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Moraine Merit System Commission keeps lateral police hiring open, approves ad
Summary
The Merit System Commission voted to keep the lateral-entry police recruitment period open and discussed launching simultaneous entry-level and cadet recruitment using scored interviews; a separate motion to accept the advertisement was raised but not recorded in the excerpt.
The Moraine Merit System Commission voted to keep the lateral-entry police recruitment period open and discussed running simultaneous entry-level and cadet recruitment, the commission heard at its Jan. 17, 2020 meeting.
Commission members approved a motion to leave the lateral entry application period open after the police chief reported limited success with the recent lateral-only process. The chief told commissioners the department received nine total applicants in the last recruitment and “the vast majority do not meet qualifications.”
The discussion centered on broadening recruitment options. The chief recommended maintaining the open lateral process while launching an entry-level exam and a cadet recruitment because several police academies were beginning classes in the coming weeks and “lots of…kids that are still looking for jobs.” The commission discussed using the same scored interview method for cadets and entry-level applicants instead of an in-house written test. “We have an in house canned written test that we could use. It just seems like a waste of time,” the chief said, adding the department’s current practice is a scored interview for lateral and entry-level hires.
The chief also clarified minimum training expectations and incentives. Full-time police officer applicants do not have to already hold OPATA certification to apply; the department will award bonus points to applicants with OPATA, military service or a college degree. For applicants who lack OPATA, the chief said the department would send them to the next available academy and “they would just let them stay and start paying them a salary while they’re there.” He said employees who fail an academy a second time would likely have their employment ended.
Commissioners asked procedural questions about running three simultaneous advertisements (lateral, entry-level and cadet) and about salary details for cadets and full-time officers. The chief said the cadet advertisement would follow the same “open until filled” format and noted that the prior cadet process produced only two applications. During the meeting the commission moved to keep the lateral-entry application period open; a subsequent motion to accept the advertisement was made but no vote on that motion is recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.
The commission’s discussion included implementation details for testing and selection: the department will use scored interviews for cadets and officers, maintain the lateral recruitment slot(s) while opening entry-level lists, and place successful candidates in academies as available. Commissioners indicated readiness to proceed but did not record final hiring counts or firm start dates in the excerpt.
Next steps recorded in the meeting excerpt: the lateral-entry application period will remain open and staff will proceed with advertising entry-level and cadet positions with scored interviews; additional details and formal adoption of the advertisement wording were discussed but not fully recorded in the provided transcript segment.
