§ 78-37. Seniority pay for newly hired police officers.

(a)

Police officers hired after March 9, 2015, who possess full-time paid law enforcement experience will be placed on the City of Palestine's Police Department Step Plan Pay Scale based on the following formula:

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Officers with full-time paid experience with any state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency in the United States that has 15 or more full-time paid officers shall be deemed to have one year of seniority with the Palestine Police Department for each year served with that agency.

•

Officers with prior full-time paid experience with any state, county or municipal law enforcement agency in the United States that has 14 or fewer full-time paid officers shall be deemed to have one-half year's seniority for each year served with that agency.

(b)

Officers hired under the provisions of this section are eligible for placement on their hire date in the step pay system according to seniority calculated under subsection (a), and are eligible for any available step pay system increases after two years of continuous employment.

(c)

Officers hired under the provisions of this section will serve a one-year probationary period. However, the compensation paid to officers will be as provided in subsection (b) of this section during the probationary period.

(d)

The effective date of this section is March 9, 2015, and will be effective until repealed by the city council.

(Ord. No. O-08-15 , §§ I—IV, 3-9-2015)