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i` <br />Mr. Cummings asked each board member how they felt about renewing their membership. Mrs. <br />Zolar indicated she would like to renew her membership, as she would like to attend some of the <br />meetings. Mr. Thomay voiced that he was in agreement with Mrs. Zolar. No further discussion <br />was heard. <br />Mr. Cummings motioned to renew the Civil Service Commissioners County Association <br />membership. The motion was seconded by J. Thomay, and unanimously approved. <br />B). A letter from Police Chief Ruple was received on October 8, 1998, asking the Civil Service <br />commissioners to consider removing Rule II section 7 paragraph E. This rule requires all entry <br />level Police candidates to have an Ohio Peace Officer Training Council Certification subsequent <br />to taking the North Olmsted Entry level Police Officers Exam. Captain Whelan would like to <br />discuss this matter in further detail with the board members. <br />Captain Whelan indicated the procedure in which candidates must have their Ohio Peace Officer <br />Training prior to taking the entry level test is fairly new. When this was first added to the Civil <br />Service hand book it looked like it would be a very good idea, and maybe even save the City <br />some money. Unfortunately we have found that in the State of Ohio when you graduate from <br />the Ohio Peace Officer Training you receive a certificate that indicates that you have completed <br />a course in basic police work. It does not mean that you are certified to be a police officer in <br />the state of Ohio. The only way to become a certified police officer is to be hired by a police <br />department. The police department feels that some of the young individuals that are taking <br />these courses have had some pretty shaky backgrounds, we have had to remove five candidates <br />from the current entry level list because they could not pass the background investigation. We <br />feel we are losing some potentially good candidates, because they may not have the money to <br />pay for the classes. This could be due to being married with kids, and working or just not being <br />able to afford to put themselves through the schools. They could be very solid individuals in the <br />community, and good family oriented people with a driving desire, but just not able to acquire <br />the means to get the certificate. The police department would like to go back to opening the <br />test up to anyone who would like to take the test, under the requirements that were in the hand <br />book prior to the Ohio Peace Officer Training requirement being added. At the same time we <br />would like to reward those who have gone through the Ohio Peace Officer Training and have <br />been hired by a police department. There is currently an officer that came to us from Cleveland <br />Heights. Which is not unusual for officers that are just starting their career in law enforcement. <br />Individuals wishing to be police officers take the entry level test in multiple municipalities so <br />they can get hired and become certified. Once hired and certified they may work towards <br />getting hired in an area of their choice. The police department would like to propose that if an <br />individual is a certified police officer and has been working for a police department, then they <br />would be awarded extra credit points for being a certified police officer. This would be similar <br />to the military points that are awarded now. They would be award three extra points, again like <br />candidates with prior military service. Mr. Cummings questioned, wouldn't that be going back <br />to what we were discussing earlier, your giving seniority points from another police department. <br />Captain Whelan indicated it would only be used for the entry level test. The points would be <br />applied to the results of the entry level exam. Once the candidate is lured he/she is at ground <br />level zero. They would have to go through the same training as every other candidate. The test <br />would be open to any individual that would meet the application qualifications, but the certified <br />officers would receive an additional three points. The police department has found that just <br />because an individual has a piece of paper saying he has Ohio Peace Officer Training doesn't <br />2 <br />