A. 
Pursuant to the provisions of Article XI of the Town Charter, all police officers below the rank of Deputy Chief of Police shall be appointed or promoted, as the case may be, by the Mayor, upon the recommendation of the Chief, provided that they shall have satisfactorily passed all qualifying tests and procedures enumerated within the applicable departmental policy and applicable collective bargaining agreement.
B. 
The recruitment of qualified applicants is the responsibility of the Johnston Police Department.
(1) 
All members are encouraged to actively recruit qualified candidates for application to the Department.
(2) 
The Police Department will maintain a policy specifically outlining the entire recruitment and selection process. The selection process will be evaluated biannually.
(3) 
Applicants are selected based on their meeting:
(a) 
Basic requirements.
(b) 
Job-related competitive standards.
A. 
The goal of the recruitment process is to aggressively recruit qualified candidates by providing maximum public awareness and access to all segments of the population.
B. 
Personnel assigned to recruitment activities will be knowledgeable in personnel matters and selection criteria and methods including:
(1) 
Recruitment needs and commitments of the Department.
(2) 
Career opportunities, salaries, benefits, and training.
(3) 
Federal and state compliance guidelines.
(4) 
Needs of the community.
(5) 
An understanding of cultural and ethnic diversity within the community.
(6) 
Record-keeping system for tracking candidates.
(7) 
All aspects of the selection process utilized by the Police Department.
(8) 
Disqualifying characteristics that candidates may exhibit.
(9) 
Medical requirements.
C. 
Qualifications. All applicants for the position of police officer must meet the standards and requirements enumerated within the applicable departmental policy regarding recruitment. At minimum, candidates:
(1) 
Must be a United States citizen;
(2) 
Must be at least 21 years old;
(3) 
Must possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license;
(4) 
Must possess at least 60 college credits from an accredited institution and/or two years' active duty with any branch of the United States of America Armed Forces and/or two years prior sworn law enforcement or corrections experience;
(5) 
Cannot have been convicted of or otherwise admitted to having committed any felony in a court of law. A conviction or admission to a misdemeanor may be considered a disqualifying factor depending upon the totality of the circumstances (i.e., sentence, facts and circumstances surrounding the incident, distance in time, nature of the incident);
(6) 
Must be of good moral character and habits and successfully passed a background investigation; and
(7) 
Must be in good health and meet physical, medical, and psychological requirements for entry into the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy.
A. 
It is the practice of the Johnston Police Department to extend equal employment opportunity to all individuals on the basis of job-related qualifications, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age, religion, handicap, or other nonmerit factors. This procedure applies to all areas of personnel administration to include recruitment, selection, training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, or termination, and applies to all employees and applicants for employment with the Johnston Police Department.
B. 
Any employee or candidate who has a complaint or knowledge of violation of the Department's equal employment opportunity plan may file a complaint with the officer-in-charge of the Division of Professional Standards or directly to the Chief of Police.
C. 
Specific steps will be taken to ensure equal employment opportunity during recruitment drives. They are as follows:
(1) 
Advertisements will be marked "equal employment opportunity."
(2) 
Recruitment drives will be held at various locations including colleges and public areas, i.e., shopping malls, lobby of police headquarters, etc.
(3) 
Advertisements in various print and electronic media, including minority publications.
(4) 
Providing recruitment information packets to various minority community service organizations.
(5) 
All sites selected for the recruitment team will be accessible to the general and disabled public and a TDD telephone number will be made part of the recruitment booklet and recruitment announcements.
(6) 
Each application will be processed utilizing a unique sequential, numeric identification, which will be recorded on the application, application control inventory, and all documents and correspondence utilized throughout the recruitment and selection process.
A. 
Specific action to accomplish the Department's minority recruitment goals:
(1) 
Utilizing minority personnel, especially those in the ranking positions if available, in the Department's recruitment and selection activities.
(2) 
Depicting women and minorities in law enforcement roles in recruitment literature.
(3) 
Conducting recruitment activities outside of the Department's jurisdiction to attract qualified law enforcement candidates.
(4) 
Conducting "job fairs" recruitment programs designed to attract women and minority candidates.
(5) 
Providing speakers at minority career days, schools, job fairs, etc.
(6) 
Assigning a cross section of the Department, including all ranks, sexes, and minorities, to recruitment campaigns, when possible.
B. 
A statement of measurable objectives is maintained by the Division of Professional Standards and is not disseminated to ensure the integrity of the document.
(1) 
The plan will govern affirmative action activities.
(2) 
The plan will be reviewed, evaluated, and updated prior to each recruitment drive or annually.
A. 
The Department's job announcement and recruitment publicity will include:
(1) 
Description of duties, responsibilities, requisite skill, educational requirements, and other minimum qualifications.
(2) 
A list of documents required.
(3) 
Advertising entry-level job vacancies through electronic, print, or other media sources.
(4) 
Advertising the Department as an equal employment opportunity employer on all employment applications and recruitment advertisements.
(5) 
Advertising official application deadlines.
B. 
The Department ensures that job announcements do not set standards that even unintentionally screen out an individual or class of individuals with disabilities. Job announcements and recruitment notices will provide an accurate and precise job description.
C. 
Dissemination of job announcements and recruitment notices.
(1) 
In order to facilitate a wide exposure and dissemination of job announcements and recruitment notices, the Police Department shall be responsible for ensuring that cooperative assistance from community service organizations and by community leaders who have contact with qualified candidates for recruitment is maintained.
(2) 
A specific mailing of recruitment information material, including the recruitment booklet and recruitment announcement, to all organizations identified in the most current State of Rhode Island Equal Employment Opportunity Office minority referral list.
D. 
Application process.
(1) 
Contact with applicants. The Police Department is responsible for maintaining contact with each candidate from the time of initial application to final employment disposition.
(a) 
Applications made in person will be acknowledged upon receipt.
(b) 
The Police Department will maintain an application status log.
(2) 
Applications submitted with omissions and deficiencies.
(a) 
Applications will not be routinely rejected due to an omission or deficiency.
(b) 
The Police Department will make contact with applicants to correct any deficiencies prior to testing or interview.
A. 
Procedure.
(1) 
The authority and responsibility for the selection process is with the Johnston Police Department.
(2) 
A selection procedure packet will be provided to each applicant involved in the recruitment/selection process. This packet may contain, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) 
Employment application.
(b) 
The order of events in the selection process.
(c) 
Information about the purpose, development, and job-relatedness of the selection criteria.
(d) 
Information about the administration scoring and interpretation of all elements used in the selection process.
(e) 
Expected duration of the selection process and Department policy on reapplication and retesting.
(3) 
Candidates will be evaluated by a selection process that measures traits or characteristics necessary for an officer or shown to be a significant part of the job.
(a) 
All candidates will undergo an oral examination.
(b) 
Written tests will be administered by the Police Department using standard entry-level police/law enforcement material. A copy will be kept on file with the Police Department.
(c) 
Physical agility testing will be in accordance with the Rhode Island Police Officers' Commission on Standards and Training for entrance into the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy.
(d) 
Documentation as to the relevancy of activities tested to job tasks will be kept on file with the Police Department.
(4) 
All elements of the selection process will be administered, scored, evaluated, and interpreted in a uniform manner.
(5) 
Time limits, oral instructions, answer sheets, and scoring formulas will be the same for all candidates.
(6) 
All candidates should be informed that sensitive or confidential aspects of their personal lives might be explored.
(7) 
Any candidate determined to be ineligible for appointment on the basis of a single test, examination, interview, or investigation will be informed, in writing, within 30 days of such determination.
(8) 
The records of all candidates not appointed to probationary status will be retained within the Police Department per the Record Retention Rhode Island General.
(9) 
No information will be released except in accordance with all federal, state, and Town requirements regarding the privacy, security, and freedom of information of all candidate records and data.
(10) 
The Police Department will store all selection material in a locked and secured area.
(11) 
Selection materials will not be left unattended.
(12) 
All material to be discarded will be shredded prior to disposal.
B. 
Background investigation.
(1) 
Background investigations will be completed on candidates based on the written, physical agility, and oral board test scores. The number of top candidates will be determined by departmental policy and shall be based on the needs of the organization. Officers may be temporarily assigned to background investigations by the Chief of Police or his/her designee.
(2) 
Officers assigned to background investigations will be trained in collecting the required information and will be provided with information detailing requirements of the investigation and providing a checklist for documentation.
(3) 
Background investigations may include:
(a) 
Verification of qualifying credentials, i.e., diplomas, degrees, driver's license.
(b) 
Criminal history record checks.
(c) 
Health history inquiries.
(d) 
Credit inquiries.
(e) 
Neighborhood canvass and family interview.
(f) 
Employment record.
(g) 
Military history.
(h) 
Other histories or inquiries as determined by the Chief of Police and detailed in the selection procedure manual.
(i) 
Follow-up inquiries regarding any matter or incident discovered during the investigation.
(4) 
The Police Department will maintain a record of each candidate's background investigation in a secure file. Records will be maintained for at least three years.
(5) 
Rhode Island General Law § 28-6.1-1 expressly prohibits the use of polygraph examinations as conditions of employment. Therefore, a polygraph examination will not be administered in the selection process.
(6) 
Any polygraph examinations taken by the candidate in another jurisdiction and provided to this Department by another agency will not be relied upon solely as a basis of determining truthfulness, deception, or a determinant of employment status.
C. 
Medical examination.
(1) 
The exam will use valid, useful, and nondiscriminatory procedures.
(2) 
The exam will be administered prior to application and entry into the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy.
(3) 
The exam will be conducted in accordance with the standards set by the Rhode Island Police Officer's Commission on Standards and Training.
(4) 
Only licensed physicians will be used to certify the general health of candidates.
(5) 
Record of results will be maintained in a secure file within the Police Department. Upon being hired, said file will be transferred to his or her personnel jacket secured in the office of the Chief of Police.
D. 
Psychological exam.
(1) 
The exam will use valid, useful, and nondiscriminatory procedures.
(2) 
The exam will be administered prior to application and entry into the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy.
(3) 
The examination will be conducted in accordance with the standards set by the Rhode Island Police Officer's Commission on Standards and Training.
(4) 
The records will be restricted to those persons involved in the selection process, the Chief of Police, and those legally entitled to review such files.
(5) 
Records will be maintained in the candidate's file and transferred to his/her personnel jacket upon being hired, which shall be secured in the office of the Chief of Police.
E. 
Selection by satisfaction of hiring requirements.
(1) 
Candidates selected to attend the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy will fulfill any and all pre-academy entrance requirements as set forth by the Rhode Island Police Officer's Commission on Standards and Training.
(2) 
Recruits will not be assigned to perform any police activities involving carrying a weapon, making an arrest, or enforcing the law until they have completed the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy and have been sworn in as probationary police officers.
(3) 
Applicants may be selected as members of the Johnston Police Department by the Mayor or his/her designee if they have satisfied the hiring requirements, including but not limited to the following:
(a) 
Successful completion of the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy;
(b) 
At least two years of service as an active police officer;
(c) 
Be in good standing with the current municipality or any other governing body under which said applicant is employed;
(d) 
May not have been retired for more than three years as of the date of his or her application; and
(e) 
Must have maintained his or her police officer certification.
F. 
Probationary period.
(1) 
Upon being sworn in as a probationary police officer, the officer will serve in a probationary status for one year.
(2) 
The probationary period will include participation in the Field Training Officer (FTO) Program.
(3) 
The components of the FTO Program shall be enumerated within the applicable policy within the Police Department.
(4) 
At the completion of the probationary period, the officer will be considered a permanent officer or terminated in compliance with the bargaining agreement with IBPO Local 307 and the Town of Johnston Article II, Section 2 - Determination (D).
(5) 
Termination from the Johnston Police Department may be made at any time during the probationary period with the final approval of the Chief of Police.
G. 
Appointment as a police officer. A final offer of employment will be in the form of an appointment as a permanent police officer upon successful completion of all the terms and conditions as set forth in the conditional offer of employment.
H. 
Recruitment and selection process records retention. Upon appointment of an officer to the status of a police officer, the application file used in the recruitment and selection process will be transferred to the officer's personnel jacket and secured in the office of the Chief of Police.