Recruitment

“The mission of the Chester Police Department is to work in cooperative partnership with the community to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life for all the citizens.”

Adopted: October 15, 2008

Ryan Coffey, Chief of Police

Testing / Application Process

The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners Act requires that applicants for original appointment compete for positions and that they be ranked and placed on an eligibility list in order of their relative excellence as determined by examination. The Act also requires that the examinations given be practical in character and relate to those matters which will fairly test the capacity of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the positions to which they seek appointment. Since most Boards weigh the written examination quite heavily, an individual’s placement on an Eligibility List, as a practical matter, most frequently is directly related to how well that individual performs on the written examination.

Testing is the most important and challenging area for all Boards of Fire and Police Commissioners. Boards must determine what examinations will be given, the sequence in which the examinations will be given and which consultants and/or testing agencies the Board should employ to assist in the testing process.

Section 5/10-2.1-13 of the Act establishes the first step in the process and requires that the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners publish a Notice, at least two weeks preceding the first examination, of the time and place of the examination in a newspaper which is published within the municipality. Many municipalities, like Chester’s Commission, publish a Notice of their pending examinations and employment opportunities in newspapers with a circulation which reaches far beyond the local municipal boundaries.

As part of the examination process, candidates for the original appointment are required to attend a mandatory orientation program. The orientation is made mandatory for several reasons. First, and foremost, the orientation program will provide valuable information to the candidates with respect to the functions and responsibilities of the office they see, with respect to the salary and benefits they might receive as members of the Chester Police or Fire Departments, with respect to the impact their appointment may have on their personal and family lives and with respect to the information related to the municipality they will be serving. Secondly, by making the orientation mandatory it helps the screening process in that it will eliminate those candidates who lack the initiative to attend.

Probationary Period

Section 5/10-2.1-15 specifically provides that original appointments to the positions of police officer and firefighter shall be on a probationary basis. The Civil Service Act limits probationary periods to six months, not including time spent attending training schools and seminars. The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners Act does not impose a time limitation on the probationary period governing new police officers. The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners Act does limit the probationary period of firefighters to twelve (12) months unless the firefighter’s responsibilities include paramedic duties in which case the statutory probationary time limit does not apply. The probationary authority and limitations found in the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners Act are also applicable to full-time firefighters employed by a Fire Protection District.

It is important that the employing departments carefully monitor and evaluate the performance of new employees during their probationary period. Case law has consistently held that new employees are not entitled to a hearing prior to termination until after they have successfully completed the probationary period. The purpose of a probationary period is to confirm that the applicant can, in fact, do the job. While the candidate may have performed adequately and scored well on the various screening tests, the true test of the individuals ability is how well and consistently that individual performs over time. If it becomes apparent that a new employee is not performing well and is not well suited for the position, the Chief of the Department should request that the Board terminate the employment of the employee prior to the end of the probationary period and save the municipality the expense of a hearing and sometimes costly litigation. It is the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, which has the authority to hire the employee, that makes the decision to terminate the probationary employee, not the Chief of the Department or other municipal administrative officer or employee (Illinois Fire and Police Commissioners’ Manual)

Examination Process – Promotional

Sections 5/10-2.1 –4 and 5/10-2.1-15 of the Board of Fire Police Commissioners Act provides that, where if is practicable, that vacancies in the higher ranks of the police and fire department be filled by promotion from the rank next below that to which the appointment is made. Appointment to the chief of a department is an exception to the rule and may be made from among the members of the police and fire departments, respectively, without regard to rank. Commissioners, are reminded, that the vast majority of Illinois municipalities, by adoption of an appropriate ordinance, permit the municipal manager, not the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, to make the appointment to the position of Chief of the police or fire department (Illinois Fire and Police Commissioners’ Manual).

Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy

Probationary Officers that are not academy graduates are required to attend the fulltime police academy. The Chester Police Department uses the Police Academy located at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois.

Learn more about Southern Western Police Academy.

Go to:

www.southwesternpoliceacademy.com

Be sure to review Southwestern’s new Intern Training Program.

Field Training Program (FTO)

The Chester Police Department sets standards early with probationary police officers by having the highest expectations of them and for them. Our philosophy is that you get back what you put in, and that’s why we invest a great deal in to our Field Training Program (FTO).

The purpose of this instructional process is to equip the Probationary Officer with the tools to serve as a professional and competent police officer and to have a clear understanding of the vast and wide-ranging functions of the law enforcement profession. The aim of this training process is to provide feedback, but it also utilizes other benefits, like eliciting feedback. This program successfully generates questions and consciously matches the Probationary Officer’s style to departmental procedures.

This program is based on 3 concepts:

1)      To help the Probationary Officer see the world through the eyes of a law enforcement officer.

2)      To assist the Probationary Officer in analyzing each situation and determining what is ordinary and what is out of the ordinary; and

3)      To help mold the officers’ ability to use discretion in a proper manner and in-line with the philosophy of the Department and law enforcement in general.

A properly administered Field Training and Evaluation Program insures that the employer has sufficient opportunity to observe and certify that the Probationer has the essential job-related knowledge and skills to certify for solo patrol responsibilities.

~ Specialty Assignments ~

Randolph County Municipal Task Force

We currently have Chester Police Department staff actively involved in this multi-jurisdictional group. Officers showing a genuine interest in investigations, specifically drug enforcement, may consider this as an area of focus. Officers interested in this type of assignment may make a written request to the Chief of Police articulating their desire to join this group. In this request the officer must articulate what they can offer the group and may site past employment performance as evidence of this desire. If the Chief of Police chooses to do so, the Chief of Police could submit a request to the administration of the task force for consideration for membership.

Weapons of Mass-destruction Special Response Team

(Region 9 & 11)

Mission Statement

“To immediately respond to a weapons of mass-destruction incident anywhere in the State or other area approved by the Director of the Emergency Management Agency, and to provide all avenues of support to the local incident commander, the State Weapons of Mass-Destruction Team, and the appropriate Federal agencies responsible for the mitigation and investigation of such incident.”

The ILEAS Weapons of Mass-Destruction Special Response Teams (WMD-SRT) were formed to provide a local tactical capable of response to situations where hazardous materials and a human threat exists at the same time and place. SRT’s are composed of trained and experienced SWAT officers who are equipped by ILEAS with the best protective equipment available. They are made up of Officers from local police departments and sheriffs’ offices strategically located throughout Illinois.

(Information taken from the ILEAS website)

The Chester Police Department currently has one police officer assigned to this team, with plans to expand membership in the near future.