[R.O. 2011 §200.190; CC 1975 §25-29; Ord. No. 2710 §1, 1-15-1975]
There is hereby created and established a Merit System Police
Department within and for the City, under and subject to the provisions
of Sections 85.541 to 85.571, RSMo., with a Personnel Board to administer
its operation as provided in this Article.
[R.O. 2011 §200.200; CC 1975 §25-30; Ord. No. 2710 §5, 1-15-1975]
The Merit System Police Department shall have a Chief of Police
and may and such number of regular Police Officers of such rank and
grade as may be prescribed by this Code or other ordinance, to be
paid such salaries as may be established from time to time by ordinance.
[R.O. 2011 §200.210; CC 1975 §25-31; Ord. No. 2710 §2, 1-15-1975]
A.
The Personnel
Board of the Merit System Police Department shall consist of four
(4) persons, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and
consent of a majority of the City Council. Such persons shall be qualified
electors of the City who shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of
age and who shall have resided within the City for a period of two
(2) years next before their appointment.
B.
The members
of the Personnel Board shall be divided equally between the largest
and second (2nd) largest political parties, and in filling vacancies,
the Mayor shall preserve this requirement.
C.
The members
of the Personnel Board shall, before entering upon the discharge of
their duties, take and subscribe to the oath prescribed for the City
Officers and shall hold office for a term of four (4) years each or
until their successors are appointed and qualified; provided, that
the first (1st) incumbents of the Board shall be appointed and hold
office for terms of one (1), two (2), three (3) and four (4) years,
respectively.
D.
Each
member of the Personnel Board shall be a person of good character
and reputation and shall not hold any other office or public employment
under the City, nor shall he/she hold any office in any partisan political
committee or club during the term of his/her office as a member of
the Personnel Board.
[R.O. 2011 §200.220; CC 1975 §25-32; Ord. No. 2710 §3, 1-15-1975]
The Mayor may, with the consent of a majority of all the members
elected to the City Council, remove any member of the Personnel Board
of the Merit System Police Department from office. A member may also
be removed by a three-fourths (¾) vote of all the members elected
to the City Council, independently of the Mayor's approval or recommendation.
A removal from office as provided in this Section shall result in
a vacancy in such office.
[R.O. 2011 §200.230; CC 1975 §25-33; Ord. No. 2710 §4, 1-15-1975]
A.
The Personnel
Board of the Merit System Police Department shall organize itself,
and it shall be the Board's duties, as a body, to:
1.
Hold
regular meetings at least once every two (2) months, or as often as
may be required, in the proper discharge of its duties, upon call
by the Chairman.
2.
Choose
one (1) of its members each year to act as Chairman and one (1) member
to act as Secretary.
3.
Require
a majority of the members to constitute a quorum to transact business.
4.
Enact
such rules and regulations as are necessary to conduct its business
and to carry out the intent of this Article, but no such rule shall
be effective until approved by the City Council.
5.
Prepare,
or cause to be prepared, and give oral or written examinations to
candidates for appointment and promotion and certify lists of eligibles
to the Mayor or other appointing authority as provided in this Article.
6.
Perform
such other duties as the City may by ordinance prescribe.
[R.O. 2011 §200.240; CC 1975 §25-34; Ord. No. 2710 §6, 1-15-1975]
The Personnel Board of the Merit System Police Department shall
adopt and provide for open, free and competitive examinations as to
fitness and qualifications for all the positions in the Police Department;
provided, that no person shall be eligible to take an examination
and be appointed to the Police Department unless such person is between
the ages of twenty-one (21) and fifty (50) years.
[R.O. 2011 §200.250; CC 1975 §25-35; Ord. No. 2710 §7, 1-15-1975]
A.
When
a vacancy occurs in the office of Chief of Police or Police Officer,
the Personnel Board of the Merit System Police Department shall compile
a written list of the candidates best qualified and eligible for appointment
to the job or classification, based upon written applications, results
of examinations given, written or oral personal interviews and any
other information that may be available.
B.
When
a vacancy exists in the office of Chief of Police, the Personnel Board
shall furnish to the Mayor and City Council a condensed written list
of the candidates best qualified and eligible for appointment to such
vacancy.
C.
When
a vacancy exists in the job classification as a Police Officer, the
Personnel Board shall recommend one (1) person for each vacancy to
the Mayor and City Council from a list of previously compiled eligible
candidates. Before making its recommendation to the Mayor and City
Council, the Personnel Board may consult with the Chief of Police
and consider his/her suggestions in the matter as to whom should be
appointed. The Chief of Police may interview any man appearing on
the list of eligible candidates before his/her consultation with the
Personnel Board.
D.
From
the list of eligible candidates furnished by the Personnel Board,
the Mayor shall make the appointment to fill the vacancy with the
advice and consent of a majority of the City Council.
[R.O. 2011 §200.260; CC 1975 §25-36; Ord. No. 2710 §8, 1-15-1975]
After his/her initial appointment to the Police Force, each
Police Officer shall serve a six (6) month probationary period. Such
probationary period, or working test period, shall be regarded as
an integral part of the examination process and shall be utilized
for closely observing the officer's work and for rejecting any officer
whose performance does not meet the required work standards. A review
of the officer's work shall be made before expiration of the probationary
period. An officer removed during such probationary period may request
a hearing before the Personnel Board of the Merit System Police Department.
Such request shall be in writing and shall be filed with the City
Clerk within twenty-four (24) hours of his/her removal. The probationary
officer may be represented by counsel at the hearing, and the hearing
will be public, if he/she so requests.
[R.O. 2011 §200.280; CC 1975 §25-38; Ord. No. 2710 §10, 1-15-1975]
Temporary appointments to fill immediate needs may be made by
the Personnel Board of the Merit System Police Department in consultation
with the Chief of Police. No temporary appointment, however, shall
be made for a period in excess of sixty (60) days.
[R.O. 2011 §200.290; CC 1975 §25-40; Ord. No. 2710 §12, 1-15-1975]
A.
No person
holding an office in the classified service of the Merit System Police
Department shall accept or seek election, nomination or appointment
as an officer of a political club or organization, or take an active
part in a political campaign, or serve as a member of a committee
of any such club or organization, or act as a worker at the polls
or distribute badges or literature favoring or opposing a candidate
for election or nomination to any public office; provided, that, nothing
in this Section shall prevent such person from becoming or continuing
to be member of a political club or organization, from attending any
political meeting or from enjoying freedom from interference in casting
his/her vote.
B.
Leaves
of absence may be granted at the discretion of the Personnel Board,
for the purpose of seeking public office or other just causes.
[R.O. 2011 §200.300]
The Chief of Police shall have authority to suspend, demote or discharge any officer of the Police Department, for cause. The Mayor with the consent of the City Council or a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Council without the action of the Mayor shall have the authority to suspend, demote or discharge the Chief of Police, for cause. In either case the member of the Police Department shall have the right to a public hearing before the Personnel Board as set forth in Section 200.270.
[R.O. 2011 §200.310]
A.
The Personnel
Board of the Merit System Police Department shall consider all grievances
within the Police Department arising as a result of suspension, demotion
or discharge in the following manner:
1.
The
aggrieved officer shall apply for a public hearing to the City Clerk
to be held before the Personnel Board within two (2) business days
of the action causing the grievance.
2.
If no
solution to the grievance can be reached within three (3) business
days of the action causing the grievance, the Personnel Board shall
conduct a public hearing, at the end of such public hearing the Personnel
Board shall vote to uphold or deny such suspension, demotion or discharge.
If the decision is in favor of the officer he/she shall be entitled
to immediate reinstatement and shall be paid all wages lost as a result
of the disciplinary action. Decision of the Personnel Board shall
be final.
