Prior to a conditional offer of employment for the position of police officer, each applicant must meet the following prerequisite requirements. Applicant must:
(A) Be a citizen of the United States.
(B) By the date of submission of the application be 20 years of age per KRS 15.382 and provide a copy of the birth certificate with application and be 21 years of age before graduating the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy. If an applicant is from another state that has received reciprocity, and was certified prior to 21 years of age when the same parameters apply until the needed training has been completed and the applicant is then Kentucky certified as a peace officer. The certification will not be valid until the applicant reaches the age of 21 years of age.
(C) Be a high school graduate or must have earned a General Educational Development (GED) Diploma for high school level and provide a copy of high school/GED diploma with application. Documentation of home schooling will have to be approved through the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC). The KLEC has identified educational processes and institutions they recognize for satisfying the High School Diploma requirement.
(D) If a veteran of any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States present with his/her application a copy of official documentation, or his/her DD214, Official Discharge, showing the reason for his/her discharge. The applicant shall not have received a dishonorable discharge, bad conduct discharge, or general discharge under other than honorable conditions.
(E) Have any other qualifications as may be prescribed by the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky Statutes, K.L.E.C. Peace Officer Professional Standards (P.O.P.S.) or ordinances of the City of Ashland, Kentucky.
(F) Be an orderly, law-abiding citizen of the United States with no prior felony conviction(s); or convictions of domestic violence and is not prohibited by federal or state law from possessing a firearm.
(G) Not have had certification as a peace officer revoked in Kentucky or any other state.
(H) Be a person of sobriety and integrity, and of sound mind and body.
(I) Be willing to undergo and successfully complete thorough physical agility tests.
(J) Be willing to complete a KLEC psychological suitability screener examination, and any additional psychological examination performed by a licensed psychologist.
(K) Be willing to be fingerprinted and undergo and successfully complete thorough personal background investigation.
(L) After a conditional offer of employment be willing to submit to and successfully complete polygraph testing.
(M) Provide a truthful statement certifying he/she has not used illicit drugs for the past 36 months.
(N) As a pre-condition to employment and a condition to continued employment, execute a waiver to submit to random testing for illicit drugs to remain in force as long as employed by the Ashland Police Department.
(O) As a condition to continued employment, be willing to undergo polygraph examination when given a lawful order to do so by an APD command officer during the course of any departmental investigation.
(P) After a conditional offer of employment be willing to undergo and successfully complete thorough medical examination.
(Q) Possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle and provide a copy of the driver's license with the application.
(R) Be willing to submit to a yearly medical examination.
(S) Be willing to execute a repayment agreement for continued employment with the APD for a minimum of 36 months; and effective June 29, 2023 any new peace officer employed will execute a repayment agreement contract for the length of 60 months (five years) as pursuant to KRS 70.290.
(T) Be willing to attend the DOCJT basic training academy in Richmond, Kentucky.
(U) Be free from tattoos or body piercing that will be visible while in any departmentally issued uniform. Body piercing does not include the piercing of the ear lobe. Officers with visible tattoos in any departmentally issued uniform prior to August 1, 2007, shall not be required to remove the existing tattoo, but shall not add to the tattoo or receive any additional tattoos that would be visible in any departmentally issued uniform. Effective February 1, 2022 any tattoos, body piercing and all forms of body art will be covered as specified but will be governed by the Chief of Police through a general order of the Ashland Police Department. The Chief of Police will govern the policy and adjust under his/her discretion.
(Ord. 174. 2022, passed 11-17-22; Am. Ord. 86, 2023, passed 6-23-23)