2023 Indiana Code › Title 36. Local Government › Article 8. Public Safety › Chapter 3.5. Police and Fire Merit Systems › 36-8-3.5-1. Retention of Existing Systems; Establishment of New System

Sec. 1. (a) This section applies only to a municipality or township that has a full-time paid police or fire department.
(b) A municipality may exercise the power of establishing a merit system for its police or fire department under this chapter or by ordinance adopted under IC 36-1-4-14. A township may exercise the power of establishing a merit system for its fire department under this chapter or by resolution under IC 36-1-4-14. This chapter does not affect merit systems established:
(1) by ordinance under IC 36-1-4-14, except as provided by subsection (f) and section 19.3 of this chapter;
(2) by resolution under IC 36-1-4-14, except as provided by subsection (g) and section 19.3 of this chapter; or
(3) by a prior statute, except as provided by subsection (c) and section 19.3 of this chapter.
(c) If a city had a merit system for its police or fire department under the former IC 18-4-12, IC 19-1-7, IC 19-1-14, IC 19-1-14.2, IC 19-1-14.3, IC 19-1-14.5, IC 19-1-20, IC 19-1-21, IC 19-1-29, IC 19-1-29.5, IC 19-1-31, IC 19-1-31.5, or IC 19-1-37.5, it may retain that system by ordinance of the city legislative body passed before January 1, 1983. The ordinance must initially incorporate all the provisions of the prior statute but may be amended by the legislative body after December 31, 1984. The ordinance retaining the system must be amended, if necessary, to include a provision under which the commission (or governing board of the merit system) has at least one-third (1/3) of its members elected by the active members of the department as prescribed by section 8 of this chapter. Each elected commission member must:
(1) be a person of good moral character; and
(2) except for a member of a fire department having a merit system established under IC 19-1-37.5, not be an active member of a police or fire department or agency.
(d) After December 31, 1984, the legislative body also may repeal the ordinance described in subsection (c), but the legislative body shall in the repealing ordinance concurrently establish a new merit system under section 3 of this chapter. (This subsection does not require the legislative body to establish a new merit system when it exercises its power to amend the ordinance under subsection (c).) After the new merit system takes effect, all members of the department are entitled to the same ranks and pay grades the members held under the prior system, subject to changes made in accordance with this chapter.
(e) If a city had a merit system for its police or fire department under a prior statute but fails to retain that system under subsection (c), the city legislative body shall, before July 1, 1983, pass an ordinance to establish a new merit system under section 3 of this chapter. If the new merit system is approved as provided by section 4 of this chapter, it takes effect as provided by that section. However, if the new merit system is rejected under section 4 of this chapter, within thirty (30) days the city legislative body shall adopt an ordinance to retain the prior merit system. The prior merit system remains in effect until the new merit system takes effect, after which time all members of the department are entitled to the same ranks and pay grades the members held under the prior system, subject to changes made in accordance with this chapter.
(f) An ordinance adopted under IC 36-1-4-14 to establish a police or fire merit system must include a provision under which the commission, or governing board of the merit system, has at least one-third (1/3) of its members elected by the active members of the department as prescribed by section 8 of this chapter. Each elected commission member must be a person of good moral character who is not an active member of a police or fire department or agency. If an ordinance was adopted under IC 36-1-4-14 before July 1, 1988, the ordinance must be amended to include this requirement.
(g) This chapter does not prevent a township or other unit that has adopted a merit system under section 3 of this chapter from later amending or deleting any provisions of the merit system contained in this chapter. However, the merit system must include a provision under which the commission has at least one-third (1/3) of its members elected by the active members of the department, as set forth in section 8 of this chapter and a provision that incorporates the requirements of section 6(b) of this chapter. This subsection does not require the legislative body to establish a new merit system when it exercises its power to amend under this subsection.
[Local Government Recodification Citation: New.]
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.316, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.189-1988, SEC.7; P.L.310-1989, SEC.1; P.L.3-1990, SEC.128; P.L.180-2002, SEC.1; P.L.1-2003, SEC.100; P.L.13-2010, SEC.3; P.L.207-2023, SEC.8.