[HISTORY: Adopted by the Special Town Meeting of the Town of Blackstone 6-28-1974
by Art. 2; amended in its entirety 4-7-1980 ATM
by Art. 29. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Personnel policies — See Ch. 145.
A.
In recognition of the vote of the Townspeople at the
March 1974 Annual Town Meeting exempting the Blackstone Police Department
from the Massachusetts Civil Service Law rules and regulations and in recognition
of the need for a fair and equitable system of personnel administration within
said Department to adequately assure certain conditions and rights of employment,
these personnel procedures, rules and regulations are hereby adopted.
B.
Any provisions of these personnel procedures found to
be in conflict with or contradictory to the Blackstone bylaws, Charter or
overriding Massachusetts General Laws shall be null and void, but that determination
shall not affect other provisions herein.
A.
Official forms will be available at the Selectmen's office.
Applicants will fill in all data as to past employment, education, arrest
and court records as well as personal data such as physical or mental disabilities,
past illnesses, injuries or deformities as well as marital standing and family
information and any other information that may be required by the appointing
authority.
B.
These applications shall be signed under the penalty
of perjury. Any fraudulent statements or claims in application shall be grounds
for rejection of employment or subsequent discharge if already hired.
Candidates must have reached the age of 21 years prior to effective
date of appointment or employment and shall not have passed their 35th birthday.
Applicants must have a minimum of a high school diploma or a state equivalency
certificate.
Applicants must have a valid Massachusetts motor vehicle license in
Class 1, 2 or 3.
Applicant must be in good physical and mental condition and will be
rejected for any acute or chronic condition which may now or hereafter interfere
with the proper performance of the full range of police duties.
A.
Only applicants whose applications have been approved
and checked for discrepancies and also have passed the written exam and physical
performance test shall be called for these examinations. They may be given
on one day or separate days depending on physician's availability.
B.
All applicants, as a condition of employment, shall be
required to pass these examinations. Applicants who fall below these standards
at the examination will be rejected.
The Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council Report of Physical
Condition form and indicators will be utilized.
Applicants will be rejected for any excessive obesity, thinness or improper
relation between height and weight, if such condition interferes with the
duties of position. All applicants will be weighed without clothing.
Applicant will be rejected for failure to meet or surpass each of the
following physical performance indicator(s):
[Amended by 4-24-1989 ATM,
Art. 23]
A written test for patrolpersons shall be made up by a professional
police testing organization that shall be selected by the Chief of Police.
A fee shall be charged to anyone filing to take the test to cover the cost
of the exams.
A.
Only names of applicants who have qualified by attaining
minimum scores of 70% in the written exam and meet all criteria of the physical
performance tests shall have their names eligible to be placed on this list,
if they have already passed the physical.
B.
Standing on the list shall be established on the basis
of the highest qualifying score on the written examination and fulfillment
of all physical examination and physical performance test criteria. The appointing
authority will select from the highest scoring three candidates from the above
list for each position vacancy. Determination by the appointing authority
will be based on written examination scores and on candidate interview with
said appointing authority.
Applicants who successfully qualify for appointment and are not immediately
appointed shall maintain their qualifications for a period of two years, provided
that after a three-month period of time has elapsed since last physical examination
was taken, application shall be required to be reexamined prior to appointment.
Persons presently employed or recently within one year of last employment
as a Massachusetts police officer who seeks employment within the Town of
Blackstone, shall be required after submitting application and passing the
necessary screening, to meet the standards of the physical requirement prior
to appointment.
All vacancies in the Department shall be posted on Town bulletin boards
as well as advertised in the newspaper with the largest circulation of the
Town of Blackstone.
No person shall be regarded as holding office or full-time employment
until he or she actually performed the duties for a period of nine months.
The duties of all officers shall be determined by the Chief of Police
in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the Blackstone Police Department
or other appropriate superseding statues.
[Amended by4-24-1989 ATM,
Art. 23]
The following ranks shall be utilized within the Department:
[Amended by 4-24-1989 ATM,
Art. 23]
A.
Lieutenant. Only those who have served at least five
years as a full-time patrolperson or Sergeant would be eligible to take the
qualifying exam. All candidates must have a minimum of an associates degree
in law enforcement or a management field. Promotion shall be made by the appointing
authority based not only on the written exam results, but a thorough interview
by three Police Chiefs. The Blackstone Police Chief will not be part of the
interview process but will submit an evaluation of the individual's past performance.
The appointing authority will make the final selections.
B.
Sergeant. Only those who have served at least five years
as a patrolperson would be eligible to take the qualifying written exam. All
candidates must have a minimum of an associate's degree in law enforcement
or a related field. Promotion shall be made by the appointing authority based
not only on the written exam results, but a thorough interview by three Police
Chiefs. The Blackstone Police Chief will not be a part of the interview process
but will submit an evaluation of the individual's past performance. The appointing
authority will make the final selections.
If there is no eligible list of applicants, a provisional appointment
for a period not exceeding six months may be made. Although the provisional
appointment term may be renewed as necessary, nothing in this provision shall
be construed as granting tenure to anyone having served in that capacity for
six consecutive appointments.
A.
Requirements for the position of Chief of Police shall
be a minimum of a bachelor's degree in law enforcement or a related field
or equivalent experience.
[Amended by 4-24-1989 ATM,
Art. 23]
B.
A high degree of knowledge in all aspects of police work
must be evidenced through certification from past employers.
C.
Evidence must be submitted to show thorough familiarization
with practices and principles of police administration, leadership, management
techniques and law.
D.
Superior judgment, tact and good appearance and address
will be evidenced through an interview process to be established by the appointing
authority.
E.
Candidates for the position of Chief of Police shall
have a minimum of 10 years' previous police experience with a uniformed force,
three of which shall be in a supervisory capacity.
[Amended by 4-24-1989 ATM,
Art. 23]
F.
No person shall be considered for the position of Chief
of Police who has not held the rank of Sergeant or above during his past police
experience.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 33-22, Qualifications of intermittent officers, § 33-23, Continuation of appointment of intermittent officer, § 33-24, Police powers of intermittent officers, § 33-25, Assignments and pay of intermittent officers, § 33-26, Age limit for intermittent officers, and § 33-27, Special officers, were repealed by 4-24-1989 ATM, Art. 24.
Any officer who held civil service status prior to August 31, 1973,
as a member of the Blackstone Police Department shall retain that status in
accordance with Chapter 691 of the Acts of 1973.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 33-29, Limits on working hours of
intermittent officers, was repealed by 4-24-1989 ATM, Art. 24.
