(a) There is hereby established a reserve unit within the Police Department of the City, the members of which shall be appointed by the Service-Safety Director.
(b) Appointment to the Lancaster Police Department Reserve Unit shall not confer employee status upon any person for any reason; and members of the Reserve Unit are not subject to Ohio R.C. Chapter 124, the Rules and Regulations of the Lancaster Civil Service Commission or to any provisions of the laws of the Codified Ordinances of the City pertaining to Civil Service.
(c) The objective of the Reserve Unit shall be to complement, not supplement or replace, full-time regular officers in the performance of police work within the jurisdictional limits of the City.
(d) Members of the Reserve Unit shall have all police powers, but shall perform only such duties assigned to them by the Chief of Police and shall act only when in uniform as prescribed by the Chief of Police.
(e) Reserve Officers are subject to the same standards of conduct; and rules, regulations, policies, procedures, directives and training requirements applicable to other officers of the City Police Department.
(f) Reserve officers shall be under the general control of the Chief of Police, or the Chief's designee who shall report to the Chief of Police, regarding their activities and training.
(g) Reserve officers shall be certified by the Ohio Peace Officers Training Council and that each Reserve Officer shall totally pay for such certification. However, if the individual reserve officer totally pays for such certification for the sole purpose of serving as a reserve officer for the Lancaster Police Department, the City shall reimburse fifty percent (50%) of such certification cost after the reserve officer has served one continuous year with the Lancaster Police Department and shall reimburse the remaining fifty percent (50%) after the reserve officer has served two continuous years with the Lancaster Police Department.
(h) Reserve officers will be commissioned persons and shall consist of civilian volunteers who will serve a minimum number of hours per month, as established by the Chief of Police, without compensation.
(i) Reserve officers uniform parts, equipment and service weapons shall be the same as those required of regular officers of the Lancaster Police Department and reserve officers shall receive an annual equipment allowance, to help offset the costs of those required uniform parts and equipment, equal to that of regular patrol officers of the Police Department. However, the service weapon and police badges shall be issued by the Lancaster Police Department and will remain the property of the City.
(j) The strength of the Reserve Unit shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the authorized strength of regular full-time patrol officers of the Lancaster Police Department.
(k) Reserve officer selection criteria will be similar to that used for full-time officers with the exception that mandatory written tests are not required.
(Ord. 12-16. Passed 3-28-16.)