Iowa Code § 400.8 — IA Code / Title IX / Chapter 400 / Section 400.8
Original entrance examination — appointments.
Status: in_force

(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 medical protocols established by the board of trustees of the fire and police retirement system 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.

(2) (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.

[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]89 Acts, ch 187, §2; 93 Acts, ch 147, §2; 94 Acts, ch 1071, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1187, §99; 98 Acts, ch 1124, §3; 2000 Acts, ch 1077, §84; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §16; 2004 Acts, ch 1103, §63; 2013 Acts, ch 20, §1; 2021 Acts, ch 183, §55; 2024 Acts, ch 1014, §1; 2024 Acts, ch 1138, §1