Ulster
County Personnel Department
Civil Service Examination
Announcement
FILING FEE $40.00
#67402 POLICE CHIEF – TYPE B (TOWN OF
OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
LAST DATE FOR FILING APPLICATIONS: January 18, 2012
EXAMINATION DATE: March 3, 2012
APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED FROM
CANDIDATES WHO RESIDE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ONLY:
SALARY:
The starting salary is currently listed at $80,000 per year.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following
requirement(s) on or before the date of the examination:
Sixty (60) months of permanent
competitive class status as a Police Sergeant and/ or Police Lieutenant, and/ or
Police Captain with a recognized police department or police agency in
Special Note: Pursuant to New York State Civil
Service law Section 58, no person shall be eligible for appointment to any rank
above the rank of police officer unless that person has been appointed a police
officer from an eligible list established according to merit and fitness or has
previously served as a member of the New York State Police.
The Eligible List established as a
result of this examination, will be certified ONLY to the Town of
APPLICATION REVIEW
TOLERANCE POLICY
For
the purposes of this policy, "tolerance" shall mean the leeway given
regarding work experience when reviewing an application. Applicants lacking a
small amount of work experience when applying for promotional or
open-competitive examinations may qualify under the following conditions:
1) Candidates
will be given a maximum tolerance of one (1) month.
2) Tolerance will be given only when the
minimum qualification requires one or more years of work experience.
3) Tolerance Policy does not apply
to education or licensure/certification requirements. (See particular
examination announcement for "Anticipated Eligibility" information).
4) Tolerance Policy does not apply
where required work experience is set forth by law or rules.
5) Tolerance Policy does not apply
to enable applicants to meet residence requirements.
For
more information regarding Tolerance Policy, please contact our office at (845)
340-3550.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:
The work involves responsibility for all police functions and requires
the ability to plan, administer and direct the activities of a town or village
police force consisting of more than ten (10) but less than fifty (50)
full-time police officers with an organizational structure which may range from
one supervisory level of more than two (2) full-time positions between the
chief and patrol officer levels to three (3) supervisory levels, with two (2)
levels having less than three (3) full-time positions at each level. The instruction and training of recruits, as
well as the maintenance of high standards of performance throughout the
department, are final responsibilities of the Police Chief. The work is performed in accordance with
state and local laws according to established policies and objectives with
considerable leeway allowed for the exercise of discretion and judgement. The work is reviewed through conferences and
reports. Direct supervision is exercised
over all subordinate members of the police force. Does related work as required.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION:
Written test will cover knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such
areas as:
1. Knowledge of law enforcement
methods, practices and procedures
These questions test for knowledge of
accepted police methods and practices and/or their application to situations in
the police field. The questions are a sampling of the various knowledge that
police personnel may be required to possess in the course of their day-to-day,
work-related activities. Areas covered include investigation procedures, patrol
techniques, police-community relations, courtroom procedures, personnel
practices, policy making and budgeting procedures.
2. Knowledge of
These questions test the candidates'
knowledge of the laws in effect on January 1, 2012. This portion of the test is
a sampling of the various sections of the law that police personnel may
encounter in the course of their day-to-day work-related activities. Laws
covered may include the Penal Law, Criminal Procedure Law, Vehicle and Traffic
Law, Family Court Act, and other laws relevant to law enforcement in
3. Administrative Supervision - Police
These questions test for knowledge of
the principles and practices involved in directing the activities of a large
subordinate staff, including subordinate supervisors. Questions relate to the
personal interactions between an upper level supervisor and his/her subordinate
supervisors in the accomplishment of objectives. These questions cover such
areas as assigning work to and coordinating the activities of several units,
establishing and guiding staff development programs, evaluating the performance
of subordinate supervisors, and maintaining relationships with other
organizational sections.
4. Administration - Police
These questions test for knowledge of
the managerial functions involved in directing an organization or an
organizational segment. These questions cover such areas as: developing
objectives and formulating policies; making decisions based on the context of
the administrator's position and authority; forecasting and planning;
organizing; developing personnel; coordinating and informing; guiding and
leading; testing and evaluating; and budgeting.
5. Job simulation exercises in police
administration and command
Against the background of knowledge
required for the position, this will include two job simulation exercises that
cover such areas as: human resources management, management of operations,
problem-solving, decision-making under pressure, public relations, and police
procedure.
6. Understanding and interpreting
written material
These questions test how well you
comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections
and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required
to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be
required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the
selections.
7. Preparing written material in a
police setting
These questions test for the ability
to prepare the types of reports that police personnel write. Some questions
test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately. They
consist of restatements of information given in note form. You must choose the
best version from each set of four choices. Other questions test for the
ability to organize paragraphs. They consist of paragraphs with their sentences
out of order. For each of the paragraphs you must choose, from four
suggestions, the best order of the sentences.
P. E. R. C. Statement
The final rating key for this
examination will be established by the State Civil Service Commission prior to
the testing date, upon recommendation of a committee of police experts who will
review all the questions for appropriateness and accuracy. There will be no
review of the questions by candidates. The committee was selected with the
assistance and endorsement of the Police Conference of New York, Inc., the New
York State Association of PBAs, Inc., and the New York State Association of
Chiefs of Police, Inc.
A Guide for the Written Test for
Police Chief/Assistant Chief is available at the
NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:
THE USE OF CALCULATORS/SLIDE RULES IS PROHIBITED IN THIS EXAMINATION.
*FEES*:
Send your check or money order for forty dollars ($40.00) (made payable
to
EXCEPTION TO FEE REQUIREMENT: An exception to the processing fee will be
made for persons receiving Supplemental Social Security payments or public
assistance (Safety Net Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families),
provided Foster Care or certified Workforce Investment Act of 1998 eligible
through a state or local social service agency, and for those who are currently
unemployed. Individuals wishing to claim
this waiver of fee on the basis of Supplemental Social Security, Safety Net
Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, must certify on their
application, under number 20 Remarks, that they are receiving public assistance
and must indicate the type of assistance they are receiving, the agency
providing the assistance and their case numbers. Persons claiming this waiver
through Foster Care or Workforce Investment Act of 1998 Certification must
specify the program and name of their contact agency. Persons claiming this
waiver, who are currently unemployed must certify on their application, under
number 20 Remarks, that they are currently unemployed and must provide
documentation that they are receiving unemployment benefits or other
unemployment documentation deemed appropriate by the Ulster County Personnel
Officer. Such claims are subject to
later verification and, if not supported by appropriate documentation, are
grounds for barring appointment.
Applications may be obtained at the
For those applications submitted in
person on the last file date, please submit no later than 4:30 PM. All
applications must be in our office no later than 5:00 PM on the last file date.
Applications postmarked by the last file date will also be accepted.
This
examination is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of
Civil Service in accordance with Section 23‑2 of the Civil Service
Law. The provisions of the New York
State Civil Service Rules and Regulations dealing with the rating of
examinations will apply to this test.
CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION POLICY: In accordance with Ulster County Local Law
Number 14 of 2007, a criminal background check (including fingerprinting) will
be initiated by the Ulster County Personnel Department upon initial employment
or re-hire to Ulster County positions, and conducted by the New York State
Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the New York State Office of
Court Administration, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Verification Information System (IMAGE Program), or any law enforcement agency.
SPECIAL NOTE: All public agencies are required by law to
provide full and equal opportunities for minorities, women and to people with
disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to compete without regard
to race, creed or national origin. Applicants requesting special testing
arrangements as a Saturday Sabbath Observer, alternate test date candidate (in
accordance with Alternate Test Date Policy), or an active member of the
military away from the area on the scheduled test date must clearly indicate
this fact on the application. All such requests must be supported by
appropriate documentation.
VETERANS: Non-disabled and disabled veterans
who wish to claim additional credits must request a Veterans Credits
application from our office. This form must be completed and submitted along
with a war service (DD214) form prior to the establishment of the
resulting eligible list. Veterans credits may only be added to a passing score
and may only be used for appointment once. Candidates currently in the
armed forces may apply for and be conditionally granted veteran’s credits. Any candidate who applies for such credits
must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credits. You
may not claim additional Veterans Credits after the eligible list has been
established. It is the candidate’s responsibility to request the Veterans
Credits application forms and submit these forms and any required supporting
paperwork before the eligible list is established.
ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR CHILDREN OF
FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY:
In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of
firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled
to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original
appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has
served. If you are qualified to
participate in this examination and are a child of a firefighter or police
officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this
office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a
minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary
documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the
eligible list has been established.
APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE
EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN
EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DATE: If you have applied for any other Civil
Service examinations for employment with New York State or any other local
government jurisdiction, you must make arrangements to take all the
examinations at one test site.
If you have applied for both State
and Local government examinations, you must make arrangements to take
all your examinations at the State examination center by calling (518)
457‑7022 no later than two weeks before the test date.
If you have applied for other local
government examinations, call or write to each Civil Service Agency to make
arrangements. You must make your request
for these arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the
examinations. You must notify all local
government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application of
the test site at which you wish to take your examination(s). For this examination call (845) 340‑
3531 OR write to Ulster County Personnel Department,
*If candidates have not received
notification of this examination within four (4) days of the examination, they
should contact this office immediately.
#67402
ORIGINAL COPY: YELLOW
ISSUED: December 21, 2011