Directive 8.04 Revised 03/30/19 Page 1 of 7

EFFECTIVE NUMBER

REVISED TOTAL PAGES

Columbus Police

Division Directive

May. 15, 2003 8.04

Mar. 30, 2019 7

Assignments and Transfers

I. Definitions

A. Hours for Sworn Assignments

1. Fixed

The hours that are posted with an assignment.

2. Multi-Shift

Members in this assignment have the responsibility for accomplishing the mission of the assignment. Members may 

not always be able to accomplish the mission of the assignment by working a fixed eight or ten hour schedule. Members 

are responsible for adjusting the hours that they must work 

(so long as it is a continuous period of eight or ten hours) on 

any given day to accomplish the mission of the assignment. 

Members who do not fulfill this responsibility may cause the 

Division to change this assignment to variable hours through 

the labor relations process.

3. Variable

The hours to be worked in this assignment will be changed as 

needed by the Division to accomplish the mission of the unit.

B. Job Requirement

Qualifications particular to an assignment that sworn personnel 

must meet in order to apply for, accept, and retain the assignment. Failure to meet a job requirement is grounds for forfeiture 

of the assignment.

II. Policy Statements

A. Assignment of Personnel

1.	 The Division of Police shall make every effort to maintain an impartial, 

non-discriminatory, and equitable system by which personnel receive 

assignments.

2. At times, it may be necessary to reassign an employee on an administrative basis. An employee shall receive an administrative reassignment 

only with the expressed prior approval of the Chief of Police and in 

accordance with the current applicable collective bargaining agreement 

(CBA).

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3. Newly-promoted sergeants and lieutenants will normally be assigned 

to a Patrol zone; however, Division needs and interests may dictate or 

determine that a newly promoted sergeant or lieutenant is better suited 

for service elsewhere.

4. When a sworn assignment vacancy exists within a unit, the supervisor 

in charge of that position may first realign sworn personnel within the

unit to fill the vacancy, subject to the approval of the Chief of Police and

in accordance with the current CBA.

5. Division personnel are encouraged to seek training and develop skills 

that may prepare and qualify them for assignments which they desire.

6. When a supervisor realigns his or her unit or has a vacancy, 

sworn personnel from within the unit who are working temporary 

assignments shall be considered for permanent assignments. 

Sworn personnel who are working a temporary assignment 

may apply for and accept a new permanent assignment without 

vacating their temporary assignment prior to its conclusion as 

long as they remain in a regular duty status.

B. Job Description Manual for Sworn Personnel

1. Personnel desiring to make a change to the Job Description Manual 

shall refer to the current CBA and forward a letter through their 

chain of command to the Chief of Police.

2. The Job Description Manual, and any changes thereto, shall be maintained by the Assignment and Transfer Committee Chairperson 

in an electronic format only. The manual may be referenced by 

all personnel through the Division’s electronic document management system.

C. Assignment Application

1. Sworn Division personnel, and civilian personnel as applicable,

shall complete an Assignment Application via the Job Postings link 

on the intranet to be considered for a vacancy. Personnel should 

only apply for assignments they are willing and able to accept.

2. Division personnel who do not meet or have all the listed requirements 

for a vacancy at the time of application shall not be considered for 

the assignment.

3. Sworn personnel shall meet the exceptional qualification(s) 

listed in the Job Description Manual at the time of application 

in order to be considered for the assignment on the basis of an 

“exceptional qualification.”

4. Sworn personnel who are on vacation, sick leave, or other approved 

leave may permit their Assignment Application to be submitted by another 

employee. The individual completing the application shall electronically 

sign on behalf of the other employee.

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a. Division personnel may complete an Assignment Application for another 

employee only with the consent of the affected employee.

D. Additional Training

1. Sworn personnel who are unable or unwilling to successfully 

comply with the specific provisions of the sections titled “Job 

Requirements” and “Additional Training” in the Job Description 

Manual for the assignment within the specified time frame shall 

forfeit the assignment.

Note: “Specific provisions” does not include the catch-all phrase 

“any training that is required, needed, and available.”

2. Proposed changes in a job description’s “Additional Training” 

section shall be submitted through the chain of command as 

described in Section II,B.

E. Supervisors and applicants for all civilian vacancies and assignments shall 

refer to the appropriate CBA.

III. Procedures

A. Job Description Manual Revisions

1. Sworn Personnel

a. Forward a letter through your chain of command to the Chief 

of Police which includes a description of the requested change 

written in the format used in the manual and the reason for the 

request. 

2. Chief of Police

a. Recommend approval or disapproval of the request and forward 

the information to the Assignment and Transfer Committee 

Chairperson consistent with the current CBA. 

3. Assignment and Transfer Committee

a. Review the request and interview the originator if necessary.

b. Review the recommendation(s) of the Chief of Police.

c. Forward the Committee’s recommendation(s) to the Chief of 

Police or to the Labor Relations Committee when required.

4. Labor Relations Committee

a. Decide if the request is approved when applicable, and if approved, in what form.

B. Posting a Vacancy After Realignment

1. Supervisor

a. Realign personnel from within the unit or section to fill a vacancy:

(1)	 Select the most senior eligible officer, or civilian employee as applicable, meeting the job requirements and desiring the assignment.

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(2) Complete an Assignment Order, form A-33, electronically, attach it

to an email, and forward it to your entire chain of command and the 

Personnel Unit for approval and/or comments.

b. Complete a Personnel Request Vacancy Posting, form A-16, to fill the 

remaining vacant position(s) from outside the unit, and forward it 

electronically through your chain of command to the Personnel 

Unit.

2. Chain of Command

a.	 Review the Assignment Order and seek clarification from the selecting

supervisor if needed.

b. Review, sign, and forward the electronic copy of the Personnel Request 

Vacancy Posting form to the Personnel Unit.

Note: All assignments require a deputy chief’s digital signature. The 

Chief of Police’s digital signature is required when there is a change 

in days off, staffing, etc.

3. Personnel Unit

a. Assign a number to the vacancy and cause notice of the vacancy to be 

posted on the Daily Bulletin as stipulated in the current CBA. Indicate 

in the notice:

(1)	 All information concerning the assignment, exceptional qualifications,

job requirements, and all items listed on the Personnel Request Vacancy Posting form.

(2) The application deadline date according to the approved Job 

Posting and Transfer Schedule posted under the Human 

Resources link on the intranet.

C. Division Personnel Seeking Assignment

1. Sworn Personnel

a.	 Review the Job Description Manual for the specific assignment requested.

b. Complete the Assignment Application via the intranet.

c.	 If a job description has exceptional qualifications, and/or requirements

marked with an asterisk, indicate on the Assignment Application how 

you meet them.

d. Complete and submit the Assignment Application before the deadline.

e. Accept or reject the assignment if contacted by the appropriate 

supervisor. 

2. Civilian Personnel

a. Complete and submit the Assignment Application via the intranet if applicable.

Note: Applications can only be accepted for personnel already 

within the posted classification.

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D. Filling Assignments

1. Selecting Supervisor for Sworn Assignments

a. Review the Assignment Applications for the vacancy posting.

b.	 Consider the senior applicant who meets the exceptional qualifications

for the assignment as outlined in the Job Description Manual.

c. For tested assignments, create the test and grading criteria with 

input from subject matter experts and forward the materials 

directly to the deputy chief for approval.

d. Administer any tests, interviews, or demonstrations in accordance with 

the CBA and in a uniform manner. Eliminate any applicants who do 

not pass the test or meet the other requirements.

e. Weigh the seniority of the senior applicant in the process against the 

senior exceptionally qualified applicant when applicable.

f.	 Select an applicant to fill the vacancy based upon the above selection

criteria.

(1)	 Verify the applicant still desires and is able to fill the assignment.

Note: Refer to the current CBA if the applicant is on military leave, restricted duty, marked off on sick or injury leave (to include FMLA), 

or under an on-going investigation.

(2) If the applicant is being considered for any other assignment, coordinate with the applicant to determine which assignment is desired.

g. Complete an Assignment Order electronically, attach it to an email, 

and forward it to your chain of command and the Personnel Unit for 

approval and/or comments. 

(1)	 The form(s) must arrive in the Personnel Unit no later than 12:00 p.m.

on the Monday before the anticipated effective date.

(2)	 Forms arriving late will push the effective date forward at least two

weeks to the beginning of the following pay period in order to ensure 

the transfer follows the job posting schedule.

Note: The Job Posting and Transfer Schedule is located on the Division’s

intranet under Human Resources.

h. Advise the applicant’s current chain of command immediately of the 

selection.

i. Upon the applicant’s acceptance of the assignment, update the status 

on the electronic vacancy posting.

j. Notify your chain of command and the Patrol Administration Section as 

soon as practicable if no applicant accepts a posted Patrol assignment. 

ThePatrolAdministrationSection will fill assignments by placing eligible

officers into their first permanent assignment as appropriate.

Note: Notifications to the Patrol Administration Section can be made to

Patroloffice@columbuspolice.org.

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2. Selecting Supervisor for Civilian Assignments

a. Review the Assignment Applications for the vacancy posting 

if applicable.

b. Contact the Payroll Unit Supervisor to receive the current seniority list and consider civilian Division personnel from the 

job classification contained in the vacancy posting by seniority 

when applicable.

c. Conduct interviews as necessary.

d. Select an applicant to fill the vacancy.

(1) Verify the applicant still desires and is able to fill the assignment.

Note: Refer to the current CBA or contact the Personnel Unit 

Supervisor for specific instructions on filling job vacancies.

(2) If the applicant is being considered for any other assignment, 

coordinate with the applicant to determine which assignment 

is desired.

e. If there are no applicants from within the Division, contact the 

Personnel Unit Supervisor for instructions on how to proceed.

f. Complete an Assignment Order electronically, attach it to an 

email, and forward it to your chain of command and the Personnel Unit for approval and/or comments.

g. Advise the applicant’s current chain of command and Personnel Unit Supervisor of the selection.

h. Upon the applicant’s acceptance of the assignment, update the 

status on the electronic vacancy posting.

3. Involved Chain of Command

a.	 Concur or object to the selection. Reasons for any objections must be

stated in writing.

b.	If objections are noted, forward all information through the chain of

command to the Chief of Police.

c. If a selection is denied by the Chief of Police, use the Chief’s 

instructions to either fill, cancel, or administratively assign 

someone to the vacant assignment.

4. Deputy Chief

a. Review the test and grading criteria.

b. If approved, return to the selecting supervisor for administration of the test.

c. If disapproved, return and provide direction to the selecting 

supervisor.

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5. Chief of Police

a. Forward approved selections to the Personnel Unit.

b. Return denied selections to the chain of command, providing instructions on how to proceed with the vacant assignment.

6. Personnel Unit

a. Cause approved assignments to be posted on the Daily Bulletin, excluding covert assignments.

Note: The assignment shall appear in the Daily Bulletin by the Tuesday

before the effective date, giving five days notice or the effective date

shall be delayed.

b.	 Make notifications as outlined in the Personnel Unit SOP.

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