(a) The City shall maintain divisions of building, police and fire, and the director of public safety shall be the executive head of such divisions under the direction of the mayor. He or she shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to confirmation by Council, and shall make all necessary rules and regulations for the government of this department and its divisions; and he or she shall be charged with the duty of enforcing all police, health, safety and sanitary regulations that may be prescribed by ordinances or rules of the City or the laws of Ohio. In the absence of a director of public safety, the mayor shall serve as the director.
(b) The police force shall consist of a chief and such other officers and employees as may be provided by ordinance or resolution of Council. The chief of police shall be appointed by the mayor from the division of police or he or she shall have had training and experience in law enforcement, and he or she shall serve at the pleasure of the mayor. Upon the termination of his or her service as chief, he or she shall, if appointed from the division of police, revert to the highest-ranked civil service position existing within the division at the time of his or her reversion. The chief shall have exclusive control of the stationing and transfer of officers and employees constituting the police force, under such rules and regulations as may be established by the mayor or by the director of public safety.
(c) The fire force shall consist of a chief and such other firefighters and employees as may be provided by ordinance or resolution of Council. The fire chief shall be appointed by the mayor from the division of fire or he or she shall have had training and experience in firefighting and he or she shall serve at the pleasure of the mayor. Upon the termination of his or her service as fire chief, he or she shall, if appointed from the division of fire, revert to the highest-ranked civil service position existing within the division at the time of his or her reversion. The fire chief shall have exclusive control of the stationing and transfer of firefighters and other officers and employees constituting the fire force, under such rules and regulations as may be established by the mayor or by the director of public safety.
(d) No appointment of a chief of police or fire shall be effective unless and until the appointee receives the concurrence of majority of the members of Council.