12-2023 - Amend 144.14 Appointment to Division of Police

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1st read 5/1/23 Please substitute for original Baker, Bullock, Kepple, Litten, ORDINANCE NO: 12-2023 By: Marx, Rader, Shachner AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least five (5) members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest. period allowed by law, to amend Section 144.14 Original Appointment to the Division of Police, of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood for the purpose of modifying the lateral hire process. WHEREAS, it is important for Lakewood to remain competitive in hiring officers to fill vacancies within the Division of Police with the limited candidate pool that is being experienced in our region; and WHEREAS, allowing additional officers to be hired through the lateral entry process will help Lakewood maintain a fully staffed police department; and WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 2.12 of the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood, this Council by a vote of at least two thirds of its members determines that this ordinance is an emergency measure and that it shall take effect immediately and that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public property, health, and safety and to provide for the usual daily operation of municipal departments in that these provisions should amended to allow more flexibility in the filling of vacancies within the Division of Police; now therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO: Section 1. That Section 144.14, Original Appointment to the Division of Police, of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood, currently reading as follows: 144.14 ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT TO THE DIVISION OF POLICE. (a) There shall be two methods for original appointment of police officers to the Division of Police: civil service examination with placement on the certified eligible list and lateral hire. In either case, candidates must conform to certain minimum qualifications of the City of Lakewood Civil Service Rules and Regulations. (1) Civil service examination process. Applicants are required to complete a written examination as well as a physical agility test. The Civil Service Commission shall certify the names in accordance with its rules and regulations. Candidates appointed to police officer through these procedures will be hired at Grade III first year and must successfully complete an eighteen -month probationary period or as otherwise provided by the collective bargaining agreement. (2) Lateral hire process. Applicants will submit an employment application as well as a current certificate of physical agility to the Department of Human Resources. In addition, candidates must conform to all the minimum requirements of the Civil Service Rules and Regulations and all applicants for lateral hire shall meet the following prerequisites: A. An applicant must currently or have previously been employed as a peace officer; B. An applicant must be OPOTA certified; C. For applicants previously employed, there shall be no more than a one-year break in service from previous employment as a peace officer; D. An applicant's current or previous peace officer employment must have been as a result of a civil service examination process. The Police Chief, in conjunction with the Director of Human Resources and the Public Safety Director, will review resumes and applications to determine which applicants meet the lateral entry criteria. Lateral entry candidates may be required to submit to the following, including but not limited to, a thorough background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological and medical evaluation, oral interview and drug screening. Positions filled through these procedures are therefore exempt from competitive examination. Candidates appointed to police officer through these procedures must successfully complete an 18-month probationary period or as otherwise provided by the collective bargaining agreement. Patrol Officer Grade Classification, for lateral entry police officers will be credited based on prior civil service in the position of police officer. Lateral entry police officers shall receive one year credit for prior service for each two full years of prior service for purposes of seniority. In no event shall a lateral entry police officer receive more than three years credit with the City of Lakewood. Employees selected through these procedures shall obtain and retain all other rights attributed to the classified service, following successful completion of the probationary period.