In order to be eligible for participation in the initial examinations
for a police officer position with the Wilkinsburg Borough Police
Department, every applicant must submit a completed application form
to the Commission or other offices or agencies designated by the Commission,
before the deadline stated for that specific examination. The applicant
must make an oath or affirmation that the application has been completed
truthfully and that the applicant is subject to the penalties of 18
Pa.C.S.A. § 4904, relating to unsworn falsification to authorities.
The Borough of Wilkinsburg is an equal opportunity employer.
It is the Borough Council's and the Commission's policy
to grant equal employment opportunities to qualified persons without
regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation
and gender identity, age, veteran's status, marital status, or
non-job-related physical or mental handicap or disability. The Borough
Council and the Commission will provide equal opportunities in employment.
Application forms shall be available to all interested persons
in the office of the Borough Manager or his or her designee and from
such other offices and officers that the Commission, from time to
time, may choose to designate. Applications must be submitted in person.
No e-mail submissions or facsimiles will be accepted. The date and
time of receipt of each application will be noted on the application.
All applicants must have reached their 21st birthday before
the deadline for submitting completed applications. Residency of police
officers is governed by the collective bargaining agreement of the
police with the Borough. Currently, there is no requirement to reside
in the Borough.
At the time of application, every applicant for a position in
the Police Department shall possess the following qualifications prior
to application:
A. Possess a diploma from an accredited high school or a graduate equivalency
diploma (GED).
B. Be Act 120-certified under the Municipal Police Officers Education
and Training Commission (Act 120) (MPOETC), 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 2161
et seq., or shall have successfully completed Act 120 training and
successfully passed the final exam, thus being eligible for Act 120
certification once hired by the Borough.
C. Be a United States citizen.
D. Be physically and mentally fit to perform the full duties of a police
officer.
E. Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license.
A. The Commission shall conspicuously post in the Borough building an
announcement of the police officer testing and set forth the time
and place of every examination, together with the information as to
the type of position to be filled, the requirements for that position,
where applications may be obtained, and the deadline for filing those
applications. In addition, at least two weeks prior to the initial
examination for police officer, publication of the notice shall be
placed in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the Borough.
B. In addition, the Commission may utilize the services of the Turtle
Creek Valley COG to provide the public notice and notification requirements
of these civil service rules and regulations.
C. The Borough Manager, or other designated person, shall give, in writing,
to each applicant qualified for the next step in the examination process,
a notice which shall include the date, time and place the applicant
shall report for the next examination in the process. In the case
of physical and psychological examinations, the Borough Manager, or
other designated person, shall notify the police officer candidate
who has been conditionally offered a position in the Police Department
by a written notice of the date, time and place of the examination
as well as the name of the physical and psychological examiners.
D. Every such notice shall be mailed or otherwise delivered at least
seven days prior to the date fixed for examination. Only applicants
receiving notices to report for any examination shall be permitted
to participate in such examination, and each applicant shall present
his or her notice to the examiner before he or she shall be examined.
Failure to report for an examination in accordance with the instructions
contained in the written notice shall disqualify the applicant, except
that in the case of a physical or psychological examinations, the
physician and psychologist designated in the notice may fix another
date or time for such examination; provided, however, that any such
date or time shall be written with the period of at least seven days
of the date and time established in the written notice.
A. Applications shall be received at the Borough building only after
the entry level positions have been properly advertised and before
the deadline for receiving applications which must be set forth in
the public advertisement. Applications will be received by the municipal
official designated in the public advertisement or that official's
designee. That person shall record the receipt of all applications
and provide each applicant with notice of the time and place for the
first portion of the testing procedure, the written examination. Any
application containing material errors or omissions may, at the discretion
of the Commission, be returned to the applicant for correction prior
to the deadline for filing applications after which no new applications
or amended applications will be accepted.
B. In addition, the Commission may utilize the services of the Turtle
Creek Council of Governments to record and file applications in compliance
with these civil service rules and regulations.
C. Penalty for false statement. The statements made by the applicant
in the official application shall contain no falsification, omissions
or concealment of material fact. Should any investigation disclose
any material misstatement, falsification or concealment with respect
to an application:
(1) The application shall be invalid and the applicant shall be disqualified
from examination; or
(2) If the applicant shall have been examined, the name of such applicant
shall be removed from the eligibility list; or
(3) If the applicant shall have been appointed, such material misstatement,
falsification or concealment shall constitute grounds for dismissal
from the Wilkinsburg Police Department.
D. No person who has made a material false application shall be permitted
in the future to be an applicant for any position in the Wilkinsburg
Police Department.
The Commission may refuse to examine, or, if examined, may refuse
to certify as eligible after examination, any applicant who is found
to lack any of the minimum qualifications for examination prescribed
in these rules and regulations for the particular position for which
the applicant has applied. In addition, the Commission may refuse
to examine, or, if examined, may refuse to certify, any applicant
who is:
A. Found to have furnished incomplete, inaccurate, misleading or false
information on the official application or in response to any portion
of the hiring process.
B. Physically unfit for the performance of the duties of the position
of which the candidate seeks employment.
C. Illegally using a controlled substance, as defined in Section 102
of the Controlled Substances Act (Public Law 91-513, 21 U.S.C. § 802).
D. Guilty of any crime involving moral turpitude, or of infamous or
notoriously disgraceful conduct, or who has been dismissed from public
service for delinquency or misconduct of office.
E. Affiliated with any group whose policies or activities are subversive
to the forms of government set forth in the constitution and laws
of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A. Any applicant or other persons who believe that they are aggrieved
by the actions of the Commission, in refusing to examine or to certify
them as eligible after examination, may request a hearing before the
Commission, within 10 days of receiving written notice of what is
perceived as the alleged error. Within 10 days after such request,
the Commission shall designate a time and place for the hearing, which
shall be conducted pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Local
Agency Law, 2 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq., with or without counsel,
at which time the Commission shall take testimony and review its refusal
to provide examination or certification.
B. The deliberations of the Commission, including interim rulings on
evidentiary or procedural issues, may be held in the nature of a closed
executive session. The Commission's disposition of the matter
shall constitute official action which shall occur at a public meeting
held pursuant to 65 Pa.C.S.A. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings). The
decision of the Commission shall be final.
Examination and Grading Procedure
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A. The examination for the initial positions of full-time police officer
and/or regular part-time police officer (same examination for both)
shall consist of a physical agility test, written examination, oral
examination, background investigation and polygraph examination. The
written examination and the oral examination will be graded individually
on a one-hundred-point scale. The written examination will represent
70% of the final score. The oral examination will represent 30% of
the final score. The physical agility test, the background investigation
and polygraph examination will be graded pass/fail.
B. The testing process will be as follows:
(1) Physical agility test. Those candidates passing the physical agility test, as outlined in §
14-28, will qualify to take the written examination.
Note: At the discretion of the Civil Service Commission, the
written examination may precede the physical agility testing.
(2) Written examination. Those candidates passing the written test, as outlined in §
14-29, will qualify for the oral examination.
Note: The Civil Service Commission may utilize the services
of the Turtle Creek Valley COG to conduct the written test in conjunction
with other municipal police agencies.
(3) Oral examination. Those candidates passing the oral examination, as outlined in §
14-30, will then be placed on the eligibility list, after those qualifying for veteran's preference points, as outlined in §
14-31, have been awarded those preference points.
(4) Background investigation. Prior to being considered for appointment on the certified list of three, the applicant will undergo a complete background investigation as outlined in §
14-34. Although a requirement, only a sufficient number of top-scoring candidates necessary for consideration, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, will need to have a background investigation performed.
(5) Polygraph examination. Prior to being considered for appointment on the certified list of three, the applicant will undergo a complete polygraph examination as outlined in §
14-35. Although a requirement, only a sufficient number of top-scoring candidates necessary for consideration, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, will need to have a polygraph examination performed.
C. Thus, any individual appearing on the initial eligibility list is subject to background investigation and a polygraph examination, and no one will be certified as eligible on the certified list of three until they have successfully completed a background investigation and a polygraph examination and received a written recommendation that the applicant is appropriate for consideration in accordance with §§
14-34 and
14-35 of these rules and regulations.
A. Applicants shall meet the physical agility requirements, in accordance
with the criteria established by the Commission or other agencies
designated by the Commission. In all cases, candidates shall be provided
with the physical agility requirements prior to the time of physical
agility testing.
B. Applicants who have either successfully passed or failed the physical
agility test will be so notified by the Commission within 30 days.
The written examination shall be graded on a one-hundred-point
scale, and an applicant must score 70% or higher and receive one of
the top 25 highest scores or a lesser number who may have passed the
written test, including ties in order to continue in the application
process. Applicants scoring less than 70% or not receiving one of
the top 25 highest scores or a lesser number who may have passed the
written test shall be rejected. Within 30 days after the administration
of the written examination, all applicants shall be given written
notice of their test results, and passing applicants shall be scheduled
for an oral examination appointment.
Every applicant who scored 70% or higher and receives one of
the top 25 highest scores, or a lesser number who may have passed
the written test, including ties in the written examination, shall
be given an oral examination, which will be graded on a one-hundred-point
scale with a score of 70% or higher necessary for passing. The oral
examination shall involve questioning applicants on how they would
handle situations relevant to police work. Within 30 days after the
applicants' oral examinations, they shall be informed of the
score in their oral examination and total overall score.
Pursuant to the Veterans' Preference Act, any applicant for the position of police officer who qualifies as a military veteran under this Act shall receive an additional 10 points on top of his or her final score if that applicant qualifies under §§
14-27,
14-28,
14-29, and
14-30 of these rules and regulations. Applicants claiming veteran's preference shall have submitted satisfactory proof of service and honorable discharge therefrom with their application form.
Eligibility List, Background Investigation and Polygraph Examination
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A. At the completion of the examination requirements set forth in §§
14-28,
14-29, and
14-30, the physical agility test, the written examination and the oral examination, the Commission shall rank all passing candidates on each eligibility list (regular part-time and full-time police officer). The applicants having received the highest score shall be at the top of their respective lists, with all other candidates being listed in descending order of their scores. Applicants who qualify for veteran's preference points, as outlined in §
14-31, shall have those 10 points added to their final score prior to being ranked on each of the eligibility lists.
B. In the event the qualifying applicant received identical scores,
the order of listing shall be determined by the earliest application
received.
C. Any individual appearing on either initial eligibility list is subject to a background investigation and polygraph examination and no one will be certified in accordance with §
14-36 of these rules and regulations until they have successfully completed a background investigation and polygraph examination and received a written recommendation that the applicant is appropriate for consideration in accordance with §§
14-34 and
14-35 of these rules and regulations. If an applicant appears on both eligibility lists, only one background investigation will be required.
The original eligibility lists for regular part-time police
officers and full-time police officers will be valid for a period
of one year from the date the Commission formally adopts the eligibility
list. Prior to expiration of the one-year period, the Commission may
extend the validity of either or both eligibility lists 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 Commission shall request the Chief of Police or the chief's designee to conduct a background investigation on the top-scoring eligible applicants, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, prior to inclusion on the certified list of three of those eligible as set forth in §
14-36 of these rules and regulations.
B. The background investigation must be consistent for each applicant
and shall meet, at a minimum, all the specific requirements of the
MPOETC, as required by law. The applicant may be interviewed directly
when the information collected requires clarification or further explanation.
The Chief of Police or chief's designee may use his/her own discretion
in the expansion or contracting of these items and time frames.
C. After the background investigation is completed, the Chief of Police,
or the chief's designee, shall make a written recommendation
to the Commission on whether the applicant is appropriate for consideration
for appointment as a police officer for the Borough of Wilkinsburg.
D. The recommendation by the Chief of Police or the chief's designee shall be based on the criteria set forth in §
14-25, of these rules and regulations and on any other relevant information developed during the background investigation. This report to the Commission shall be in writing and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and must not include any physical history information on a candidate. If the recommendation is to disqualify, then a detailed, written explanation of the reasons for disqualification must be included. The Commission shall then make a final determination on whether additional information is required or if the information collected and reported warrants acceptance or rejection of the candidate.
E. Within 30 days after the Commission considers the recommendation
based on the background investigation, each applicant shall be notified
as to whether he or she has passed or failed this portion of the examination
process.
A. The Commission shall designate a qualified polygraph examiner to conduct a polygraph examination on the top-scoring eligible applicants, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, prior to inclusion on the certified list of those eligible as set forth in §
14-36 of these rules and regulations.
B. Every applicant qualifying for a polygraph examination shall fill
out a personal data questionnaire and undergo a polygraph examination.
The Commission shall furnish each polygraph examiner with forms upon
which the examiner shall state whether any of the applicant's
responses to questions from the applicant's personal data questionnaire
are deceptive. The report on each examination shall be submitted to
the Commission within five days after the date of the examination.
C. The examiner shall ask questions based on the information contained
in the personal data questionnaire. Before administering the test,
the examiner shall ask each applicant whether there is any more information
related to the personal data questionnaire which the applicant would
like to provide. There shall also be a post-test review, during which
the examiner shall again ask the participant, if deception is indicated,
whether there is any information which the applicant is withholding.
D. The Commission may award an opportunity to take a third test if the
Commission finds that the applicant has shown that he or she was not
deceptive in completing the personal data questionnaire or in the
polygraph examination.
E. If the examiner shall deem any of the applicant's responses
to be deceptive, the examiner must tell the applicant immediately
and give the applicant an opportunity to explain, deny or admit the
deception. If the applicant denies being deceptive or if the explanation
is found unsatisfactory by the examiner, the applicant will be given
the opportunity to retake the test with a second examiner. Such a
retest will be at applicant's sole expense. Notice of the opportunity
to retest shall be given in writing to the applicant. The second examiner
will not have access to the results of the first test prior to readministering
the polygraph. If the second examiner finds no deception, the applicant
will be considered as having passed the polygraph. If the second examiner
also finds the applicant deceptive, the applicant will be considered
as having failed the examination.
F. An applicant who has failed both tests may appeal to the Civil Service
Commission for a third examination, and the decision to give the applicant
an opportunity to take a third test resides solely within the discretion
of the Commission. Such a retest will be at the applicant's sole
expense. If the applicant is awarded an opportunity to take a third
test and passes, then the applicant will be considered as having passed
the polygraph test. If the applicant is found deceptive on a third
test, the applicant will be rejected.
G. If the applicant is finally rejected because of the failure of the
polygraph examination, as described above, or the applicant passes
the polygraph examination, as described above, within 30 days after
the final determination, the Commission shall notify the candidate
as to whether he or she has passed or failed this portion of the examination
process.
A. Furloughed police officers shall be given first consideration for reemployment, prior to any other hiring procedure, and shall be reinstated in order of their seniority as outlined in §
14-69 of these rules and regulations.
B. Except as provided above, every initial position of regular part-time
police officer and full-time police officer for employment in the
Police Department shall be filled only in the following manner: (This
procedure shall be for each eligibility list, regular part-time and
full-time police officer, depending on the position to be filled):
(1) The Borough Council shall notify the Commission of any vacancy which
is to be filled and shall request certification of three names from
the respective eligibility list.
(2) If three names are not available, then the Commission shall certify
the name(s) remaining on the respective list.
(3) The Borough Council shall make an appointment from one of the three
names certified, or a lesser number certified, with reference to the
merits and fitness of the candidates. However, for the initial appointment
to the position regular part-time police officer and full-time police
officer, from the respective eligibility lists, when one of the three
applicants on the certified list is a veteran, that applicant shall
be selected. If two or more of the names on either of the certified
lists of three are veterans, the Borough Council shall have the discretion
to appoint the veteran they deem most qualified.
C. The Borough Council may object to one or more of the persons certified for the reasons set forth in §
14-25 of these rules and regulations. If the candidate to whom the Borough Council objects or fails to timely exercise the rights of appeal under §
14-26, or if the Commission declines to uphold the appeal, the Commission shall strike that name from the eligibility list and certify the next highest name for inclusion on the certified list of three candidates for each name stricken off the respective lists.
A. After the Borough Council selects a candidate from either of the
"certified lists of three" for appointment to the vacant position,
that candidate shall receive a conditional offer of employment. The
offer of employment shall be conditioned upon the conditional appointee
undergoing a physical and psychological medical examination and a
determination that the conditional appointee is capable of performing
all the essential functions of the position. Physical medical examinations
shall be under the direction of a physician or other qualified medical
professional. Psychological medical examinations shall be under the
direction of a psychiatrist or psychologist.
B. The physician or other qualified medical professional and the psychiatrist
or psychologist shall be appointed by the Borough Council and shall
render an opinion as to whether the conditional appointee has a physical
or mental condition which calls into question the person's ability
to perform all of the essential functions of the position for which
the person was conditionally appointed.
C. The physical and psychological exams will be conducted in compliance
with the MPOETC regulations. The completion of the required MPOETC
physical and psychological forms will be provided by the Borough.
Drug testing shall be included as one component of the requirements.
In addition, the respective examiners will be given a copy of the
job description and the "Essential Functions of the Job" for performing
the duties of police officer. The completed forms will be certified
by the examining physician(s) indicating that the candidate is physically
or psychologically fit, as the case may be, to perform the duties
of a police officer. The completed forms shall be confidential and
submitted to the appropriate Borough official for disposition.
D. If the opinion rendered by the physician, other qualified medical
professional, psychiatrist or psychologist calls into question the
conditional appointee's ability to perform all essential functions
of a position, a person designated by Borough Council shall meet with
the conditional appointee for the purpose of having one or more interactive
discussions on whether the conditional appointee can, with or without
reasonable accommodation, perform all the essential functions of the
position.
E. If, at the conclusion of the interactive discussion, the Borough
Council determines that the conditional appointee is not qualified,
the Borough Council shall give written notice to the conditional appointee
and the Commission.
F. The rejected candidate may appeal this decision under §
14-26 of these rules and regulations. If the candidate fails to timely exercise the rights of appeal, or if the Commission declines to uphold the appeal, the Commission shall strike the name from the eligibility list and certify the next highest name for inclusion on the "certified list of three."
A. Every successful applicant appointed from the full-time or regular part-time eligibility list shall serve a twelve-month probationary period. For newly hired police officers, the probationary period will begin on the first day the new officer reports for work. During this probationary period, a newly hired police officer may be dismissed for cause for the reasons set forth in §
14-25 of these rules and regulations because of incapacity for duty due to the use of alcohol or drugs or if the probationary officer does not meet the requirements or expectations of the position and documentation has been accurately noted.
B. The Chief of Police shall submit a final probationary report, not
less than 10 days nor more than 15 calendar days before the next regular
meeting of the Borough Council, immediately preceding the end of the
probationary period. Each report shall be submitted in writing to
the Borough Council. Within five calendar days after receiving a probationary
report from the Chief of Police, if the conduct of the probationer
has not been satisfactory to the Borough Council, the probationer
shall be notified in writing by the Borough Council that the appointment
will not be permanent. Following receipt of this notification by the
probationer, a newly hired police officer's employment shall
end. Any probationer who is notified in writing by the Borough Council,
prior to completion of the 12th month probation period, that his appointment
will not be made permanent, has no rights of appeal under these rules
and regulations.
C. The Borough Manager shall notify the Commission, in writing, of its
decision to retain or remove the probationer within five calendar
days and in no event beyond the last day of the probationary period.
The Borough Council may fill a 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 previously complied with the civil service rules
and regulations. The officer's reappointment is subject to any
recertification requirements prescribed by the MPOETC. In addition,
the officer shall successfully pass a physical agility test, background
investigation, and a psychological and medical examination.
Whenever there are urgent reasons for the filling of a vacancy
in any position in the Police Department and there are no names on
the eligibility list for such appointment, the Borough Council may
nominate a person to the Commission for a noncompetitive examination.
Such nominee may be certified by the Commission after the nominee
successfully passes such noncompetitive examination. However, prior
to being subject to a noncompetitive test, the provisional appointee
shall be subject to any recertification requirements prescribed by
the MPOETC. In addition, the officer shall successfully pass a physical
agility test, background investigation, and a psychological and medical
examination, as required by the MPOETC. He may then be appointed provisionally
to fill such vacancy. It shall thereupon become the duty of the Commission,
within 30 days, to begin the process for a competitive examination
and related tests, investigations and examinations as outlined in
these rules and regulations. An eligibility list will then be established
and a certified list of three names will be presented to the Borough
Council from which a regular appointment shall be made. Nothing in
this section shall prevent the appointment, without examination, of
persons temporarily assigned the full duties of a police officer for
the Borough of Wilkinsburg in cases of riots or other such emergencies.