400.13 - CHIEF OF POLICE AND CHIEF OF FIRE DEPARTMENT.

        400.13  CHIEF OF POLICE AND CHIEF OF FIRE      DEPARTMENT.         The chief of the fire department and the chief of the police      department shall be appointed from the chiefs' civil service eligible      lists.  Such lists shall be determined by original examination open      to all persons applying, whether or not members of the employing      city.  The chief of a fire department shall have had a minimum of      five years' experience in a fire department, or three years      experience in a fire department and two years of comparable      experience or educational training.  The chief of a police department      shall have had a minimum of five years experience in a public law      enforcement agency, or three years experience in a public law      enforcement agency and two years of comparable experience or      educational training.  A chief of a police department or fire      department shall maintain civil service rights as determined by      section 400.12.         Any person who becomes chief of police or chief of the fire      department shall be allowed to transfer all rights the person may      have acquired under chapter 410 or 411, including employer      contributions during the person's years of service in a city,      employee contributions, and interest, to the retirement system of the      city that hires the person as chief.  Such person shall also transfer      the number of years served as seniority toward other benefits      provided by the city which hires the person.  If a chief of a police      or fire department is relieved of that position, the person shall be      entitled to remain in the department for which the person was chief      at a position commensurate with the person's civil service status,      even if this means that the city must create a position for the      person to fill until a regular position becomes vacant.         In cities under the commission plan of government the      superintendent of public safety, with the approval of the city      council, shall appoint the chief of the fire department and the chief      of the police department.  In cities under a council-manager form of      government the city manager shall make the appointments with the      approval of the city council, and in all other cities the      appointments shall be made as provided by city ordinance or city      charter.  
         Section History: Early Form
         [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 5699; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73,      § 365.13; C75, 77, 79, 81, § 400.13] 
         Section History: Recent Form
         86 Acts, ch 1171, § 1         Referred to in § 372.4, 400.6