Ohio bill would let police chiefs hire lateral transfers without civil service exam and expand localized chief training

House Bill 44 would let municipal police chiefs directly appoint experienced lateral transfers without requiring a civil service competitive exam if the department shows the competitive element is unnecessary and the applicant demonstrates exceptional qualifications, sponsors told the Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee.

The bill’s sponsors said the change would align statutory cities with charter cities that can already hire qualified officers immediately and would allow chiefs to run training schools for cadets aligned to Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy standards. "This bill aligns the same opportunity for statutory cities as charter cities in hiring law enforcement," a sponsor said during testimony. The sponsors added the measure is permissive: a department "may" hire a cadet upon completion of an approved training school, not required to do so.

Supporters told the committee they retained civil service protections against nepotism and favoritism for other hires but argued the process can be impractical for lateral transfers because of delays in posting positions, scheduling tests and waiting for results. The sponsors said the change would let trained officers begin work more quickly, "avoid excess time and money" and improve workforce flexibility.

The bill also would allow the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission to approve regional training facilities to offer localized new-chief trainings and authorize the commission to provide peace officer courses for officers at the rank of sergeant. An amendment cited in testimony sets an eight-hour maximum exemption for a newly appointed chief who submits evidence of prior training in exempted topics and defined "newly appointed chief" as someone who has never previously held the full-time position.

Sponsors said the measure had previously passed the House and had received unanimous committee votes in that chamber, and they asked the Senate committee for consideration. During questioning, senators asked whether the bill had support from law enforcement organizations; sponsors responded that the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Buckeye sheriffs and the attorney general were supportive after language limiting the provision to lateral transfers and protecting supervisory testing processes.

No formal action was taken at the hearing; the testimony session concluded without a committee vote on this item.

Background: witnesses said the bill has been amended to expand regional trainings and to add provisions affecting chief training requirements. The testimony noted the change is permissive in multiple respects and that the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission would establish the details of academy-aligned training and cadet qualifications.

Next steps: the bill will remain pending with the committee. Sponsors said they would answer follow-up questions from members and work with agencies on implementation details.