ADDRESS: 303 COURT STREET
P.O. BOX 792
COVINGTON, KY 41011

PHONE: 859-392-1400

FAX: 859-392-1412

STAFF CONTACT:

THE KENTON COUNTY POLICE MERIT BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE PROMULGATION OF RULES AND ALL MATTERS REGARDING DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL AS DEFINED IN KRS 78.440 AND KRS 78.450.

KRS 78.440 BOARD TO PROMULGATE RULES GOVERNING CERTAIN SUBJECTS; PUBLICATIONS; QUALIFICATIONS; REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMOTION

(1) EVERY COUNTY POLICE FORCE MERIT SYSTEM BOARD CREATED HEREUNDER SHALL MAKE, PROMULGATE, AND WHEN NECESSARY, AMEND RULES FOR THE QUALIFICATIONS, ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT, PROBATION, PROMOTION, DEMOTION, TRANSFER, LAYOFF, REINSTATEMENT, SUSPENSION, FINE, AND REMOVAL OF THE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES COVERED BY KRS 78.400 TO 78.460. NO RULE OR REGULATION MADE, PROMULGATED, OR AMENDED BY ANY COUNTY POLICE FORCE MERIT SYSTEM BOARD SHALL BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE EXPRESS PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER. THE BOARD SHALL PUBLISH ITS RULES AND ANY AMENDMENTS BY SUPPLYING A CERTIFIED COPY TO THE COUNTY JUDGE/EXECUTIVE, THE FISCAL COURT, AND THE CHIEF, AND BY POSTING A COPY CONSPICUOUSLY IN THE OFFICE OR PLACE WHERE THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE COUNTY POLICE IS MAINTAINED. THE RULES AND AMENDMENTS SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED WITHIN THREE (3) DAYS AFTER THE ADOPTION THEREOF.

(2) THE RULES IN ADDITION TO OTHER MATTERS SHALL SPECIFICALLY PROVIDE FOR AND COVER THE FOLLOWING:

(a) 1. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EDUCATIONAL, CITIZENSHIP, AND AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW EMPLOYEES AND OFFICERS.

2, PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EDUCATIONAL, CITIZENSHIP, AND AGE

REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW EMPLOYEES AND OFFICERS AND SENIORITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMOTION FROM LOWER TO HIGHER RANK OR CLASSIFICATION.

3. A GRADE A PATROLMAN SHALL HAVE THREE (3) YEARS OF SERVICE AS A GRADE A PATROLMAN BEFORE HE MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROMOTION TO THE RANK OF SERGEANT. IF THERE ARE FEWER THAN FIFTY (50) POLICE OFFICERS ON THE POLICE FORCE, THE MERIT BOARD MAY WAIVE THIS SERVICE REQUIREMENT.

(b) 1. OPEN COMPETITIVE WRITTEN, ORAL AND PHYSICAL TESTS TO DETERMINE THE RELATIVE FITNESS OF ALL CANDIDATES AND EXAMINATIONS FOR ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT AND FOR PROMOTION.

2. PUBLIC NOTICES OF EXAMINATIONS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH 1 OF PARAGRAPH (b) SUBPARAGRAPH 2 OF PARAGRAPH (a) OF THIS SUBSECTION.

(c) TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

(d) ORGANIZATION AND MEETINGS OF THE BOARD.

(e) PROCEDURE AND CONDUCT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.

(3) NO COUNTY POLICE FORCE MERIT SYSTEM BOARD SHALL ADOPT A RULE REQUIRING THE RETIREMENT OF OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH FOLLOWING THE OFFICER OR EMPLOYEES'S FIFTY-EIGHTH BIRTHDAY. THIS SUBSECTION SHALL NOT PROHIBIT RETIREMENT PRIOR TO AGE FIFTY-EIGHT (58) ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.

(4) THE BOARD SHALL EMPLOY A CHIEF EXAMINER WHO SHALL BE PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED IN THE FIELD OF TESTING AND WHO SHALL FORMULATE, GIVE, GRADE, AND ADMINISTER ALL WRITTEN TESTS AS REQUIRED BY THE BOARD. THE CHIEF EXAMINER SHALL REPORT TO THE BOARD THE RESULTS OF ALL TESTS GIVEN BY HIM AND HE SHALL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE TO THE BOARD. THE CHIEF EXAMINER SHALL SELECT A PANEL OF THREE (3) MEMBERS TO CONDUCT AN ORAL EXAMINATION OF THE APPLICANTS FOR PROMOTION. THE PANEL SHALL CONSIT OF THREE (3) PERSONS OF A SUPERVISORY CAPACITY FROM AN OUTSIDE AGENCY OR AGENCIES IN THE SAME FIELD AND OF THE SAME RANK TO WHICH THE APPLICANT IS ASPIRING. THE CHIEF EXAMINER SHALL COMPILE THE GRADES OF ALL APPLICANTS IN STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH PROCEDURES AND PERCENTAGES AS SET OUT BELOW AND SHALL DELIVER, IN A SEALED ENVELOPE, THE SCORES OF ALL APPLICANTS FOR PROMOTION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. THE CHIEF EXAMINER SHALL NOT REVEAL TO ANYONE THE RESULTS OF SAID TESTS OTHER THAN IN THE MANNER

SET FORTH HEREIN. IF THERE ARE FEWER THAN FIFTY (50) APPLICANTS FOR TESTING, THE MERIT BOARD MAY WAIVE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBSECTION AND SUBSTITUTE OTHER APPROPRIATE TESTING METHODS AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD, BUT NO TESTING METHOD OR THE GRADING SHALL DEPART FROM OR BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROCEDURES AND PERCENTAGES SET OUT BELOW WHICH SHALL BE STRICTLY FOLLOWED IN DETERMINING AN APPLICANT'S ELIGIBILITY FOR PROMOTION.

(5) PHYSICAL FITNESS FOR PROMOTION SHALL BE PRESUMED UNLESS CERTIFIED TO THE CONTRARY BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE WHO SHALL SUPPLY THE BOARD WITH MEDICAL RECORDS OF THE DISABILITY.

(6) AT LEAST NINETY (90) DAYS' NOTICE SHALL BE GIVEN BEFORE THE PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION IS CONDUCTED.

(7) THE GRADING OF PROMOTIONAL TESTS SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS: SIXTY PERCENT (60%) FOR WRITTEN EXAMINATION; THIRTY PERCENT (30%) FOR ORAL EXAMINATION; ONE PERCENT (1%) FOR EACH YEAR IN SENIORITY IN GRADE, NOT TO EXCEED TEN PERCENT (10%). SENIORITY POINTS SHALL BE AWARDED FOR EACH YEAR OF SERVICE AFTER FIVE (5) FULL YEARS OF SERVICE. THE RESULTS OF THE WRITTEN AND ORAL EXAMINATIONS SHALL BE ADDED TO THE SENIORITY POINTS AVAILABLE TO EACH APPLICANT IN DETERMINING THE APPLICANT'S FINAL EVALUATED RATING.

78.450 DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY THE BOARD

THE BOARD SHALL ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMOVE, REDUCE, SUSPEND, LAY OFF, FINE OR DISCIPLINE ANY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS HEREOF ON WRITTEN CHARGES OF MISCONDUCT PREFERRED ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE OR THE INITIATIVE OF ANY CITIZEN, BUT ONLY AFTER REASONABLE NOTICE TO THE ACCUSED AND AFTER A COMPLETE PUBLIC HEARING AT WHICH THE OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE ACCUSED SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PRESENT AND REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL AND CONFRONTED BY ALL OF THE WITNESSES PREFERRING THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.

EVERY SUCH EMPLOYEE OR OFFICER SHALL BE GIVEN THE RIGHT WITHIN TEN (10) DAYS AFTER CHARGES ARE INITIATED BY THE BOARD OR A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING PRESCRIBED HEREIN, TO FILE WRITTEN ANSWER TO THE CHARGES PREFERRED AGAINST HIM.

(2) AFTER FULL PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD, THE BOARD MAY RETIRE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE EVIDENCE

INTRODUCED AT THE HEARING AND TO MAKE ITS DETERMINATION AND CONCLUSION. IN NO CASE SHALL THE BOARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION RECEIVE ANY FURTHER EVIDENCE OR COMMUNICATION FROM ANY SOURCE WHATSOEVER PRIOR TO REACHING ITS DETERMINATION AND CONCLUSION.

(3) BEFORE THE BOARD SHALL REMOVE, REDUCE, SUSPEND, LAY OFF, FINE OR DISCIPLINE ANY OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS HEREOF, THE CHARGES AGAINST SAID OFFICER MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE OFFICER IN WRITING AND SHALL BE SPECIFIC AS TO THE NATURE OF THE CHARGE OR CHARGES, GIVING SPECIFIC, DETAILED INFORMATION SO AS TO ALLOW SAID OFFICER TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY DEFEND HIMSELF.

MEETING DAY AND TIME:

MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 4:30 P.M.

ONE DINNER MEETING IS HELD QUARTERLY USUALLY ON THURSDAY EVENINGS AT A LOCATION DETERMINED AT THE PREVIOUS MERIT BOARD MEETING.

MEETING LOCATION:
KENTON COUNTY FISCAL COURT OFFICE
303 COURT STREET
COVINGTON, KY 41011

BENEFITS RECEIVED BY MEMBERS: NONE

LENGTH OF TERM: 4 YEARS  NOT MORE THAN TWO (2) MEMBERS SHALL BE ADHERENTS OF THE SAME POLITICAL PARTY.

MEMBERS:

Member	Term Start	Term End
RAYMOND LAPE	4/8/2008	3/21/2009
JOYCE WEHNER	3/21/2006	3/21/2010
WESLEY WILLIAMS	3/21/2008	3/21/2012
BOB DICKMAN	3/21/2006	3/21/2010