(a) The Division of Police shall be charged with the duty of preserving the peace and good order to the City. The Division of Police shall consist of not less than eight nor more than sixty persons. Of these 60 persons, not less than 8 nor more than fifty-one may be full-time employees whose designation and minimum/maximum numbers shall be as follows: 1 Chief of Police; not less than 1 nor more than 3 Captains; however, the rank of Captain shall be eliminated through attrition after August 2, 2010. The rank of Sergeant shall be eliminated and renamed Lieutenant as of August 2, 2010. As a Captain’s position is eliminated through attrition, said position shall be replaced by a Lieutenant position and there shall be not less than 1 nor more than 10 Lieutenants; not less than 1 nor more than 33 Patrolmen/Patrolwomen; not less than 1 nor more than 4 Police Dispatchers; 1 Police Legal Reporter/Secretary to the Chief of Police; 1 Computer Records Clerk; and 1 Animal Control Officer. Additional full-time civilian, part-time civilian or temporary civilian employees may be employed by the City in its Division of Police (to supplement the aforesaid 8 to 51 full time employees) in a number not to exceed 9.
(b) In accordance with Section 41 of the Municipal Charter, appointments and promotions in the Police Division of the City shall be made according to merit and fitness, to be ascertained, as far as practicable, by competitive examination.
(c) If the City Manager determines that a current Civil Service list has been exhausted and no further candidates acceptable for hire exist on said list, and that it is impracticable to wait until a new examination can be held and a new certified list obtained prior to filling a vacancy in the Police Division, then the Manager may hire a qualified person as defined in this section to fill said vacancy without competitive examination.
(1) As used in this section, the term “qualified person” shall mean a person holding a current commission as a peace officer in a political subdivision of the State of Ohio who has completed either three years of full-time employment as a peace officer; or five years of part-time employment or combined full-and-part-time employment as a peace officer.
(2) A person hired by the City Manager pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section must have his or her employment confirmed by a majority of City Council before it is effective.
(3) A person hired pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section shall enter at the rank of Patrolman and will be required to follow existing rules, procedures and negotiated agreements to be promoted to a higher rank. However, the City Manager shall have the discretion to determine the step or grade at which said person begins employment, and such person shall receive the pay and benefits commensurate with such step or grade.
(d) No person shall be eligible to receive an original appointment to the Ashtabula Police Department, as a police officer, unless the person has reached the age of 21, and no person is eligible to receive an original appointment to the Ashtabula Police Department, as a police officer, when the person is 65 years of age or older.
(Ord. 2023-35. Passed 3-6-23.)