SPECIAL LEGISLATION/POLICE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING CIVIL SERVICE EXEMPTION FROM CIVIL SERVICE

To see if the Town will vote to authorize and request the Select Board to petition the Massachusetts General Court to exempt the Town of Arlington from provisions of M.G.L. c. 31 as they concern the recruitment and hiring of full-time permanent police officers; provided, that the Legislature may reasonably vary the form and substance of the requested legislation within the scope of the general public objectives of the petition; or take any other action relative thereto.

(Inserted at the request of the Town Manager)

(4 – 0) 

Mr. Helmuth recused himself.

The Select Board moves positive action on this article.

That the Town does hereby request and authorize the Select Board to file Home Rule Legislation to provide substantially as follows:

“AN ACT ALLOWING ‘EXEMPTING THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON FROM THE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 31 OF THE GENERAL LAWS AS THEY CONCERN THE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING OF FULL-TIME PERMANENT POLICE OFFICERS”

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law or rule to the contrary, the Town of Arlington shall be exempt from chapter 31 of the General Laws concerning the recruiting and hiring for the position of permanent full-time police officer; furthermore, following: (1) an original appointment as a permanent full-time police officer and graduation from a police academy, or (2) a permanent full-time position transfer from another police department, said police officer shall engage in the actual performance of the duties of such position for a probationary period of twelve (12) months; whereupon after completion of the probationary period, or extended probationary period, the police officer shall be considered a full-time tenured civil service employee in said position under chapter 31 of the General Laws.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Select Board Report - Special Town Meeting

Slides submitted by Town Manager and Chief Flaherty