(a) Upon completion of the initial hire probationary period (one year) each full-time police officer who is presently certificated or subsequently becomes certified, in the certification categories, computer administrator, Associate or Bachelor's degree in field related to law enforcement, EMT basic emergency medical technician, in-service instructor excluding firearms, data master operator, evidence room technician, and special response team.
(b) Each officer shall be entitled to receive an additional two hours pay biweekly in addition to his or her regular rate of pay for each certification, may receive compensation for a maximum of three certifications.
(c) Compensation for the additional certification listed in division (a) will be at the individual's current hourly rate, not premium pay (premium pay being one and one-half or two times regular hourly rate).
(d) Employees who are assigned to duties receiving certification pay must be willing and able to use their training and certification as part of their assigned duties. The employer shall not withhold assignment of the certificate if the officer qualifies and the maximum numbers of employees in the Police Department that are assigned to the certification would not be exceeded.
(e) Maximum number of certificates for the Police Department: Computer administrator, one police officer; Evidence room technician, one police officer; Special response team, one police officer; EMT basic emergency medical technician, all police officers that hold certification; In-service instructor excluding firearms, all police officers that hold certification; Data master operator, all police officers that hold certification.
(f) Beginning in calendar year 2011, all police officers shall be required to participate in the Physical Abilities Testing Program, unless exempted for a medical reason. An employee who requests an exemption from any or all of the Physical Abilities Test by providing a written statement from a licensed physician may, at the sole discretion of the employer, be required to submit to a physical examination by a licensed physician selected by the employer, at the employer’s expense. Employees who successfully complete the Physical Abilities Test in 2011 shall receive an incentive bonus in the amount of four hundred dollars ($400.00). Employees who refuse to participate in any part of the Physical Abilities Testing program (other than due to a medical exemption) may be subject to disciplinary action (Written reprimand). Employees who are unsuccessful in their attempts to complete the Physical Abilities Test in 2011 shall not be subject to retest or administrative sanctions.
(g) Beginning in calendar year 2012 and thereafter all police officers shall be required to participate in the Physical Abilities Testing Program, unless exempted for a medical reason. An employee who requests an exemption from any or all of the Physical Abilities Test by providing a written statement from a licensed physician, may at the sole discretion of the employer, be required to submit to a physical examination by a licensed physician selected by the employer, at the employer’s expense. Employees who successfully complete the Physical Abilities Test in 2012 shall receive an incentive bonus in the amount of four hundred fifty dollars ($450.00), payable the first pay after the test. Employees who decline to participate in any part of the Physical Abilities Testing program (other than due to a medical exemption) shall be terminated. Employees who are unsuccessful in their attempts to complete the Physical Abilities Test in 2012 shall be subject to retest or administrative sanctions.
(h) All employees shall be tested once each year. This does not include any retests that an employee shall be required to complete in accordance with this program. The test shall be conducted on/about the first Saturday of the month of June, weather permitting. This shall be the only test day for the initial test for all employees.
(i) An employee may provide the employer with a written statement from a licensed physician stating that participation in any or all parts of the Physical Abilities test will be detrimental to the employee's health. In such cases, the employee shall not be required to participate in the prohibited part(s) of the Physical Abilities Testing procedures except as hereinafter provided.
(j) All employees shall be tested once each year. This does not include any retests that an employee shall be required to complete in accordance with this section.
(k) The test shall be conducted on or about the first Saturday of June, weather permitting. This shall be the only test day for the initial test for all employees.
(l) An employee who fails to achieve a satisfactory level of physical fitness may be subject to administrative action. An employee shall be deemed physically fit for the position of police officer if the employee achieves the minimum passing score on the test adopted by the Village as part of the physical abilities testing program. The Village may deem an employee unfit for duty for physical reasons, if the employee does not achieve the minimum passing score on the test at the conclusion of the retest periods set forth below.
(m) After the first failure to achieve a minimum passing score on the physical abilities test, an employee shall be retested again after 90 days, provided that an employee may after fourteen days after the first failure, be retested at the employee's written request. An employee requesting retesting shall be tested within fourteen days after the written request. An employee passing a mandatory, or requested retest, shall not be tested again until the next regularly scheduled test for that employee. An employee who fails a retest which the employee requested shall not be subject to administrative action because of such failure.
(n) An employee who fails the first required retest shall be issued a counseling letter suggesting how the employee could improve test performance, and shall be tested again after sixty days. An employee failing a second retest shall be issued a warning letter advising the employee that should the employee fail the next scheduled retest the employee may be deemed unfit for duty for physical reasons and may be separated from service.
(o) Counseling letters and written warning received for a failed physical abilities test shall not be recorded as disciplinary action. These entries shall be recorded only as notices to the employee and shall not be used as part of any progressive discipline.
(p) An employee receiving a written warning after failing the second retest shall be tested not less than thirty days later. If the employee fails to pass the physical abilities test after the thirty day period, the employee may be deemed by the employer to be physically unfit to perform the duties of the position of police officer and shall be separated from service for physical ability reasons.
(q) In 2013 employees who improve their test score by more than 60 seconds from the previous year shall receive an additional incentive pay of $100.00. In addition an employee whose time is under four minutes shall receive an additional incentive pay of $100.00.
(Ord. 2011-09. Passed 10-18-11; Ord. 2012-04. Passed 6-5-12.)