HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-R-1 STATE OF INDIANA
BEFORE THE CITY OF JEFFERSONVILLE POLICE MERIT COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. 2016-01
A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING AN
AMENDMENT TO RESOLUTION NO. 2008-R-30,
ENTITLED A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING MERIT
BOARD FOR THE JEFFERSONVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
(S AMENDED B Y RESOL UTION NO. 2009-R-017. & ORDINANCE NO. 2011-OR-44)
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-4-6-2, the city of Jeffersonville Common
Council (hereinafter the "Council"), is the legislative body of Jeffersonville City government;
and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-2-2, the City of Jeffersonville has established,
maintains, and operates a police and law enforcement system to preserve public peace and order
and provides facilities and equipment for that system (hereinafter collectively referred to as the
"Department"); and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-3, the Council adopted Resolution No.
2008-R-30 (as amended by Resolution No. 2009-R-17, as amended Ordinance No. 2011-OR-44,
An Ordinance Reaffirming the Authority of the City f Jeffersonville Police Merit Commission);
and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-10, the duly appointed City of
Jeffersonville Police Merit Commission (hereinafter the "Commission") adopted the City of
Jeffersonville Police Merit Commission Rules and Procedures (as amended from time-to-time by
the Commission, pursuant to amendment procedures set forth in the City of Jeffersonville Police
Merit Commission Rules and Procedures)(hereinafter the "Rules"); and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-12 and Rule & Procedures Nos. 1 & 2, the
Commission is responsible for the establishment of an applicant eligibility list for new hires as
member vacancies become available within the Department; and,
WHEREAS, the Commission continues to work in conjunction with the Department
administration, to efficiently, and in a cost-effective manner, administer the Rules in hiring new
members to the Department; and,
WHEREAS, due to recent human-resource shortages resulting from vacancies within the
Department, the Department administration has requested the Commission re-evaluate the hiring
procedure, in order to provide a mechanism for the hiring of experienced officers, who can be
placed on the street in a shorter time-frame than the new recruit, in the event of such vacancies;
and,
WHEREAS, the Commission lacks statutory authority to create a separate hiring
procedure, absent an amendment or addition to the merit system by ordinance of the Council,
pursuant to the provisions of Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-1(f), which provides as follows:
(f) This chapter does not prevent a township or other unit that has
adopted a merit system under section 3 of this chapter from later
amending or deleting any provisions of the merit system contained
in this chapter. However, the merit system must include a
provision under which the commission has at least one-third (1/3)
of its members elected by the active members of the department, as
set forth in section 8 of this chapter and a provision that
incorporates the requirements of section 6(a) of this chapter. This
subsection does not require the legislative body to establish a new
merit system when it exercises its power to amend under this
subsection.
WHEREAS, in consideration of the time and expense of training new recruits when
member vacancies occur within the Department, and the resultant risk to community safety in the
absence of adequate human resources available for assignment to duties within the Department,
the Commission has determined that the creation and use of an "Experienced Officer List," to be
utilized in the event of vacancies within the Department, will provide for adequate human
resources in the event of such vacancies; and,
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as follows:
The Commission hereby recommends that the Merit System, and all enabling resolutions
and/or ordinances, be amended and/or added to, in order to authorize the Commission to create
and use an Experienced Officer List, separate and apart from the Applicant Eligibility List
currently authorized pursuant to Ind. Code § 36-8-3.5-12, Resolution No. 2008-R-30 (as
amended by Resolution No. 2009-R-17, and Ordinance No. 2011-OR-44), and the City of
Jeffersonville Police Merit Commission Rules and Procedures (hereinafter the "Rules")), in the
event of vacancy of a member(s) of the Department.
L&CVr_n&L)SO RESOLVED THIS .3 DAYOF ,2016.
MEMBERS VOTING "YEA": MEMBERS VOTING "NAY":
Jere n lling, Preside T/ Jeremy Snelling, President
Robert Campbell, Vice-President Robert Campbell, Vice-President
Sco ldridge, T easurer Scott Aldridge, Treasurer
Bonnie Deppert, Secretary Bonnie Deppert, Secretary
J es Reagan, Member James Reagan, Member