Applications and Qualifications
In order to be eligible for participation in the initial examinations for a police officer position with the Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, every applicant must submit a completed application form to the Commission or other offices or agencies designated by the Commission, before the deadline stated for that specific examination. The applicant must make an oath or affirmation that the application has been completed truthfully and that the applicant is subject to the penalties of 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 4904, relating to unsworn falsification to authorities.
The Borough of Wilkinsburg is an equal opportunity employer. It is the Borough Council's and the Commission's policy to grant equal employment opportunities to qualified persons without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, age, veteran's status, marital status, or non-job-related physical or mental handicap or disability. The Borough Council and the Commission will provide equal opportunities in employment.
Application forms shall be available to all interested persons in the office of the Borough Manager or his or her designee and from such other offices and officers that the Commission, from time to time, may choose to designate. Applications must be submitted in person. No e-mail submissions or facsimiles will be accepted. The date and time of receipt of each application will be noted on the application.
All applicants must have reached their 21st birthday before the deadline for submitting completed applications. Residency of police officers is governed by the collective bargaining agreement of the police with the Borough. Currently, there is no requirement to reside in the Borough.
At the time of application, every applicant for a position in the Police Department shall possess the following qualifications prior to application:
A. 
Possess a diploma from an accredited high school or a graduate equivalency diploma (GED).
B. 
Be Act 120-certified under the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission (Act 120) (MPOETC), 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 2161 et seq., or shall have successfully completed Act 120 training and successfully passed the final exam, thus being eligible for Act 120 certification once hired by the Borough.
C. 
Be a United States citizen.
D. 
Be physically and mentally fit to perform the full duties of a police officer.
E. 
Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license.
A. 
The Commission shall conspicuously post in the Borough building an announcement of the police officer testing and set forth the time and place of every examination, together with the information as to the type of position to be filled, the requirements for that position, where applications may be obtained, and the deadline for filing those applications. In addition, at least two weeks prior to the initial examination for police officer, publication of the notice shall be placed in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the Borough.
B. 
In addition, the Commission may utilize the services of the Turtle Creek Valley COG to provide the public notice and notification requirements of these civil service rules and regulations.
C. 
The Borough Manager, or other designated person, shall give, in writing, to each applicant qualified for the next step in the examination process, a notice which shall include the date, time and place the applicant shall report for the next examination in the process. In the case of physical and psychological examinations, the Borough Manager, or other designated person, shall notify the police officer candidate who has been conditionally offered a position in the Police Department by a written notice of the date, time and place of the examination as well as the name of the physical and psychological examiners.
D. 
Every such notice shall be mailed or otherwise delivered at least seven days prior to the date fixed for examination. Only applicants receiving notices to report for any examination shall be permitted to participate in such examination, and each applicant shall present his or her notice to the examiner before he or she shall be examined. Failure to report for an examination in accordance with the instructions contained in the written notice shall disqualify the applicant, except that in the case of a physical or psychological examinations, the physician and psychologist designated in the notice may fix another date or time for such examination; provided, however, that any such date or time shall be written with the period of at least seven days of the date and time established in the written notice.
A. 
Applications shall be received at the Borough building only after the entry level positions have been properly advertised and before the deadline for receiving applications which must be set forth in the public advertisement. Applications will be received by the municipal official designated in the public advertisement or that official's designee. That person shall record the receipt of all applications and provide each applicant with notice of the time and place for the first portion of the testing procedure, the written examination. Any application containing material errors or omissions may, at the discretion of the Commission, be returned to the applicant for correction prior to the deadline for filing applications after which no new applications or amended applications will be accepted.
B. 
In addition, the Commission may utilize the services of the Turtle Creek Council of Governments to record and file applications in compliance with these civil service rules and regulations.
C. 
Penalty for false statement. The statements made by the applicant in the official application shall contain no falsification, omissions or concealment of material fact. Should any investigation disclose any material misstatement, falsification or concealment with respect to an application:
(1) 
The application shall be invalid and the applicant shall be disqualified from examination; or
(2) 
If the applicant shall have been examined, the name of such applicant shall be removed from the eligibility list; or
(3) 
If the applicant shall have been appointed, such material misstatement, falsification or concealment shall constitute grounds for dismissal from the Wilkinsburg Police Department.
D. 
No person who has made a material false application shall be permitted in the future to be an applicant for any position in the Wilkinsburg Police Department.
The Commission may refuse to examine, or, if examined, may refuse to certify as eligible after examination, any applicant who is found to lack any of the minimum qualifications for examination prescribed in these rules and regulations for the particular position for which the applicant has applied. In addition, the Commission may refuse to examine, or, if examined, may refuse to certify, any applicant who is:
A. 
Found to have furnished incomplete, inaccurate, misleading or false information on the official application or in response to any portion of the hiring process.
B. 
Physically unfit for the performance of the duties of the position of which the candidate seeks employment.
C. 
Illegally using a controlled substance, as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (Public Law 91-513, 21 U.S.C. § 802).
D. 
Guilty of any crime involving moral turpitude, or of infamous or notoriously disgraceful conduct, or who has been dismissed from public service for delinquency or misconduct of office.
E. 
Affiliated with any group whose policies or activities are subversive to the forms of government set forth in the constitution and laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A. 
Any applicant or other persons who believe that they are aggrieved by the actions of the Commission, in refusing to examine or to certify them as eligible after examination, may request a hearing before the Commission, within 10 days of receiving written notice of what is perceived as the alleged error. Within 10 days after such request, the Commission shall designate a time and place for the hearing, which shall be conducted pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Local Agency Law, 2 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq., with or without counsel, at which time the Commission shall take testimony and review its refusal to provide examination or certification.
B. 
The deliberations of the Commission, including interim rulings on evidentiary or procedural issues, may be held in the nature of a closed executive session. The Commission's disposition of the matter shall constitute official action which shall occur at a public meeting held pursuant to 65 Pa.C.S.A. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings). The decision of the Commission shall be final.
Examination and Grading Procedure
A. 
The examination for the initial positions of full-time police officer and/or regular part-time police officer (same examination for both) shall consist of a physical agility test, written examination, oral examination, background investigation and polygraph examination. The written examination and the oral examination will be graded individually on a one-hundred-point scale. The written examination will represent 70% of the final score. The oral examination will represent 30% of the final score. The physical agility test, the background investigation and polygraph examination will be graded pass/fail.
B. 
The testing process will be as follows:
(1) 
Physical agility test. Those candidates passing the physical agility test, as outlined in § 14-28, will qualify to take the written examination.
Note: At the discretion of the Civil Service Commission, the written examination may precede the physical agility testing.
(2) 
Written examination. Those candidates passing the written test, as outlined in § 14-29, will qualify for the oral examination.
Note: The Civil Service Commission may utilize the services of the Turtle Creek Valley COG to conduct the written test in conjunction with other municipal police agencies.
(3) 
Oral examination. Those candidates passing the oral examination, as outlined in § 14-30, will then be placed on the eligibility list, after those qualifying for veteran's preference points, as outlined in § 14-31, have been awarded those preference points.
(4) 
Background investigation. Prior to being considered for appointment on the certified list of three, the applicant will undergo a complete background investigation as outlined in § 14-34. Although a requirement, only a sufficient number of top-scoring candidates necessary for consideration, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, will need to have a background investigation performed.
(5) 
Polygraph examination. Prior to being considered for appointment on the certified list of three, the applicant will undergo a complete polygraph examination as outlined in § 14-35. Although a requirement, only a sufficient number of top-scoring candidates necessary for consideration, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, will need to have a polygraph examination performed.
C. 
Thus, any individual appearing on the initial eligibility list is subject to background investigation and a polygraph examination, and no one will be certified as eligible on the certified list of three until they have successfully completed a background investigation and a polygraph examination and received a written recommendation that the applicant is appropriate for consideration in accordance with §§ 14-34 and 14-35 of these rules and regulations.
A. 
Applicants shall meet the physical agility requirements, in accordance with the criteria established by the Commission or other agencies designated by the Commission. In all cases, candidates shall be provided with the physical agility requirements prior to the time of physical agility testing.
B. 
Applicants who have either successfully passed or failed the physical agility test will be so notified by the Commission within 30 days.
The written examination shall be graded on a one-hundred-point scale, and an applicant must score 70% or higher and receive one of the top 25 highest scores or a lesser number who may have passed the written test, including ties in order to continue in the application process. Applicants scoring less than 70% or not receiving one of the top 25 highest scores or a lesser number who may have passed the written test shall be rejected. Within 30 days after the administration of the written examination, all applicants shall be given written notice of their test results, and passing applicants shall be scheduled for an oral examination appointment.
Every applicant who scored 70% or higher and receives one of the top 25 highest scores, or a lesser number who may have passed the written test, including ties in the written examination, shall be given an oral examination, which will be graded on a one-hundred-point scale with a score of 70% or higher necessary for passing. The oral examination shall involve questioning applicants on how they would handle situations relevant to police work. Within 30 days after the applicants' oral examinations, they shall be informed of the score in their oral examination and total overall score.
Pursuant to the Veterans' Preference Act, any applicant for the position of police officer who qualifies as a military veteran under this Act shall receive an additional 10 points on top of his or her final score if that applicant qualifies under §§ 14-27, 14-28, 14-29, and 14-30 of these rules and regulations. Applicants claiming veteran's preference shall have submitted satisfactory proof of service and honorable discharge therefrom with their application form.
Eligibility List, Background Investigation and Polygraph Examination
A. 
At the completion of the examination requirements set forth in §§ 14-28, 14-29, and 14-30, the physical agility test, the written examination and the oral examination, the Commission shall rank all passing candidates on each eligibility list (regular part-time and full-time police officer). The applicants having received the highest score shall be at the top of their respective lists, with all other candidates being listed in descending order of their scores. Applicants who qualify for veteran's preference points, as outlined in § 14-31, shall have those 10 points added to their final score prior to being ranked on each of the eligibility lists.
B. 
In the event the qualifying applicant received identical scores, the order of listing shall be determined by the earliest application received.
C. 
Any individual appearing on either initial eligibility list is subject to a background investigation and polygraph examination and no one will be certified in accordance with § 14-36 of these rules and regulations until they have successfully completed a background investigation and polygraph examination and received a written recommendation that the applicant is appropriate for consideration in accordance with §§ 14-34 and 14-35 of these rules and regulations. If an applicant appears on both eligibility lists, only one background investigation will be required.
The original eligibility lists for regular part-time police officers and full-time police officers will be valid for a period of one year from the date the Commission formally adopts the eligibility list. Prior to expiration of the one-year period, the Commission may extend the validity of either or both eligibility lists for up to an additional 12 months by a majority vote of the Commission, at a duly authorized Commission meeting. In the absence of a lawful extension by the Commission, the list shall expire.
A. 
The Commission shall request the Chief of Police or the chief's designee to conduct a background investigation on the top-scoring eligible applicants, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, prior to inclusion on the certified list of three of those eligible as set forth in § 14-36 of these rules and regulations.
B. 
The background investigation must be consistent for each applicant and shall meet, at a minimum, all the specific requirements of the MPOETC, as required by law. The applicant may be interviewed directly when the information collected requires clarification or further explanation. The Chief of Police or chief's designee may use his/her own discretion in the expansion or contracting of these items and time frames.
C. 
After the background investigation is completed, the Chief of Police, or the chief's designee, shall make a written recommendation to the Commission on whether the applicant is appropriate for consideration for appointment as a police officer for the Borough of Wilkinsburg.
D. 
The recommendation by the Chief of Police or the chief's designee shall be based on the criteria set forth in § 14-25, of these rules and regulations and on any other relevant information developed during the background investigation. This report to the Commission shall be in writing and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and must not include any physical history information on a candidate. If the recommendation is to disqualify, then a detailed, written explanation of the reasons for disqualification must be included. The Commission shall then make a final determination on whether additional information is required or if the information collected and reported warrants acceptance or rejection of the candidate.
E. 
Within 30 days after the Commission considers the recommendation based on the background investigation, each applicant shall be notified as to whether he or she has passed or failed this portion of the examination process.
A. 
The Commission shall designate a qualified polygraph examiner to conduct a polygraph examination on the top-scoring eligible applicants, as determined by the Civil Service Commission, prior to inclusion on the certified list of those eligible as set forth in § 14-36 of these rules and regulations.
B. 
Every applicant qualifying for a polygraph examination shall fill out a personal data questionnaire and undergo a polygraph examination. The Commission shall furnish each polygraph examiner with forms upon which the examiner shall state whether any of the applicant's responses to questions from the applicant's personal data questionnaire are deceptive. The report on each examination shall be submitted to the Commission within five days after the date of the examination.
C. 
The examiner shall ask questions based on the information contained in the personal data questionnaire. Before administering the test, the examiner shall ask each applicant whether there is any more information related to the personal data questionnaire which the applicant would like to provide. There shall also be a post-test review, during which the examiner shall again ask the participant, if deception is indicated, whether there is any information which the applicant is withholding.
D. 
The Commission may award an opportunity to take a third test if the Commission finds that the applicant has shown that he or she was not deceptive in completing the personal data questionnaire or in the polygraph examination.
E. 
If the examiner shall deem any of the applicant's responses to be deceptive, the examiner must tell the applicant immediately and give the applicant an opportunity to explain, deny or admit the deception. If the applicant denies being deceptive or if the explanation is found unsatisfactory by the examiner, the applicant will be given the opportunity to retake the test with a second examiner. Such a retest will be at applicant's sole expense. Notice of the opportunity to retest shall be given in writing to the applicant. The second examiner will not have access to the results of the first test prior to readministering the polygraph. If the second examiner finds no deception, the applicant will be considered as having passed the polygraph. If the second examiner also finds the applicant deceptive, the applicant will be considered as having failed the examination.
F. 
An applicant who has failed both tests may appeal to the Civil Service Commission for a third examination, and the decision to give the applicant an opportunity to take a third test resides solely within the discretion of the Commission. Such a retest will be at the applicant's sole expense. If the applicant is awarded an opportunity to take a third test and passes, then the applicant will be considered as having passed the polygraph test. If the applicant is found deceptive on a third test, the applicant will be rejected.
G. 
If the applicant is finally rejected because of the failure of the polygraph examination, as described above, or the applicant passes the polygraph examination, as described above, within 30 days after the final determination, the Commission shall notify the candidate as to whether he or she has passed or failed this portion of the examination process.
Appointment Procedure
A. 
Furloughed police officers shall be given first consideration for reemployment, prior to any other hiring procedure, and shall be reinstated in order of their seniority as outlined in § 14-69 of these rules and regulations.
B. 
Except as provided above, every initial position of regular part-time police officer and full-time police officer for employment in the Police Department shall be filled only in the following manner: (This procedure shall be for each eligibility list, regular part-time and full-time police officer, depending on the position to be filled):
(1) 
The Borough Council shall notify the Commission of any vacancy which is to be filled and shall request certification of three names from the respective eligibility list.
(2) 
If three names are not available, then the Commission shall certify the name(s) remaining on the respective list.
(3) 
The Borough Council shall make an appointment from one of the three names certified, or a lesser number certified, with reference to the merits and fitness of the candidates. However, for the initial appointment to the position regular part-time police officer and full-time police officer, from the respective eligibility lists, when one of the three applicants on the certified list is a veteran, that applicant shall be selected. If two or more of the names on either of the certified lists of three are veterans, the Borough Council shall have the discretion to appoint the veteran they deem most qualified.
C. 
The Borough Council may object to one or more of the persons certified for the reasons set forth in § 14-25 of these rules and regulations. If the candidate to whom the Borough Council objects or fails to timely exercise the rights of appeal under § 14-26, or if the Commission declines to uphold the appeal, the Commission shall strike that name from the eligibility list and certify the next highest name for inclusion on the certified list of three candidates for each name stricken off the respective lists.
A. 
After the Borough Council selects a candidate from either of the "certified lists of three" for appointment to the vacant position, that candidate shall receive a conditional offer of employment. The offer of employment shall be conditioned upon the conditional appointee undergoing a physical and psychological medical examination and a determination that the conditional appointee is capable of performing all the essential functions of the position. Physical medical examinations shall be under the direction of a physician or other qualified medical professional. Psychological medical examinations shall be under the direction of a psychiatrist or psychologist.
B. 
The physician or other qualified medical professional and the psychiatrist or psychologist shall be appointed by the Borough Council and shall render an opinion as to whether the conditional appointee has a physical or mental condition which calls into question the person's ability to perform all of the essential functions of the position for which the person was conditionally appointed.
C. 
The physical and psychological exams will be conducted in compliance with the MPOETC regulations. The completion of the required MPOETC physical and psychological forms will be provided by the Borough. Drug testing shall be included as one component of the requirements. In addition, the respective examiners will be given a copy of the job description and the "Essential Functions of the Job" for performing the duties of police officer. The completed forms will be certified by the examining physician(s) indicating that the candidate is physically or psychologically fit, as the case may be, to perform the duties of a police officer. The completed forms shall be confidential and submitted to the appropriate Borough official for disposition.
D. 
If the opinion rendered by the physician, other qualified medical professional, psychiatrist or psychologist calls into question the conditional appointee's ability to perform all essential functions of a position, a person designated by Borough Council shall meet with the conditional appointee for the purpose of having one or more interactive discussions on whether the conditional appointee can, with or without reasonable accommodation, perform all the essential functions of the position.
E. 
If, at the conclusion of the interactive discussion, the Borough Council determines that the conditional appointee is not qualified, the Borough Council shall give written notice to the conditional appointee and the Commission.
F. 
The rejected candidate may appeal this decision under § 14-26 of these rules and regulations. If the candidate fails to timely exercise the rights of appeal, or if the Commission declines to uphold the appeal, the Commission shall strike the name from the eligibility list and certify the next highest name for inclusion on the "certified list of three."
A. 
Every successful applicant appointed from the full-time or regular part-time eligibility list shall serve a twelve-month probationary period. For newly hired police officers, the probationary period will begin on the first day the new officer reports for work. During this probationary period, a newly hired police officer may be dismissed for cause for the reasons set forth in § 14-25 of these rules and regulations because of incapacity for duty due to the use of alcohol or drugs or if the probationary officer does not meet the requirements or expectations of the position and documentation has been accurately noted.
B. 
The Chief of Police shall submit a final probationary report, not less than 10 days nor more than 15 calendar days before the next regular meeting of the Borough Council, immediately preceding the end of the probationary period. Each report shall be submitted in writing to the Borough Council. Within five calendar days after receiving a probationary report from the Chief of Police, if the conduct of the probationer has not been satisfactory to the Borough Council, the probationer shall be notified in writing by the Borough Council that the appointment will not be permanent. Following receipt of this notification by the probationer, a newly hired police officer's employment shall end. Any probationer who is notified in writing by the Borough Council, prior to completion of the 12th month probation period, that his appointment will not be made permanent, has no rights of appeal under these rules and regulations.
C. 
The Borough Manager shall notify the Commission, in writing, of its decision to retain or remove the probationer within five calendar days and in no event beyond the last day of the probationary period.
The Borough Council may fill a vacancy in an existing position in the Police Department which occurs as a result of expansion of the police force, retirement, resignation, disability or death by the reappointment or reinstatement of a former employee of the Police Department who had previously complied with the civil service rules and regulations. The officer's reappointment is subject to any recertification requirements prescribed by the MPOETC. In addition, the officer shall successfully pass a physical agility test, background investigation, and a psychological and medical examination.
Whenever there are urgent reasons for the filling of a vacancy in any position in the Police Department and there are no names on the eligibility list for such appointment, the Borough Council may nominate a person to the Commission for a noncompetitive examination. Such nominee may be certified by the Commission after the nominee successfully passes such noncompetitive examination. However, prior to being subject to a noncompetitive test, the provisional appointee shall be subject to any recertification requirements prescribed by the MPOETC. In addition, the officer shall successfully pass a physical agility test, background investigation, and a psychological and medical examination, as required by the MPOETC. He may then be appointed provisionally to fill such vacancy. It shall thereupon become the duty of the Commission, within 30 days, to begin the process for a competitive examination and related tests, investigations and examinations as outlined in these rules and regulations. An eligibility list will then be established and a certified list of three names will be presented to the Borough Council from which a regular appointment shall be made. Nothing in this section shall prevent the appointment, without examination, of persons temporarily assigned the full duties of a police officer for the Borough of Wilkinsburg in cases of riots or other such emergencies.