10/19/1998 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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5n mean he is a better officer then a person that was hired without prior Ohio Peace Officer Training. Mr. Thomay questioned if anyone without prior police training would be able to take the test. Captain Whelan suggested Mr. Thomay was correct. Once an individual is hired whether he/she has Ohio Peace Officer Training or not he/she is still put through an intensive program through our department for at least twelve weeks, then he/she is monitored for eighteen months, and under the guidance of his/hers training officer. Mr. Thomay asked who would be paying for the training. Captain Whelan indicated the police department pays for the candidates training. Fire Chief Osterhouse indicated the course the police department puts them through and the Ohio Peace Officer Training are two different things. One is an introduction and one is a course that they have to have once they are hired. Mr. Thomay asked once a candidate receives a certificate how long does it last. Captain Whelan indicated the course itself is a 15 to 16 week course at the State Highway Academy. Mr. Thomay inquired as to how much it cost to send a candidate to the academy. Captain Whelan indicated he would have to look the total amount up and get back to the clerk with the total as he didn't know the figure off the top of his head. We have found that some applicants take the Ohio Peace Officer Training course just because it is an easy certificate to receive, and at the time they may not even be sure they even want to become a police officer. Mr. Thomay asked if the test the Ohio Peace Officer Training candidate takes, is made available for the hiring police department to review. Captain Whelan indicated that the results were available to the hiring department. Fire Chief Osterhouse indicated the reason the fire department requires the paramedic certification is because, the course is a thousand hours, and those who take the course are very serious about becoming a fire fighter, which is indicated by the time and effort they have put into receiving their State certification. Once a candidate is hired they still have to go to a two hundred and forty hour course, because they need to have their fire fighters certification. Some of the candidates have had both paramedic and fire fighters certification. For example a fire candidate was just hired, he has his paramedic certification but not the fire fighters, and some of the other candidates had both but, the one hired showed more potential then the others. Captain Whelan indicated there are only five names on the entry level list now and due to the loss of officer Plocica there is an opening that needs to be filled. The clerk indicated the list started with 20 certified names in November of 1997. Seven have been hired off the current certified list. Eight have been removed, those that have been removed from the list were either removed because they had been passed over 5 times or they failed the background investigation. The police department has the last five applications from the entry level list. Once a candidate is hired the current entry level list will become invalid. If a candidate fails the background investigation and is removed from the list, the list is again considered invalid. If the position needed to be filled right away a new test would need to be administered. Mr. Cummings asked what merits a candidate being removed from the list. Mr. Whelan suggested failing background investigation, being passed over five times, candidates who have taken positions with other departments, and those candidates that either can't be found or fail to respond to setting up an interview. Mr. Cummings asked that the passover process be explained. Fire Chief Osterhouse explained that five applications are given to him, each of the five applicants are interviewed, then the choice is made as to who is hired. Mr. Cummings inquired if the candidates are numbered one through five. Fire Chief Osterhouse indicated there are no numbers used. For example a new fire fighter was hired he was listed as fifth on the certified list, even though the other four candidates scored higher on the test it was felt that he was the most qualified for the position. Captain Whelan indicated the police department does not look at how they are ranked on the eligible list. All five candidates are interviewed the same, it is not until all five candidates are interviewed that discussion even takes place as to who will be hired. Mr. Cummings asked the clerk when would notices be sent out indicating we are giving a police officers test. The clerk