131.02 SPECIAL POLICE OFFICERS.

   The City Manager, at his discretion, is hereby authorized to appoint individuals as special police officers to assist the Division of Police and to safeguard the public. Special police officers shall be temporary employees under the control of the City Manager and the Chief of Police, and shall be in the unclassified service of the City. In accordance with the provisions of Charter Section 12.02, special police officers shall serve for a specified period of time which shall not exceed six (6) months. Such officers may be reappointed by the City Manager to serve consecutive periods of time; provided, however, that each period of time does not exceed six (6) months.

   In the performance of their duties, special police officers shall have the powers of a police officer in arresting persons for offenses in violation of any provision of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Hamilton and the laws of this State.

   Notwithstanding the provisions of the Codified Ordinances and in place of the existing provisions of the Codified Ordinances and any amendments thereto, special police officers shall receive the specific benefits as set forth in the following subparagraphs (a) and (b):

   (a)   Benefits for Part-Time Special Police Officers:

      (1)   Uniforms and equipment: Part-time special police officers shall be supplied uniforms and equipment as determined by the Chief of Police.

      (2)   Private insurance: The City shall provide private insurance coverage for part-time special police officers, so as to protect them in case of injury or death while so engaged.

   (b)   Benefits for Full-Time Special Police Officers:

      (1)   Uniforms and equipment: Full-time special police officers shall be supplied uniforms and equipment as determined by the Chief of Police.

      (2)   Private insurance: The City shall provide private insurance coverage for full-time special police officers, so as to protect them in case of injury or death while so engaged.

      (3)   Medical/surgical/dental/prescription/vision care payment: In the place of providing any health coverage for medical, surgical, dental, prescription or vision care, the City shall pay instead to full-time special police officers the sum of one hundred twelve dollars ($112.00) per month for the officer’s eligible family plan coverage or fifty-six dollars ($56.00) per month for the officer’s eligible single-plan coverage, as the case may be, payable either to the officer directly or to the health care provider, if the provider will accept such payment from the City, for purposes of paying the officer’s coverage. Insofar as practicable, payment may be made once per year in January in a lump sum for the annual amount, but subject to setoff from the officer’s other compensation and reimbursement to the City pro rata if the officer does not work a full year.

      (4)   Holidays/holiday premium compensation: Full-time special police officers who work the following six designated holidays: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve, shall, at their option, be paid either:

         A.   Two and one-half times the regular rate of pay and receive no time- off for the holiday, or

         B.   One and one-half times the regular rate of pay and an additional eight hours compensatory time off at some future date.

      (5)   Floating holidays and birthday: Additional holiday leave with pay in the form of “floating holidays”, which shall not exceed forty (40) hours per calendar year, shall be granted to full-time special police officers. Each special police officer shall also be granted eight (8) hours of leave per calendar year for such officer’s birthday. Floating holidays and birthday leave shall be considered as earned leave upon completion of three (3) months’ service in a pay status during a calendar year.

      (6)   Overtime compensation/compensatory leave time: For hours worked in excess of forty hours per week, full-time special police officers shall receive one and one-half times the regular hourly rate of pay, or one and one-half hours of time-off work as compensatory leave. A maximum of eighty hours of compensatory leave time may be accumulated by each officer in each calendar year, and no more than eighty hours of compensatory leave shall be carried over from one calendar year into the following calendar year. Such officer shall receive pay for all compensatory leave time in excess of eighty hours at year-end which cannot be carried over by operation of this provision.

      (7)   Vacation leave: After one year of service as a special police officer, such officer shall be granted two weeks of vacation and shall thereafter be granted two weeks of vacation per year.

         (Ord. 2001-6-58. Passed 6-13-01.)