70.265 Deputy sheriff merit boards to employ chief examiner -- Duties. (1) Deputy sheriff merit boards shall employ a chief examiner who shall operate under the board's sole supervision. (2) The board shall only employ a person for this position who is qualified and experienced in the field of testing. (3) The examiner shall design, administer, and evaluate all written tests the board requires applicants for promotion to take for consideration for promotion. Each applicant for promotion shall be given an oral and written examination to determine the applicant's qualification for promotion. (4) The examiner shall select a panel of three (3) persons to conduct the oral portion of the exam battery. The panel shall be selected from an agency other than the local sheriff's office, and the panel members shall be of at least the same rank to which the applicant aspires and of the same field. (5) Unless the sheriff certifies that the applicant is not physically fit for promotion, physical fitness shall be presumed. (6) (a) The composite score of the examination battery shall be calculated as follows: 1. 2. Sixty-five percent (65%) for the written examination; and Thirty-five percent (35%) for the oral examination. (b) An applicant shall receive one (1) seniority point to be added to the composite score for each full year over three (3) full years of service. No applicant shall receive more than ten (10) seniority points. No applicant shall receive a seniority point for serving less than a full year. (7) Testing and scoring methods shall not depart from, or be inconsistent with, those set out in this section. (8) The chief examiner shall deliver the final scores of the applicants for promotion, in a manner that will ensure complete privacy and confidentiality of the applicants and their scores, directly to the chair of the board. The chief examiner shall not release this information to anyone but the chair of the board. (9) Notice of the date, time, and place of examinations shall be given no later than ninety (90) days before the examination date. (10) Promotions shall be filled by the sheriff from a list of no more than three (3) of the candidates who obtained the highest combined scores on the written and oral examination, including any seniority points, and are physically fit to serve in the new capacity. Effective: July 15, 1998 History: Created 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 244, sec. 11, effective July 15, 1998; and ch. 510, sec. 11, effective July 15, 1998 Legislative Research Commission Note (7/15/98). This section was created by 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 244, sec. 11, and ch. 510, sec. 11, which are identical and have been codified together.