Omaha Police Department Promotion Policy PDF

PROMOTION POLICY: The City of Omaha has established a process for handling promotions within the Omaha Police Department. The Omaha Police Department will work with the City's Human Resources Department to ensure that a fair, professional standard is utilized for promoting employees. The final dec...

PROMOTION POLICY: The City of Omaha has established a process for handling promotions within the Omaha Police Department. The Omaha Police Department will work with the City's Human Resources Department to ensure that a fair, professional standard is utilized for promoting employees. The final decisions concerning promotional testing rests with the Director of the City Human Resources Department with the input of the Chief of Police. The final decisions concerning promotional selections rest with the Chief of Police. It is the objective of the City of Omaha and the OPD Police Personnel Unit to provide equal promotional opportunities to all members of the Police Department based on a candidate's merit, including skills, knowledge, and abilities. PROCEDURE: I. Sworn Employees A. Qualifications 1. Qualification Requirements for Promotion: a. In order to maintain a progressive and professional department, like standards must be utilized. The following minimum length of service requirements will apply for the purposes of establishing eligibility. (1) Sergeant: Minimum of four years of service with the Omaha Police Department. (2) Lieutenant: Six years of service with the Omaha Police Department, including two years as a Police Sergeant. (3) Captain: Eight years of service with the Omaha Police Department, including two years as a Police Lieutenant. (4) Deputy Chief: Ten years of service with the Omaha Police Department, including two years as a Police Lieutenant or any experiences of a higher rank. b. For the purpose of this policy, years of service will be determined as described in the current collective bargaining agreement. 2. Eligibility requirements, including school points and seniority points, will be met prior to the first day of the month in which the first examination phase is given. B. Testing 1. Notice of the promotional examination will be given 120 days prior to the administration of the initial phase of the examination process. Information to be contained in the announcement will include: a. A description of the vacant position. b. Duties and Responsibilities. c. Experience, Education, Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities required. d. Salary Range. e. Examination Information:  (1) Dates, times, and locations of all phases of the process. (2) Description of eligibility requirements. (3) City Service and College Credits. (4) Length of Service or Time in Grade. (5) Description of the process that will be conducted. (6) A numerical weighting of each phase of the process. (7) A current bibliography of all study material upon which an examination is based. 2. Test Procedure. a. All competitive testing will be based upon the requirements of Omaha Municipal Code (Chapter 23) and the current collective bargaining agreement. It may consist of: (1) A practical validated and job-related written test designed to measure the candidate's job knowledge of the position for which they have applied. (2) Assessment process to measure candidate attributes, characteristics, qualities, skills, knowledge, and abilities relating to the position described in the job study to identify each candidate's promotional potential. (3) An interview with the Chief of Police, or his/her designee, for assessing the suitability of the candidate to serve in the rank being tested. b. The questions used in the testing process will be job-related and non- discriminatory. c. The written phase scores, assessment phase scores, and/or any other related scores will be tabulated by the City Human Resources Department, with the scores formulated and arranged numerically. The City Human Resources Department will prepare an eligibility list which lists the candidates and their rank based on numerical listing of the candidates’ scores. d. The City Human Resources Director will be responsible for the maintenance and security of all records pertinent to examination records and the validation of the testing process. C. Promotion 1. When a vacancy for a specific promotional position occurs, the City Human Resources Director will refer a list of candidates from the eligibility list to the Chief of Police for interview and consideration. 2. All ties in the final score will be placed on the eligibility list as sharing the same rank. (a) In making appointments to a promotional position from the list provided by the City Human Resources Department, the Chief of Police must select a person from the list referred by the City of Omaha Human Resources Director. 3. The City Human Resources Department will establish an eligibility list for those candidates who received a passing score on all phases of the process. (a) This list of eligible candidates will be maintained for:  (1) One (1) year from the date of establishment of such list for positions within the Omaha Police Managers’ Association bargaining group. This list may be extended by the City of Omaha Personnel Board for a period of up to one year. (2) Two (2) years from the date of establishment of such list for positions within the Omaha Police Officers’ Association (OPOA) bargaining group. (b) If no names remain on the certified promotional eligibility list, then that list will be considered terminated and, within thirty (30) days, a posting of a promotional examination will be made. 4. Any promotional vacancy will be filled within sixty (60) days of the vacancy, if a certified promotional list is in existence. 5. The first six months of service in the position to which the employee has been promoted will constitute a probationary period. The Chief of Police, with the approval of the Director of the City Human Resources Department, may extend the probationary period for no more than an additional six months. II. Non-Sworn Employees A. Testing 1. Notice of the promotional examination will be given when a position is open prior to the administration of the initial phase of the examination process. Information to be contained in the announcement will include: a. A description of the vacant position. b. Duties and Responsibilities. c. Experience, Education, Special Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities needed. d. Salary Range. e. Examination Information: (1) Dates, times, and locations of all phases of the process. (2) Description of eligibility requirements. (3) Description of the process that will be conducted. (4) A numerical weighting of each phase of the process. 2. Test Procedure. a. All competitive testing will be based upon the requirements of Omaha Municipal Code (Chapter 23) and the current collective bargaining agreement. It may consist of: (1) A practical validated and job-related written test designed to measure the candidate's job knowledge of the position for which they have applied. (2) Assessment process to measure candidate attributes, characteristics, qualities, skills, knowledge, and abilities relating to the position described  in the Job Task Analysis to identify each candidate's promotional potential. (3) An interview with the hiring manager, or his/her designee, for assessing the suitability of the candidate to serve in the rank being tested. b. The questions used in the testing process will be job-related and non- discriminatory. c. The written phase scores, assessment phase scores, and/or any other related scores will be tabulated by the City Human Resources Department, with the scores formulated and arranged numerically. The City Human Resources Department will prepare an eligibility list which lists the candidates and their rank based on numerical listing of the candidates’ scores. d. The City Human Resources Director will be responsible for the maintenance and security of all records pertinent to examination records and the validation of the testing process. C. Promotion 1. When a vacancy for a specific promotional position occurs, the City Human Resources Director will refer a list of candidates from the eligibility list to the Chief of Police or their designee for interview and consideration. 2. All ties in the final score will be placed on the eligibility list as sharing the same rank. (a) In making appointments to a promotional position from the list provided by the City Human Resources Department, the Chief of Police must select a person from the list referred by the City of Omaha Human Resources Director. However, the Chief of Police can reject a candidate from the list provided and request an additional candidate if they provide a job-related reason and justification in a written request to the Human Resources Director. 3. The City Human Resources Department will establish an eligibility list for those candidates who received a passing score on all phases of the process. (a) This list of eligible candidates will be maintained for one (1) year from the date of establishment of such list. These lists may be extended by the City of Omaha Personnel Board for a period of up to one year. 4. Either three (3) months or six (6) months of service (depends on the employee’s collective bargaining agreements (CBA) in the position to which the employee has been promoted will constitute a probationary period. The Chief of Police, with the approval of the Director of the City Human Resources Department, may extend the probationary period for no more than an additional six months. IV. Re-Testing and Appeals A. Candidates who fail any portion of the promotional process will be disqualified from competing further in that promotional process. B. The candidate may re-apply for the next promotional process provided they meet the established requirements for the position to which they have applied. C. Requests to review or appeal any part of the testing process will be made in accordance with the Omaha Municipal Code and the current collective bargaining agreement. V. Exceptions  A. At all times, Chapter 23 of the Omaha Municipal Code and the current collective bargaining agreement, settlement agreements, and/or consent decrees will govern and supersede any policy, rule, or other requirement established in this General Order. REFERENCES: I. Laws A. City of Omaha Municipal Code: Chapter 23. II. Previous OPD Orders A. Previous General Orders:: #78-00, 35-12, 79-17, and 50-20. III. Accreditation Standards A. Relevant CALEA Accreditation Standards include: 34.1.1, 34.1.2, 34.1.3, 34.1.4, 34.1.5, and 34.1.6. IV. Other A. Collective Bargaining Agreements: Omaha Police Officers’ Association (OPOA). B. PPM Monthly Updates: #10-2021.