§ 400.8 — Original entrance examination — appointments

Iowa § 400.8

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title IX: LOCAL GOVERNMENT
• Ch. 400: CIVIL SERVICE

Text

1. The commission, when necessary under the rules, including minimum and maximum

age limits, which shall be prescribed and published in advance by the commission and posted
in the city hall, shall hold examinations for the purpose of determining the qualifications
of applicants for positions under civil service, other than promotions, which examinations
shall be practical in character and shall relate to matters which will fairly test the mental and
physical ability of the applicant to discharge the duties of the position to which the applicant
seeks appointment. The physical examination and mental health evaluation of applicants for
appointment to the positions of police officer or fire fighter shall be held in accordance with
medicalprotocolsestablishedbytheboardoftrusteesofthefireandpoliceretirementsystem
established by section 411.5 and shall be conducted in accordance with the directives of the
board of trustees. However, the prohibitions of section 216.6, subsection 1, paragraph “d”,
regarding tests for the presence of the antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus shall
not apply to such examinations. The board of trustees may change the medical protocols at
any time the board so determines. In the event of a conflict between the medical protocols
established under this section and the minimum entrance requirements of the Iowa law
enforcement academy under section 80B.11, the medical protocols established under this
section shall control. The physical examination and mental health evaluation of an applicant
for the position of police officer or fire fighter shall be conducted after a conditional offer of
employment has been made to the applicant. An applicant shall not be discriminated against
on the basis of height, weight, sex, or race in determining physical or mental ability of the
applicant. Reasonable rules relating to strength, agility, and general health of applicants
shall be prescribed. The costs of the physical examination and the mental health evaluation
required under this subsection shall be paid from the trust and agency fund of the city.
2. a. The commission shall establish the guidelines for conducting the examinations
under subsection 1 of this section. The commission shall hire persons with expertise to
prepare and administer the examinations approved by the commission. It may also hire
persons with expertise to consult in the preparation of such examinations if the persons so
hired are employed to aid personnel of the commission in assuring that a fair examination
is conducted. A fair examination shall explore the competence of the applicant in the
particular field of examination.
b. An applicant who has successfully completed training at the Iowa law enforcement
academy or another training facility certified by the director of the Iowa law enforcement
academy does not need to retake a civil service examination upon changing employment
from one Iowa law enforcement agency to another Iowa law enforcement agency, or upon
becoming employed by more than one Iowa law enforcement agency simultaneously, if the
applicant has previously passed a civil service examination when the applicant was initially
hired as a certified peace officer and if, without a break of not more than one hundred
eighty days from prior law enforcement service, the applicant is hired by another Iowa law
enforcement agency. However, the applicant shall complete and pass the applicable physical
examination provided in subsection 1 prior to beginning the new employment.
3. All appointments to such positions shall be conditional upon a probation period of
not to exceed six months, and in the case of police dispatchers and fire fighters a probation
period not to exceed twelve months. In the case of police patrol officers, if the employee has
successfully completed training at the Iowa law enforcement academy or another training
facility certified by the director of the Iowa law enforcement academy before the initial
appointment as a police patrol officer, the probationary period shall be for a period of up
to nine months and shall commence with the date of initial appointment as a police patrol
officer. If the employee has not successfully completed training at the Iowa law enforcement
academy or another training facility certified by the director of the law enforcement
academy before initial appointment as a police patrol officer, the probationary period shall
commence with the date of initial employment as a police patrol officer and shall continue
for a period of up to nine months following the date of successful completion of training
at the Iowa law enforcement academy or another training facility certified by the director
of the Iowa law enforcement academy. A police patrol officer transferring employment
from one jurisdiction to another shall be employed subject to a probationary period of up to
nine months. However, in cities with a population over one hundred seventy-five thousand,
appointments to the position of fire fighter shall be conditional upon a probation period

of not to exceed twenty-four months. During the probation period, the appointee may be
removed or discharged from such position by the appointing person or body without the
right of appeal to the commission. A person removed or discharged during a probationary
period shall, at the time of discharge, be given a notice in writing stating the reason or
reasons for the dismissal. A copy of such notice shall be promptly filed with the commission.
Continuance in the position after the expiration of such probationary period shall constitute
a permanent appointment.

Legislative History

[SS15, §1056-a32; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §5696; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §365.8; C75, 77, 79, 81, §400.8]