All promotions shall be probationary for the first year. At the end of that year, the immediate superior officer and the Chief of the Police Department shall review the performance of the probationary officer and recommend to the Police Merit Commission whether the promotion should be made permanent, whether the probationary period should be extended for an additional period not to exceed six months or whether the probation should be revoked. The Commission shall prepare an appropriate rating chart for the superior officer's and the Chief's use in making this report. The Commission shall review the report and make its determination as to the disposition to be made. The probationary officer may appear before the Commission and be heard on any matter detrimental to him or her in the superior officer's report or the Chief's report. The probationary officer has the right to be represented by counsel. Any action by the Commission, other than making of the promotion permanent, may be appealed to the Circuit or Superior Court of the county. In the event the promotion is finally revoked, the officer may not be returned to a rank lower than that he or she held prior to the time of the probationary promotion. The Commission shall prepare and publish appeal procedures to be followed for appeals to the Commission from the report of the superior officer or Chief. An appeal to the Court shall be de novo and the appellant may submit new and additional evidence. A police officer whose probationary promotional rank is revoked may not return to the existing eligibility list.
(Ord. G-82-925, passed 1-4-1982)