[Amended 12-19-1990 by Ord. No. 17-90; 7-16-2008 by Ord. No. 16-2008; 6-19-2019 by Ord. No. 09-2019; 12-6-2023 by Ord. No. 09-2023]
A. 
A promotion of any sworn full-time member of the Police Department to a superior rank shall be made from the membership of the Police Department.
B. 
No member of the Police Department shall be eligible for promotion to a superior rank unless he/she has completed three years of service with the West Amwell Township Police Department and has served a minimum of two years in his/her present rank.
C. 
Prior to approving a promotion, the officer in charge shall forward a summary of each applicant's service record to the Township Committee, and the Township Committee shall review all summaries prior to approving a promotion.
A. 
Vacancy. When the officer in charge determines that he/she wishes to fill a vacancy for a position of an officer, he/she shall announce the opening of oral examinations for the position to officers within the West Amwell Police Department by posting the same in a central location within headquarters. The promotional process is considered to have begun when the opening of oral examinations is announced.
B. 
Eligibility. All officers who meet the eligibility requirements of § 38-7 are eligible to be promoted to the next highest available rank within the Department.
C. 
Application. All officers interested in applying for a promotion must submit their resume and a cover letter to the Township Clerk by the application deadline.
D. 
Oral examination. The Oral Interview Board shall administer the oral examination. Candidates for promotion who have qualified to participate in this testing phase shall be notified of their scheduled interview date 60 days prior to the date of their interview. Upon completion of the examination process, each officer will be provided with a written review report which includes his/her overall ranking.
E. 
Physical examination. After a successful candidate for promotion has received and accepted an offer of promotion, the Department may require him/her to undergo a physical examination by a physician designated by the Township at the Township's expense.
F. 
Psychological examination. After a successful candidate for promotion has received and accepted an offer of promotion, the Department may require him/her to undergo a psychological examination by a mental health professional designated by the Township at the Township's expense.
G. 
Recommendation for promotion. The officer in charge shall forward a recommendation for promotion to the Township Committee of the highest accredited candidate.
H. 
Approval. The Township Committee shall consider all candidates recommended for promotion and may approve of same by duly adopted resolution.
Upon creation of a vacancy in higher rank, replacement and/or promotion shall be determined on the basis of accreditation to be applied as follows:
A. 
Oral examination. The Oral Interview Board shall interview each candidate for promotion and shall assign each candidate a grade out of a total possible score of 100 points.
B. 
Seniority. Each candidate for promotion shall be credited with 1/2 point for each year of continuous service with the West Amwell Township Police Department prior to the start of the examination process, for a maximum of 10 points.
C. 
Summary of service record and personnel file.
The Oral Interview Board shall be comprised of the officer in charge or his/her designee, two members of the Township Committee or their designees, and the Township Clerk. The Board shall conduct the interviews based primarily on a candidate's past performance and evaluations, taking into consideration the following factors:
A. 
Officer performance.
B. 
Officer initiative.
C. 
Officer breadth of knowledge.
D. 
Officer educational background.
E. 
Officer training.
F. 
Officer career development.
G. 
Officer supervisory knowledge.
H. 
Officer supervisory experience.
I. 
Officer attitude.
J. 
Discipline.
K. 
Commendation.
L. 
Letters.
M. 
Special assignments.
N. 
Department policies.
O. 
Attorney General guidelines.
The officers that successfully complete the examination process but do not receive a promotion at the conclusion of the examination at that date and time may be held on a promotional list for the rank for when the oral examination was taken. The list will be active for one year from the date of final results being published. The establishment of a list will be made by recommendation of the officer in charge to the Township Committee and the Township Committee passing a resolution establishing the list.