Policy
1000
Alameda Police Department
Alameda Police Department Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/01/13, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Alameda Police Department ***DRAFT*** Recruitment and Selection - 1 Recruitment and Selection
1000.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The employment policy of the City of Alameda shall provide equal opportunities for applicants and its employees regardless of race, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental handicap, marital status, military or veteran status, or sex, and shall not show partiality or grant any special favors to any applicant, employee or group of employees. The rules governing employment practices for this department are maintained by the Alameda Department of Human Resources.
1000.2 POLICY
In accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law, the Alameda Police Department provides equal opportunities for applicants and employees regardless of actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and any other classification or status protected by law. The [Department/Office] does not show partiality or grant any special status to any applicant, employee, or group of employees unless otherwise required by law.
The [Department/Office] will recruit and hire only those individuals who demonstrate a commitment to service and who possess the traits and characteristics that reflect personal integrity and high ethical standards.
1000.3 RECRUITMENT
The Services Bureau Commander should employ a comprehensive recruitment and selection strategy to recruit and select employees from a qualified and diverse pool of candidates.
The strategy should include:
(a) Identification of racially and culturally diverse target markets. (b) Use of marketing strategies to target diverse applicant pools. (c) Expanded use of technology and maintenance of a strong internet presence. This may include an interactive [department/office] website and the use of [department/office]- managed social networking sites, if resources permit.
(d) Expanded outreach through partnerships with media, community groups, citizen academies, local colleges, universities, and the military. (e) Employee referral and recruitment incentive programs. (f) Consideration of shared or collaborative regional testing processes.
The Services Bureau Commander shall avoid advertising, recruiting and screening practices that tend to stereotype, focus on homogeneous applicant pools or screen applicants in a discriminatory manner.
Alameda Police Department
Alameda Police Department Policy Manual
Recruitment and Selection
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/01/13, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Alameda Police Department ***DRAFT*** Recruitment and Selection - 2 The [Department/Office] should strive to facilitate and expedite the screening and testing process, and should periodically inform each candidate of his/her status in the recruiting process. 1000.4 SELECTION PROCESS
The [Department/Office] shall actively strive to identify a diverse group of candidates who have in some manner distinguished themselves as being outstanding prospects. Minimally, the [Department/Office] should employ a comprehensive screening, background investigation, and selection process that assesses cognitive and physical abilities and includes review and verification of the following:
(a) A comprehensive application for employment (including previous employment, references, current and prior addresses, education, military record)
1. The personnel records of any applicant with prior peace officer experience in this state shall be requested from the appropriate law enforcement agency and reviewed prior to extending an offer of employment (Penal Code § 832.12).
2. This includes review of prior law enforcement employment information maintained by POST (Penal Code § 13510.9).
(b) Driving record
(c) Reference checks
(d) Employment eligibility, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 and acceptable identity and employment authorization documents consistent with Labor Code § 1019.1. This required documentation should not be requested until a candidate is hired. This does not prohibit obtaining documents required for other purposes. (e) Information obtained from public internet sites
(f) Financial history consistent with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) (15 USC § 1681 et seq.)
(g) Local, state, and federal criminal history record checks (h) Lie detector test (when legally permissible) (Labor Code § 432.2) (i) Medical and psychological examination (may only be given after a conditional offer of employment)
(j) Review board or selection committee assessment
1000.4.1 VETERAN’S PREFERENCE
Qualifying veterans of the United States Armed Forces who receive a passing score on an entrance examination shall be ranked in the top rank of any resulting eligibility list. The veteran’s preference shall also apply to a widow or widower of a veteran or a spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran (Government Code § 18973.1).
Alameda Police Department
Alameda Police Department Policy Manual
Recruitment and Selection
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/01/13, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Alameda Police Department ***DRAFT*** Recruitment and Selection - 3 1000.5 BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION
Every candidate shall undergo a thorough background investigation to verify his/her personal integrity and high ethical standards, and to identify any past behavior that may be indicative of the candidate’s unsuitability to perform duties relevant to the operation of the Alameda Police Department (11 CCR 1953).
The narrative report and any other relevant background information shall be shared with the psychological evaluator. Information shall also be shared with others involved in the hiring process if it is relevant to their respective evaluations (11 CCR 1953). 1000.5.1 NOTICES
Background investigators shall ensure that investigations are conducted and notices provided in accordance with the requirements of the FCRA and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (15 USC § 1681d; Civil Code § 1786.16). 1000.5.2 STATE NOTICES
If information disclosed in a candidate’s criminal offender record information (CORI) is the basis for an adverse employment decision, a copy of the CORI shall be provided to the applicant (Penal Code § 11105).
1000.5.3 REVIEW OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
Due to the potential for accessing unsubstantiated, private, or protected information, the Services Bureau Commander shall not require candidates to provide passwords, account information, or access to password-protected social media accounts (Labor Code § 980).
The Services Bureau Commander should consider utilizing the services of an appropriately trained and experienced third party to conduct open source, internet-based searches, and/or review information from social media sites to ensure that:
(a) The legal rights of candidates are protected.
(b) Material and information to be considered are verified, accurate, and validated. (c) The [Department/Office] fully complies with applicable privacy protections and local, state, and federal law.
Regardless of whether a third party is used, the Services Bureau Commander should ensure that potentially impermissible information is not available to any person involved in the candidate selection process.
1000.5.4 DOCUMENTING AND REPORTING
The background investigator shall summarize the results of the background investigation in a narrative report that includes sufficient information to allow the reviewing authority to decide whether to extend a conditional offer of employment. The report shall not include any information that is prohibited from use, including that from social media sites, in making employment decisions.
The report and all supporting documentation shall be included in the candidate’s background investigation file (11 CCR 1953).
Alameda Police Department
Alameda Police Department Policy Manual
Recruitment and Selection
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/01/13, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Alameda Police Department ***DRAFT*** Recruitment and Selection - 4 1000.5.5 RECORDS RETENTION
The background report and all supporting documentation shall be maintained for a minimum of two four years and in accordance with the established records retention schedule (Government Code § 12946; 11 CCR 1953).
1000.5.6 BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION UPDATE
A background investigation update may, at the discretion of the Chief of Police, be conducted in lieu of a complete new background investigation on a peace officer candidate who is reappointed within 180 days of voluntary separation from the Alameda Police Department, or who is an interim police chief meeting the requirements contained in 11 CCR 1953(f). 1000.6 DISQUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
As a general rule, performance indicators and candidate information and records shall be evaluated by considering the candidate as a whole, and taking into consideration the following:
• Age at the time the behavior occurred
• Passage of time
• Patterns of past behavior
• Severity of behavior
• Probable consequences if past behavior is repeated or made public • Likelihood of recurrence
• Relevance of past behavior to public safety employment • Aggravating and mitigating factors
• Other relevant considerations
A candidate’s qualifications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, using a totality-of-the- circumstances framework.
1000.7 EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
All candidates shall meet the minimum standards required by state law (Government Code § 1029; Government Code § 1031; Penal Code § 13510.1; 11 CCR 1950 et seq.). Candidates will be evaluated based on merit, ability, competence, and experience, in accordance with the high standards of integrity and ethics valued by the [Department/Office] and the community.
The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) developed a Job Dimensions list, which is used as a professional standard in background investigations.
Validated, job-related, and nondiscriminatory employment standards shall be established for each job classification and shall minimally identify the training, abilities, knowledge, and skills required to perform the position’s essential duties in a satisfactory manner. Each standard should include performance indicators for candidate evaluation. The Department of Human Resources should maintain validated standards for all positions.
Alameda Police Department
Alameda Police Department Policy Manual
Recruitment and Selection
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2022/01/13, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Alameda Police Department ***DRAFT*** Recruitment and Selection - 5 1000.7.1 STANDARDS FOR [DISPATCHER
Candidates shall satisfy the POST selection requirements, including (11 CCR 1956):
(a) A verbal, reasoning, memory, and perceptual abilities assessment (11 CCR 1957) (b) An oral communication assessment (11 CCR 1958)
(c) A medical evaluation (11 CCR 1960)
1000.7.2 STANDARDS FOR OFFICERS
Candidates shall meet the minimum standards established by POST or required by state law (Government Code § 1029; Government Code § 1031; 11 CCR 1950 et seq.):
(a) Free of any felony convictions
(b) Citizen of the United States, or permanent resident alien eligible for and has applied for citizenship
(c) At least 18 21 years of age except as provided by Government Code § 1031.4 (d) Fingerprinted for local, state, and national fingerprint check (e) Good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation (11 CCR 1953)
(f) High school graduate, passed the GED or other high school equivalency test, or obtained a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited or approved institution
(g) Free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation which might adversely affect the exercise of police powers (11 CCR 1954; 11 CCR 1955) (h) Candidates must also satisfy the POST selection requirements, including (11 CCR 1950 et seq.):
1. Reading and writing ability assessment (11 CCR 1951)
2. Oral interview to determine suitability for law enforcement service (11 CCR 1952)
(i) POST certification that has not been revoked, denied, or voluntarily surrendered pursuant to Penal Code § 13510.8(f)
(j) Not identified in the National Decertification Index of the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training or similar federal government database that reflects revoked certification for misconduct or reflects misconduct that would result in a revoked certification in California.
In addition to the above minimum POST required standards, candidates may be subjected to additional standards established by the [Department/Office] (Penal Code § 13510(d)).