Councilors voted to extend the probationary period to one year.
AUBURN – Police and firefighters will get a full year to meet new standards after a promotion.

Councilors voted to extend the probationary period for promoted police officers and firefighters to one year. That will give them six more months to meet the requirements for their new jobs.

Firefighters and officers take on new titles as soon as they are promoted, according to Police Chief Richard Small. The city had given them six months to finish classes and get whatever certifications they need to fit in with their new position.

“The job is a lot more complex now than it used to be, and they didn’t have enough time to do what they needed to get done,” Small said. “They’d get about halfway and they’d run out of time and I could not extend that time.”

The longer probation will make it easier to train officers and firefighters.

Councilor Belinda Gerry said she had heard otherwise from some police officers and said she would vote against it.

The new rule passed 5-2, with Gerry and Councilor Bob Mennealy voting against it.
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