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Career Development
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish a uniform and comprehensive career development program for employees of the Kinston Police Department.
II. DEFINITIONS
- Career Development Program: Program established by the Kinston Police Department and approved by the City Manager that is designed to enhance advancement in the organization.
- Department Approved Training: Department approved training will consist of training that is relevant to the development of the employee as it relates to skills, knowledge, and etc., needed to meet the needs of the department.
- Courses offered by or approved by the North Carolina Justice Academy or similar type training agency.
- Courses approved by the Chief of Police.
- Courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine if the training is relevant to the needs of the Department.
III. POLICY
- General Information
- Lateral transfers from other departments are allowed. New employees meeting the tenure and training requirements in their respective fields may be hired at the level commensurate with their tenure and training provided that an allocated position is vacant.
- For the purpose of calculating the combination of semester hours and job related training, the following formula shall be used:
1 Semester Hour = 20 Hours of Approved Training
(or)
20 Hours of Approved Training = 1 Semester Hour
Employees, who have met the requirements for particular levels set forth in this policy and are seeking reclassification or to participate in an upcoming promotional process, shall submit a Pay Classification Routing Form through their appropriate chain of command.
If an employee receives a (3) on a performance appraisal (yearly evaluation), the employee will not be eligible for advancement (SPO – Chief, and Admin. Tech II-III); however, after (6) months from receiving the performance appraisal, the employee may be eligible for advancement – depending on the position. The employee’s supervisor will have to complete an up-to-date performance appraisal on the employee, detailing the improvement in score in order to advance.
(Sworn & Nonsworn are eligible)
The Kinston Police Department recognizes the importance of training and education and compensates sworn and nonsworn personnel who have achieved completing a college degree. The Department will either compensate officers with a college degree at the time of an employee’s hire date, or when an employee receives a college degree. The Department will compensate personnel for the following:
- Associate Degree: an officer will receive 2.5% pay increase upon completion of graduation.
- Bachelor Degree: an officer will receive a 5% pay increase upon completion of graduation. If an officer has already received a 2.5% pay increase for his/her Associate Degree, an additional 2.5% increase will be rewarded for a total of 5%.
- Master Degree: an officer will receive 2.5% pay increase upon completion of graduation.
- Members of the Kinston Police Department are not eligible for the City of Kinston’s (separate) College Incentive program (1 time payment of 500 - 1,000, as well as tuition reimbursement program).
*Those eligible for the College Achievement Incentive must have received their college degree no earlier than May 1, 2015 (if they are current KPD personnel) or must have been hired by the City of Kinston after May 1, 2015.
*For positions where a college degree is mandatory (for a position), this incentive doesn’t apply; also, this incentive doesn’t apply for personnel who have their salary adjusted for possessing a college degree and/or prior experience upon their hire date.
The Kinston Police Department understands the benefits of lateral hiring practices within the Agency. Overtime, sworn and nonsworn personnel have been hired from other law enforcement agencies or similar entities that have been hired at a higher rate due to experience, training and/or education.
- For personnel who were hired and received a higher salary at the start of employment due to experience, training and/or education, these additional pay increases were already figured in with the elevated pay increase upon being hired; therefore, those employees do not qualify for portions of the career development.
- For positions within the Kinston Police Department where a college degree is mandatory, those employees do not qualify for portions of career development (example – additional pay for possessing a college degree).
- For personnel hired at an elevated level of pay compared to their counterparts, they will be placed in an elevated position upon their hire date (after July 1, 2020). (Example – a person with 5 years of full-time sworn law enforcement experience may be hired at a Senior Police Officer level instead of a police officer level.
- In the event when a law enforcement officer is latterly hired from a different law enforcement agency and wishes to utilize their experience for pay compensation, an additional year must be added for the minimum requirements
Example – for Police Officer I, the following is mandatory:
A minimum of one (1) year of full-time sworn law enforcement service with the Kinston Police Department. Lateral entry officers must add one year of service for total of (2) years of full-time sworn law enforcement service.
(Sworn & Nonsworn are eligible)
While enlisted in the U.S. Military, members of the United Sates Armed Forces receive advanced specialty training in various fields of study. The Kinston Police Department recognizes the importance of training and education and compensates sworn personnel who have served in the United States Armed Forces. In order to be eligible for the Military Service Achievement Program a sworn officer must meet the following qualifications:
- A sworn officer must have served at least 2 years of service in the United States Armed Forces, to include: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard or served as a Reservist in one of the above branches of the military.
- A sworn officer must have received an Honorable Discharge from the respective branch which he/she served.
- If the sworn officer has met both listed qualifications, they are eligible to receive a 2.5% pay increase upon completion of service, when they meet the minimum standards or when they are hired for employment with the Agency.
- The Military Service Achievement Program is in lieu of an Associate Degree; if an officer is compensated via the College Achievement Incentive Program, he/she is exempt from the Military Service Achievement Incentive and will not receive a 2.5% pay increase for active/past military service.
*Those eligible for the Military Incentive Program must have been hired by the City of Kinston after May 1, 2015.