Chief of operations; competitive appointment

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the governing authority may create, by ordinance or resolution, the position of chief of operations in accordance with the provisions of this Section. The position shall be filled on a competitive basis from a list of eligibles as provided for in R.S. 33:2551, and the right of selection, appointment, supervision, and discharge for such position shall be vested in the fire chief, subject to approval of the appointing authority. In addition, the governing authority shall establish the job description, duties, requirements, and responsibilities of the chief of operations in the ordinance or resolution creating the position. Such duties and responsibilities may include direct supervision over all positions in the classified service below the rank of fire chief. B. (1) The chief of operations shall have not less than twenty-five years of service in fire suppression and not less than one year of service as a confirmed battalion or district chief. (2) Any person who holds the position of chief of operations may, while holding such position, apply for admission to the promotional examination for the class next higher than that from which he was appointed as chief of operations. However, the name and score of any chief of operations shall not be certified to the appointing authority by the civil service board as eligible for appointment to a position of the promotional class, and his name and score shall be eligible for certification, in accordance with the maximum period for which a name may remain on the eligibility list in accordance with the provisions of this Part, only upon demotion to a position of the class from which he was appointed as chief of operations. (3) Eligibility for admission to the competitive test for chief of operations shall be limited to members of the same department as the fire chief. C. (1) Any person appointed to serve as chief of operations shall not forfeit his departmental seniority accumulated to the date of his appointment, and he shall continue to accumulate departmental seniority in accordance with the provisions of this Part during the time he holds the position of chief of operations. (2) If any such person is demoted or otherwise vacates the position on the approval of the fire chief, he shall be demoted to a position in the class he held immediately preceding his appointment as chief of operations. If a chief of operations is subjected to corrective or disciplinary action, he shall have the same rights as any other employee in the municipal fire and police civil service.