(A) Appointment to the Patrol Division. Applicants for appointment as patrol officers to the County Police Department must meet the following requirements:
(1) Be no younger than 21 years of age nor older than 35 years of age at the time his or her application is received by the Merit Commission. However, if the applicant has served three or more years on active duty in the military service of the United States, his or her application shall not be rejected because of his or her age unless he or she is younger than 21 or older than 40 at the time the application is received by the Merit Commission. The age limit is waived for those who have had recognized police experience and are not older than 55 years of age;
(2) Be a high school graduate, or have certification of equivalent formal education;
(3) Be no less than five feet eight inches tall; however, an applicant for appointment as a female police officer must be no less than five feet five inches tall;
(4) Have weight in proportion to height;
(5) Pass any examinations of intelligence, reasoning and judgment that the Merit Commission may from time to time prescribe;
(6) Pass any screening examinations the Merit Commission may from time to time prescribe;
(7) Be acceptable to the Merit Commission following investigation of background, reputation and character;
(8) Be acceptable to the Merit Commission on an oral interview;
(9) Have passed the Red Cross course or be in its program;
(10) Have a valid driver’s license; and
(11) Be a resident of the county.
(B) Veterans; preference for appointment. Those applicants for appointment to the County Police Department who have honorably served in the military or naval services of the United States shall file with their supplementary employment questionnaire a sworn or certified copy of their certificate of honorable service, or any other evidence they may have of honorable service in, or honorable discharge from the armed services of the United States. Each applicant who is found, on the basis of the physical, mental and screening examination and the background investigation, to possess the prescribed requisites for appointment, shall receive a numerical rank on the appointment list above that of all other applicants who received the same or a lower grade on the examinations.
(C) Appointment list for female police officer. The Merit Commission shall establish a separate appointment list of women applicants qualified for appointment.
(D) Certification for appointment. After the physical, mental and screening examinations and the background investigation have been completed, those applicants who have been found to possess the prescribed requisites for appointment shall be so informed by the Merit Commission.
(1) Thereafter, upon receiving notice from the Sheriff or from the Chief of the County Police Department that a vacancy or vacancies exist, the Merit Commission will conduct oral interviews of the applicants in order of their rank in the examinations and shall certify for appointment those applicants deemed by the Merit Commission to be qualified.
(2) An applicant certified for appointment who declines to accept appointment within 60 days after it is offered to him or her, shall be deemed to have withdrawn his or her application, and his or her name shall be stricken forthwith from the list of those certified.
(1980 Code, § 33.08) (1966 pp. 15—17, adopted 1- -1966) (Sup. Rec. Bk. 237, pp. 89—90)