65-24 Ordinance Adopting a Merit Board System Governing the South Bend Police Department (Substitute)

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Powers and Duties (a) The Police Merit Board will have the power of initial appointment, promotion, demotion, discipline and dismissal of members of the police department. Assignment to non- supervisory positions is not a power of the Board. (b) The Police Merit Board adopts I.C. 36-8-3-3 (d)and(g),I.C. 36-8-3-4 and I.C. 36-8-3-4.1, all as amended,with the Board taking the role of"safety board" for purposes thereof. (c) Selection Appointment 1. All sworn members shall be appointed to the Police Department in accordance with the Department determined selection process and the merit system appointment procedures. 2. Any person who is a citizen of the United States,is at least 21 years of age and less than 40 years of age (unless otherwise eligible by law), has at least a high school diploma or equivalent, and has not been convicted within the past 20 years of a crime that is currently a felony under Indiana law, is eligible to apply to become a member of the Police Department. Each eligible applicant must meet and continue to meet all minimum fitness, medical, and psychological standards as adopted by the Department as a condition of employment with the Department. The Department shall develop such job-related minimum standards in order to meet applicable federal and state laws. 3. All applicants must pass a written examination that evaluates their aptitude and intellectual capacity required for work as a police officer, a job-related agility test, a structured oral interview process,and such other job-related tests and examination as may be required by the Chief of Police, prior to beginning work in the Department. (d) Probationary Period 1. The "Probationary Period" for a police officer newly appointed to the Police Department shall extend from the date the officer completes the South Bend Police Department Field Training Officer Program("FTO"),until such time as the officer has completed and performed one year of Active Duty in the South Bend Police Department. "Active Duty" shall mean the full duties and responsibilities required of a South Bend police officer and shall include Department approved training(not including FTO and any used vacation time, holiday time, bereavement time, and/or sick time, but shall not include any other period of leave, any period of suspension, or any period of limited/light duty status). Each probationary police officer shall be evaluated quarterly during the officer's Probationary Period by the officer's immediate supervisor pursuant to the evaluation system provided for herein or as later adopted by the Police Chief, after consultation with the Police Department Merit Board. The appointment of a police officer to the Police Department shall become permanent when the officer's Probationary Period is successfully completed. While a police officer is in FTO or in a Probationary Period,the officer is an"at-will" employee who may be terminated with or without cause and without a hearing. 3