected by the newly implemented educational requirement. Note: Imputed credits cannot be applied towards a degree requirement when pursuing a degree at an accredited educational institution.
(1)
A minimum of 60 credits will be required as of January
1, 2008, for consideration of promotional eligibility for the rank
of Sergeant and above. For those appointed as probationary officers
prior to July 1, 2001, a minimum of 48 credits and active enrollment
at an accredited college or university will be required. (A candidate
is considered "actively enrolled" when he or she is officially registered
as a student with an accredited college or university and has successfully
completed a minimum of one college-level course within one calendar
year prior to the first phase of the promotional process.)
(2)
A minimum of 120 credits will be required as of January
1, 2010, for consideration of promotional eligibility to the rank
of Lieutenant and above. For those appointed as probationary officers
prior to July 1, 2001, a minimum of 90 credits and active enrollment
at an accredited college or university will be required.
(3)
A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited
institution will be required as of January 1, 2012, for consideration
of promotional eligibility to the rank of Lieutenant. For those appointed
as probationary officers prior to July 1, 2001, a minimum of 120 credits
and active enrollment at an accredited college or university will
be required.
(4)
A minimum of 12 graduate-level credits awarded through
participation in a Master's Degree program with an accredited institution
will be required as of January 1, 2012, for consideration of promotional
eligibility to the rank of Captain and above.
(5)
A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited
institution will be required as of January 1, 2014, for consideration
of promotional eligibility to the rank of Lieutenant.
(6)
A minimum of a Master's Degree from an accredited
institution will be required as of January 1, 2014, for consideration
of promotional eligibility to the rank of Captain and above.
B.
It shall be the responsibility of each candidate to
ensure that his or her official college transcript(s) has been forwarded
to the Chief of Police for inclusion in the candidate's personnel
file. "Student Copies" will not be accepted.
C.
Credits earned from an accredited institution will
not be considered for promotional ranking purposes unless the candidate's
official college transcript(s) is on file with the Department.
B.
The written examination shall be created by the Chief
of Police or his/her designee and shall test the candidate's general
knowledge and understanding relative to the position sought. The staff
officers shall conduct the oral examination. All candidates obtaining
a score of 70 or higher on the written examination shall qualify to
advance to the departmental member oral examination, which shall be
conducted by the Chief and staff officers. All candidates who score
70 or greater on the written examination, but who are not promoted,
shall be permitted, at their option, to carry their score on the written
examination to the next promotional process. A candidate shall be
permitted to carry their score on the written examination one time
and only to the successive promotional process. In the event there
are fewer than five candidates with a passing score, then the five
highest-scoring candidates shall proceed to the departmental interview
level, regardless of the scores. If more than one candidate achieves
an identical fifth highest score, then each shall be permitted to
continue in the process.
[Amended 5-12-2021 by Ord. No. 07-2021]
C.
Seniority shall be applied only after the candidates
who scored at least 70 have completed the departmental level oral
examination. Consideration for seniority and experience shall be determined
by the candidate's cumulative, uninterrupted years of service as a
patrol officer with the Eatontown Police Department. For each complete
year of service prior to the day of the written examination, determined
by anniversary date of hiring, each candidate shall receive 1/4 of
a point. A maximum of 20 years of service may be considered. The official
score of the candidate's seniority and experience shall constitute
5% of the candidate's total possible final score of 100% (as set forth
above).
D.
Council level: Upon completion of the departmental process, the Chief shall issue a promotional list as stated in § 55-43 of this article. He shall then forward the three highest rated candidates for advancement to the next level. An Interview Committee consisting of the Chief of Police, Captain, and three members of the Eatontown Borough Council will interview these candidates. In the event one of the committee members is unable to participate, the Business Administrator shall participate in his or her stead. The oral interview shall include, but not be limited to, questions relative to the rank of Sergeant. Prior to conducting the interviews, the Interview Committee shall have the opportunity to review the performance appraisals of each candidate for up to three years prior to the interview. The members of the Interview Committee shall give appropriate consideration to these performance appraisals in evaluating the promotional worthiness of each candidate. Following the completion of this round of oral interviews, the Interview Committee shall make a recommendation(s) for promotion to the Borough of Eatontown Mayor and Council, which shall thereafter promote the recommended candidate(s).
B.
The oral interviews shall be conducted solely by the
Interview Committee, which shall consist of the same members as set
forth above in the promotional policy for Sergeant's promotion. In
the case of promotion to the rank of Captain, the Interview Committee
shall remain the same, except that the Business Administrator shall
participate instead of the Captain. The interview process shall include,
but not be limited to, questions relevant to the rank which the Borough
is seeking to fill. Prior to conducting the interviews, the Interview
Committee shall have the opportunity to review the performance appraisals
of each candidate for up to three years prior to the interview. The
members of the Interview Committee shall give appropriate consideration
to these performance appraisals in evaluating the promotional worthiness
of each candidate.
C.
Consideration for seniority and experience shall be
determined by the candidate's cumulative uninterrupted years of service
with the Eatontown Police Department in rank directly beneath that
being offered. For each full year of service in that rank prior to
the date of the oral interview, determined by anniversary date of
promotion to that rank's probationary status, each candidate shall
receive one point. A maximum of 10 years of service will be considered.
The official score of the candidate's seniority experience shall constitute
10% of the candidate's possible final score of 100%.
These provisions are applicable to promotions
to the classifications of Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain.
A.
Upon completion of all stages of examination and compilations
of final scores, candidates shall be ranked according to their final
scores. A list stating the candidates' names, rankings, and final
scores shall be established and posted within the Police Department.
In the event of matching final scores, candidates shall be ranked
by seniority and experience as determined during the examination process.
Tied candidates receiving the identical credit for seniority and experience
shall be further distinguished by specific appointment date.
B.
In the event of all factors as outlined previously
in this section being identical (final scores, seniority and experience,
appointment date), the candidates shall share identical rankings and
shall advance to the Council level interview simultaneously, even
if their advancement results in more than three candidates moving
to that stage of the examination process.
[Amended 9-10-2014 by Ord. No. 14-2014]
C.
The promotional list for the rank of Sergeant shall remain active
for a period of two years from the date of announcement and posting
of scores by the Chief of Police. In the event another vacancy exists
for the rank of Sergeant, the three highest ranking remaining candidates
will advance to the Council level interview.
[Added 9-10-2014 by Ord. No. 14-2014]
D.
The promotional lists for the ranks of Lieutenant and Captain shall
remain active until such time as the vacancies which set the promotional
processes in motion are filled by resolution of Mayor and Council.
The promotional lists then expire immediately and any subsequent vacancies
shall require the promotional process to begin anew.
[Added 9-10-2014 by Ord. No. 14-2014]
Upon completion of all examinations and posting
of the promotional list, the Chief of Police will recommend to the
Interview Committee that a person or persons from that list be promoted.
Both the Chief and the Interview Committee will have the right to
recommend, pursuant to the Rule of Three, appointment of any of the
three highest ranking persons on the promotional list. In addition,
the Interview Committee shall have the right to reject the recommendation
for promotion made by the Chief of Police. Thereafter, the Mayor and
Council, by resolution, will make the appointment decision.
All promotions shall be subject to a one-year
probationary period. Officers not successfully completing said one-year
probationary period will be returned, by demotion, to their previously
held rank.
