An officer of the Police Department who has full-time police experience with the Borough of Haddon Heights and who has 24 consecutive months completed at time of appointment shall be eligible for promotion to the rank of Sergeant.
An officer of the Police Department who has full-time police experience with the Borough of Haddon Heights who has completed at least 48 consecutive months of service completed at the time of appointment, and holds the rank of Sergeant shall be eligible for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant.
An officer of the Police Department who has full-time police experience with the Borough of Haddon Heights and who has completed at least 48 consecutive months of service and holds the rank of Sergeant or Lieutenant shall be eligible for promotion to the rank of Captain.
A. 
Interviews and a written test will be conducted for all promotions to the rank of Sergeant, Lieutenant or Captain.
B. 
All officers, whether deemed eligible or not by these procedures, will be permitted to take part in the promotional process for the next-higher rank. (See §§ 75-16, 75-16.1 and 75-17 for eligibility.) Only in cases where the officer becomes eligible will the score then apply.
C. 
All promotions will consist of all elements as outlined in § 75-19 of these procedures.
D. 
Administration of these procedures will conform to the guidelines herein and in accordance with specific interview rules as outlined in § 75-20.
E. 
Officers who encounter a demotion in rank shall be permitted to take a promotional examination. The officer shall not be eligible for promotion for a period of three years starting when the demotion takes effect. The officer will be afforded the opportunity to take the examination but it will not apply until the three-year period is complete. Any officer so demoted for disciplinary reasons, upon repromotion, shall not retain any seniority right owing to the resumed rank.
F. 
All promotions to the rank of Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain shall be subject to a one-year probationary period. This probationary period may be extended an additional six months at the discretion of the Chief of Police for just cause. The officer must be informed of the extended probation period. Officers not successfully completing their probationary period will, for just cause, be subject to a demotion to their previous rank.
G. 
The oral interview for each rank will be conducted by the Promotional Committee as provided for in § 75-19.
All interviews and point allocation shall be prepared and administered in accordance with the following guidelines:
A. 
Written test.
(1) 
The written test shall consist of questions prepared by the Chief of Police or their designee. Questions must be related to departmental monthly training objectives, and case law. Each officer taking the test must be given the same questions. The test will be separated into two parts: part one will be related to departmental monthly training objectives, and part two will be related to case law. The Chief or their designee will grade the test and a score will be based on the correct number of answers with a maximum score of 100 for each part to the test. The table in § 75-19B(2) shall be utilized. Then, the points shall be divided by eight. Therefore, the maximum points for each part of the test shall be 5. The points from each part shall added together for a final score. The maximum points in this category shall be 10.
B. 
Oral interview.
(1) 
The oral interview shall consist of questions prepared by the Promotional Committee. Questions must be related to the law enforcement profession and the rank considered for promotion. Each officer taking the interview must be asked the same questions. The interview process is to give the Promotional Committee an understanding of the officer's background as related to police work, past performance, education, leadership style and to help the Promotional Committee in the selection process. The interview committee will award officers a score based on their performance.
(2) 
A maximum of 40 points shall be allocated according to the following schedule:
Score
Points
95 to 100
40
94
38
93
36
92
34
91
32
90
31
89
30
88
29
87
28
86
27
85
26
84
25
83
24
82
23
81
22
80
21
79
20
78
19
77 or less
0
C. 
Evaluation points. Each officer will receive points based on their last two evaluations. The scores (sum) from the last two evaluations shall be added then divided by two. The semiannual evaluation periods shall be January through June and July through December for Sergeants, Lieutenant and the Captain, and November through April and May through October for patrol officers. The points shall be updated semiannually at the completion of the semiannual rating period. A maximum of 100 points will be allocated. The Chief of Police shall assure performance evaluations are completed semiannually. The Chief can change the evaluation periods at their discretion.
D. 
Seniority. One-quarter of a point will be given for every year of completed, full-time police service as a police officer with the Borough of Haddon Heights Police Department. A maximum of five points will be allocated. Seniority points shall be updated at the completion of the semiannual evaluation period.
A. 
All interviews shall be conducted in accordance with the following rules and regulations:
(1) 
The interview will be conducted on weekdays in the municipal building.
(2) 
A notice of the interview must be posted at least 30 days' prior to the date of the interview.
(3) 
Any officer who is eligible to take the interview must notify the Chief of Police, in writing, at least seven days' prior to the date of the interview.
(4) 
Any officer scheduled to take the interview and who is scheduled to work must make arrangements to be off, i.e., switching, compensation time, etc. In the event that an officer is scheduled to take the interview, the Chief of Police will ensure that patrol coverage is achieved by utilizing the remaining manpower at their discretion.
(5) 
All employees who take the interview will be allowed to see their own scores after the official results are announced and posted, which will be within 14 days from the date of the interview.
(6) 
If possible, officers who worked night work will be given first consideration to complete the interview.
(7) 
It is the full responsibility of the Promotional Committee to determine the confidentiality, content, guidelines, and procedures of the interview.
(8) 
At least two members from Council should be required to be on the Promotional Committee along with the Chief of Police.
(9) 
Scoring and grading of the interview will be completed by the Promotional Committee.
(10) 
The Promotional Committee will forward the interview scores to the Chief of Police within five working days of the completion of the interview.
(11) 
The Chief of Police will take the results, which were forwarded by the Promotional Committee, and compute, according to the point schedule established in these procedures, all points earned. The Chief will add those points due each officer according to the schedule for evaluation and seniority. The complete total accumulated points will be the officer's score for promotional purposes. Officers must receive a minimum score of 60 total accumulated points to be considered for promotion. The list shall be updated semiannually in accordance with § 79-20B.
B. 
Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain promotional interviews.
(1) 
A promotional interview for Sergeant will be valid for a maximum period of three years from the date of the interview, which time may be extended in extraordinary circumstances as determined by Borough Council. The promotional list shall be updated by the Chief of Police after each semiannual evaluation by adding the current seniority points and evaluation points to the interview points for each officer. The three officers with the highest points shall comprise the list of the officers to be considered for promotion. The current list and the Chief of Police's recommendation will be submitted to the Promotional Committee when a position becomes available. As a promotion occurs, the next-highest-scoring officer's name will be added to the promotion list unless good cause exists not to.
(2) 
A promotional interview for Lieutenant shall only be valid for the current promotion being considered. The three officers with the highest points shall comprise the list of the officers to be considered for promotion to Lieutenant. This will be determined by adding the current seniority points and the evaluation points to the interview points for each officer. The current list and the Chief of Police's recommendation will be submitted to the Promotional Committee for promotion.
(3) 
A promotional interview for Captain shall only be valid for the current promotion being considered. The three officers with the highest points shall comprise the list of the officers to be considered for promotion to Captain. This will be determined by adding the current seniority points and the evaluation points to the interview points for each officer. The current list and the Chief of Police's recommendation will be submitted to the Promotional Committee for promotion.
C. 
College, physical fitness and range.
(1) 
College. Officers who achieve a four-year degree or who have taken six credits towards same over the past two evaluations shall receive five points.
(2) 
Physical fitness testing. Officers who have taken, and passed, a voluntary physical fitness test during the past year shall receive a maximum of five points. Lower scores shall be received for marginal fitness and higher for exceptional fitness. The testing, procedures and scoring are to be established by departmental standard operating procedure.
(3) 
Firearms qualification. Officers who have shown proficiency with the Departmental handguns shall be eligible for up to five points. Scores shall be averaged out for the last two handgun qualifications. The qualifications and testing shall be in accordance to Attorney General guidelines. Scoring shall be based on departmental standard operating procedure.
D. 
Residency.
(1) 
Officers who live in the Borough, but do not own a residence, for the past two full rating periods shall receive five points. Officers who live and own a residence in the Borough shall receive five points.
(2) 
In the event that two or more candidates achieve the same final average score, a resident of Haddon Heights shall be selected prior to a nonresident. In the event that more than one candidate achieving the same final average score is a resident or in the event that all achieving the same final average score are nonresidents, then the Promotional Committee shall make the selection of the officer to be considered for promotion.