Effective 06 Nov 2012, see footnote

84.344. Establishment of municipal police force authorized — procedure — employment of commissioned and civil personnel — separate division to be established, procedure — benefits for personnel — transition committee, duties. — 1. Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter to the contrary, any city not within a county may establish a municipal police force on or after July 1, 2013, according to the procedures and requirements of this section. The purpose of these procedures and requirements is to provide for an orderly and appropriate transition in the governance of the police force and provide for an equitable employment transition for commissioned and civilian personnel.

2. Upon the establishment of a municipal police force by a city under sections 84.343 to 84.346, the board of police commissioners shall convey, assign, and otherwise transfer to the city title and ownership of all indebtedness and assets, including, but not limited to, all funds and real and personal property held in the name of or controlled by the board of police commissioners created under sections 84.010 to 84.340. The board of police commissioners shall execute all documents reasonably required to accomplish such transfer of ownership and obligations.

3. If the city establishes a municipal police force and completes the transfer described in subsection 2 of this section, the city shall provide the necessary funds for the maintenance of the municipal police force.

4. Before a city not within a county may establish a municipal police force under this section, the city shall adopt an ordinance accepting responsibility, ownership, and liability as successor-in-interest for contractual obligations, indebtedness, and other lawful obligations of the board of police commissioners subject to the provisions of subsection 2 of section 84.345.

5. A city not within a county that establishes a municipal police force shall initially employ, without a reduction in rank, salary, or benefits, all commissioned and civilian personnel of the board of police commissioners created under sections 84.010 to 84.340 that were employed by the board immediately prior to the date the municipal police force was established. Such commissioned personnel who previously were employed by the board may only be involuntarily terminated by the city not within a county for cause. The city shall also recognize all accrued years of service that such commissioned and civilian personnel had with the board of police commissioners. Such personnel shall be entitled to the same holidays, vacation, and sick leave they were entitled to as employees of the board of police commissioners.

6. Commissioned and civilian personnel who were previously employed by the board shall continue to be subject, throughout their employment for the city not within a county, to a residency rule no more restrictive than a requirement of retaining a primary residence in a city not within a county for a total of seven years and of then allowing them to maintain a primary residence outside the city not within a county so long as the residence is located within a one-hour response time.

7. The commissioned and civilian personnel who retire from service with the board of police commissioners before the establishment of a municipal police force under subsection 1 of this section shall continue to be entitled to the same pension benefits provided under chapter 86 and the same benefits set forth in subsection 5 of this section.

8. If the city not within a county elects to establish a municipal police force under this section, the city shall establish a separate division for the operation of its municipal police force. The civil service commission of the city may adopt rules and regulations appropriate for the unique operation of a police department. Such rules and regulations shall reserve exclusive authority over the disciplinary process and procedures affecting commissioned officers to the civil service commission; however, until such time as the city adopts such rules and regulations, the commissioned personnel shall continue to be governed by the board of police commissioner's rules and regulations in effect immediately prior to the establishment of the municipal police force, with the police chief acting in place of the board of police commissioners for purposes of applying the rules and regulations. Unless otherwise provided for, existing civil service commission rules and regulations governing the appeal of disciplinary decisions to the civil service commission shall apply to all commissioned and civilian personnel. The civil service commission's rules and regulations shall provide that records prepared for disciplinary purposes shall be confidential, closed records available solely to the civil service commission and those who possess authority to conduct investigations regarding disciplinary matters pursuant to the civil service commission's rules and regulations. A hearing officer shall be appointed by the civil service commission to hear any such appeals that involve discipline resulting in a suspension of greater than fifteen days, demotion, or termination, but the civil service commission shall make the final findings of fact, conclusions of law, and decision which shall be subject to any right of appeal under chapter 536.

9. A city not within a county that establishes and maintains a municipal police force under this section:

(1) Shall provide or contract for life insurance coverage and for insurance benefits providing health, medical, and disability coverage for commissioned and civilian personnel of the municipal police force to the same extent as was provided by the board of police commissioners under section 84.160;

(2) Shall provide or contract for medical and life insurance coverage for any commissioned or civilian personnel who retired from service with the board of police commissioners or who were employed by the board of police commissioners and retire from the municipal police force of a city not within a county to the same extent such medical and life insurance coverage was provided by the board of police commissioners under section 84.160;

(3) Shall make available medical and life insurance coverage for purchase to the spouses or dependents of commissioned and civilian personnel who retire from service with the board of police commissioners or the municipal police force and deceased commissioned and civilian personnel who receive pension benefits under sections 86.200 to 86.366 at the rate that such dependent's or spouse's coverage would cost under the appropriate plan if the deceased were living; and

(4) May pay an additional shift differential compensation to commissioned and civilian personnel for evening and night tours of duty in an amount not to exceed ten percent of the officer's base hourly rate.

10. A city not within a county that establishes a municipal police force under sections 84.343 to 84.346 shall establish a transition committee of five members for the purpose of: coordinating and implementing the transition of authority, operations, assets, and obligations from the board of police commissioners to the city; winding down the affairs of the board; making nonbinding recommendations for the transition of the police force from the board to the city; and other related duties, if any, established by executive order of the city's mayor. Once the ordinance referenced in this section is enacted, the city shall provide written notice to the board of police commissioners and the governor of the state of Missouri. Within thirty days of such notice, the mayor shall appoint three members to the committee, two of whom shall be members of a statewide law enforcement association that represents at least five thousand law enforcement officers. The remaining members of the committee shall include the police chief of the municipal police force and a person who currently or previously served as a commissioner on the board of police commissioners, who shall be appointed to the committee by the mayor of such city.

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(L. 2012 Adopted by Initiative, Proposition A, November 6, 2012)