(a) As used in this section, "felony" has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 109.511.
(b) The Mayor shall not appoint a person as a Chief of Police, a deputy marshal, a police officer, a night watchperson, a special police officer, or an Auxiliary Police Officer on a permanent basis, on a temporary basis, for a probationary term, or on other than a permanent basis, if the person previously has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a felony.
(c) The Mayor shall terminate the employment of a Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer who does either of the following:
(1) Pleads guilty to a felony;
(2) Pleads guilty to a misdemeanor pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, as provided in Ohio R.C. 2929.43(D), in which the Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer agrees to surrender the certificate awarded to that person under Ohio R.C. 109.77.
(d) The Mayor shall suspend from employment a Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer who is convicted, after trial, of a felony. If the Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer files an appeal from that conviction and the conviction is upheld by the highest court to which the appeal is taken, or if that person does not file a timely appeal, the Mayor shall terminate that person's employment. If the Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer files an appeal that results in that person's acquittal of the felony or conviction of a misdemeanor, or in the dismissal of the felony charge against that person, the Mayor shall reinstate that person. A Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer who is reinstated under this subsection shall not receive any back pay unless that person's conviction of the felony was reversed on appeal, or the felony charge was dismissed, because the court found insufficient evidence to convict that person of the felony.
(e) Subsections (b) through (d) hereof do not apply regarding an offense that was committed prior to January 1, 1997.
(f) The suspension from employment or the termination of the employment of a Chief of Police, deputy marshal, police officer, night watchperson, special police officer or Auxiliary Police Officer under subsections (b) through (e) hereof shall be in accordance with Ohio R.C. Chapter 119.
(ORC 737.162)