The Dartmouth Police department has seen a number of retirements and there are more on the horizon. Chief Pacheco had introduced a plan to revamp the present structure of the department to the legislature for approval. That approval was received last year and was needed because the police department falls under the civil service act. The new structure will have a Police Chief, Deputy Police Chief, Operations Captain, shift lieutenants, shift sargeants and patrolmen. The Chief and Deputy Chief would be non civil service positions. I think that the Chief's plan is the most effective way to staff the department.
One of our two captains has already retired and the other has given notice of his retirement. A lieutenant has also retired. Chief Pacheco himself has indicated that he will retire in the next year or two.
As a result of the recent and pending retirements, ...
...the Select Board has called for the civil service list for promotion to sargeant, lieutenant and captain. In addition to the civil service test scores, the town passed a bylaw in Fall 2008 that requires a number of years of service in the Dartmouth Police department for promotion. (Article 5 at this link)
Under our charter, the Select Board are the police commissioners and are thereby responsible for appointments in the department in accordance with the civil service and town bylaws. I expect the Select Board to take up the matter of police promotions in the very near future.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Police department retirements and promotions
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8 comments:
Wasn't that memo on the Captain's retirement marked confidential?
Never got a memo. Emails yes, memo, no.
Why would the Captain's pending retirement be confidential? he is a public official and is REQUIRED to provide his retirement intentions to the retirement board
public retirements are public record. I assume just another individual looking to make something out of nothing.
I think the chief's idea of re-structuring is fine. However the chief has made it public he is retiring, so would it be better to let him retire and let the new chief decide if they want this same plan to be established? I think the chief and his staff have done a great job with less $$. I wish all the retirees the best and look forward to some new changes and new faces in supervisory roles.
which is public record. ... Anyways..
Bill
As it relates to article 5, I'm unable to locate the information. Can you post the article language?? What is this article or purpose for having it?
ARTICLE 5: PROMOTION IN POLICE DEPARTMENT
To see if the Town will vote to petition the General Court for a Special Act relative to Police Promotional Examinations, to read as follows:
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE TOWN OF DARTMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS.
Notwithstanding G.L. Chapter 31 and other statutes and Special Acts to the contrary, the appointment authority of the Town of Dartmouth Police Department may make a police promotional appointment within a departmental unit on the basis of a police departmental promotional exam:
a. For promotion to title of Police Sergeant: There shall be no such promotional examination until there are at least two certified permanent employees who have been employed in the Town of Dartmouth Police Department for at least three (3) years of certified full-time permanent police employment immediately preceding the date of the examination in a title equal to that of which the position for which the examination is to be held or the next lower title, as determined by the Administrator, as certified permanent full time police officers.
Persons referred to in this section as being permanent employees in the lowest or lower title shall include only full-time members of the regular police force and shall not include members of the reserve or intermittent police force.
b. For promotion to any title above Police Sergeant: The examination shall only be open to employees who have been employed by the Town of Dartmouth Police Department for at least (5) five years of certified full-time permanent police employment immediately preceding the date of the promotional examination in a title equal to that of which the position for which the examination is to be held or the next lower titles, as determined by the administrator, as a police sergeant, including service in an acting capacity in the title being examined or higher title, and including any credited full-time service as a police officer in another department.
Except that if the number of applicants eligible is less than two, the examination shall be opened to permanent full-time certified police employees in the next lower titles in succession within the police department
until either two such eligible employees have applied for examination or until such examination is open to all certified permanent employees in lower titles within the Dartmouth Police Department.
The Legislature is authorized to modify or make technical corrections consistent with the intent and purpose of this proposal.
This Act shall be in effect upon enactment.
I looked at the legislature's site but was unable to determine of this act has been passed
Thanks for the info....you'll get my vote in 2011
not mine.
Bill,
I'm not a legal beagle, but in my opinion, the wording in article 5 indicates that a police officer who is of a higher rank then patrolman, must be of the position of higher rank for a period of five years, before he/she can qualify to take an exam for a position of higher rank.
If this is the case, a patrolman must have three full time certified years to become legible to take the exam for sergeant, and five years as a sergeant before taking the exam for lieutenant/and five additional years as a lieutenant, before taking the exam for captain.
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