§8-14-17 Vacancies filled by promotions; eligibility for promotion; rights of chief. - West Virginia Statutes

§8-14-17. Vacancies filled by promotions; eligibility for promotion; rights of chief.
Vacancies in positions in a paid police department of a Class I or Class II city shall be filled, so far as practicable, by promotions from among individuals holding positions in the next lower grade in the department. Promotions shall be based upon experience and by written competitive examinations to be provided by the policemen's civil service commission: Provided, That except for the chief of police, no individual shall be eligible for promotion from the lower grade to the next higher grade until such individual shall have completed at least two years of continuous service in the next lower grade in the department immediately prior to said examination: Provided, however, That notwithstanding the provisions of section six of this article, any member of a paid police department of Class I or Class II city now occupying the office of chief of such paid police department, or hereafter appointed to such office, shall, except as hereinafter provided in this section, be and shall continue to be entitled to all of the rights and benefits of the civil service provisions of this article, except that he may be removed from such office of chief of police without cause, and the time spent by such member in the office of such chief of police shall be added to the time served by such member during the entire time he was a member of said paid police department prior to his appointment as chief, and shall in all cases of removal, except for removal for good cause, retain the regular rank within said paid police department which he held at the time of his appointment to the office of chief of police or which he has attained during his term of service as chief of police. The provisions of this section shall be construed to apply and to inure to the benefit of all individuals who have ever been subject to the provisions of this article. The commission shall have the power to determine in each instance whether an increase in salary constitutes a promotion.