1547.523 Felony conviction precludes or terminates employment.
1547.523 Felony conviction precludes or terminates employment.
(A) As used in this section, “felony” has the same meaning as in section 109.511 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1) The chief of the division of watercraft shall not appoint a person as a state watercraft officer on a permanent basis, on a temporary basis, for a probationary term, or on other than a permanent basis if the person previously has been convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a felony.
(2)(a) The chief of the division of watercraft shall terminate the employment of a state watercraft officer who does either of the following:
(i) Pleads guilty to a felony;
(ii) Pleads guilty to a misdemeanor pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement as provided in division (D) of section 2929.43 of the Revised Code in which the state watercraft officer agrees to surrender the certificate awarded to that officer under section 109.77 of the Revised Code.
(b) The chief shall suspend from employment a state watercraft officer who is convicted, after trial, of a felony. If the state watercraft officer files an appeal from that conviction and the conviction is upheld by the highest court to which the appeal is taken or if the state watercraft officer does not file a timely appeal, the chief shall terminate the employment of that state watercraft officer. If the state watercraft officer files an appeal that results in the state watercraft officer’s acquittal of the felony or conviction of a misdemeanor, or in the dismissal of the felony charge against the state watercraft officer, the chief shall reinstate that state watercraft officer. A state watercraft officer who is reinstated under division (B)(2)(b) of this section shall not receive any back pay unless that state watercraft officer’s conviction of the felony was reversed on appeal, or the felony charge was dismissed, because the court found insufficient evidence to convict the state watercraft officer of the felony.
(3) Division (B) of this section does not apply regarding an offense that was committed prior to January 1, 1997.
(4) The suspension from employment, or the termination of the employment, of a state watercraft officer under division (B)(2) of this section shall be in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
Effective Date: 01-01-2004