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Ludlow Police Chief Sole Assessment Center with In Title Experience
This examination is being administered by the Human Resources Division (HRD) to create an eligible list from which to fill Police Chief vacancies in participating Massachusetts Police Departments. Candidates must take and pass this examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
Examination Date: November 20, 2025
Application Period Begins: October 9, 2025
Application Deadline: October 30, 2025
Examination Location: TBD
Examination Information
Eligibility: To be eligible for this examination you must: (1) be an employee in the police department for which the examination is given with permanent civil service status in the specified eligible title(s) by the date of the examination; and (2) have served in the force at least one year since you were appointed and performed the job duties of the eligible title(s)*. A combination of temporary and permanent service from a certification can be applied towards meeting this one year requirement. Time spent working in the title of Police Chief will not interrupt the service period in your permanent position.
*If the eligible title has been lowered to the entry level rank, you must have served in the force at least one year or three years depending on the participating municipality since you were appointed and performed the job duties. Police Officers filing for this examination must have one year of permanent experience after completion of their police academy course. Service as a Student Officer, before successful completion of an approved academy, does not count towards meeting the eligibility requirement.
Note: Pursuant to the provisions of Massachusetts General Law (MGL) 31 § 59, if less than two applications are received from eligible candidates, this examination will be postponed. If the examination’s eligible title has been lowered to the entry level rank, the examination will go forward with less than two eligible candidates submit applications.
Eligible List: Individuals placed on the resulting eligible list shall be eligible for certification from such list for such period as the administrator shall determine, but in any event not to exceed two years, unless otherwise outlined in Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 31, § 25 or the Human Resources Division (HRD) revocation policy.
Examination Weights: The Sole Assessment Center will be 100% of the final score.
Eligible Title(s): Police Lieutenant
Job Description
The Chief of Police is the chief administrative officer of the Department and the final departmental authority in all matters of policy, operations and discipline. The Chief of Police exercises all lawful powers of their office and issues such lawful orders as are necessary to assure the effective performance of the Department.
General Duties and Responsibilities:**
- Ensure compliance with all laws which the Department or its officers have the authority to enforce; ensure all personnel have available to them copies of the Department’s Police Manual; organize, direct and control all resources of the Department to preserve peace, protect persons and property and enforce the law.
- Develop a professional organizational structure for the Department; institute an adequate and progressive program of training for all personnel; plan and execute police programs designed to prevent and repress crime, to apprehend and prosecute offenders and to recover property and modify these programs to meet current trends; develop or adopt new techniques to improve effectiveness in the discharge of police obligations to the Department.
- Be fully familiar with the affairs of the Department and ensure that personnel are carrying out their duties and responsibilities effectively and efficiently; delegate authority to those under their command, commensurate with their duties and responsibilities; establish a routine of daily duties to be performed by officers; assign, detail or transfer any personnel to or from any unit or assignment.
- Provide for investigations in all cases of alleged or apparent misconduct by personnel.
- Exercise general supervision and inspection of all licensed public places which come within the jurisdiction of the Police Department; adopt a policy covering the safekeeping of all evidence and any property recovered, found or confiscated; designate a member of the Department as Evidence Officer.
- Maintain a personnel record system.
- Prepare and submit an annual report of Department activities.
- Prepare and submit annual departmental budget.
**The duties and responsibilities listed above are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment of the position. For a complete description, please contact the Ludlow Police Department. Application: All applications must be received by the application deadline or your application will not be accepted. Once your application is successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive this confirmation, your application has not been received and you will need to submit the application again.
Assessment Center: The assessment center will be conducted by a third-party vendor chosen by your municipality.
Credit for In-Title Experience: Pursuant to the provisions of MGL Ch. 31, Section 22, individuals may apply to receive credit for employment or experience in the position title of Police Chief. Credit will only be accepted if time worked is in a permanent, provisional or temporary after certification status. If you believe you are eligible for this credit, you must claim this credit in the application. All claims must be verified by supporting documentation, which must provide specific details of any experience you have in the position title of Police Chief, including dates of service and, if part time, total number of hours worked. The supporting documentation must be on original letterhead with a signature from the appointing authority where the experience occurred or on the Employment Verification Form for Sole Assessment Center. Please note, credit for employment or experience is applicable only to individuals who achieve a passing score on the Assessment Center, and cannot be added to a failing examination score. Supporting documentation needs to be submitted within seven days after the Assessment Center date by email to civilservice@mass.govor attached to the application.
Statutory Preference Points: Upon submission of written proof, two points will be added to the passing score of qualified Veterans and Disabled Veterans or individuals who have 25 years of service as a member of a regular police or fire force and have passed an examination for promotional appointment in such force. If you are qualified for both the Veteran's Preference and the Promotional Preference for 25 years of service, please be advised that two points are the maximum allowable number of points to be added to your passing, overall (general average) examination score. To claim the Promotional Preference for 25 years of service, candidates must claim this preference in the application and either attach the Employment Verification Form for Sole Assessment Center form to the application or email it to civilservice@mass.gov. To claim veterans preference, claim veteran status in the application and attach your DD214 to the application or email it to civilservice@mass.gov. For more information on veteran status refer to the Military Information section on our website.
During the HRD review process or during the life of the applicable eligible list(s), candidates must make original supporting documentation available should the issue of authenticity arise with any submitted document copies.
Makeup Examination: All military personnel who, in connection with current service, have military orders that indicate their unavailability due to military service on the examination date, must file an application and examination processing fee and request a makeup examination in writing to the delegation administrator or their designee. With the exception of current military personnel, as described above, no candidate has a right to a makeup examination due to personal or professional conflicts on the testing date. Candidates are advised to consider this before applying for the examination. If you file an examination application by the application deadline but are unable to appear for the examination on the examination date due to an emergency or unanticipated hardship, you may request a makeup examination by filing a written request with verifiable documentation to the delegation administrator or their designee. The delegation administrator reserves the right to approve or deny your request. Please reach out to them for further information.
Reasonable Accommodations: If you need reasonable accommodations due to a documented impairment, or medical condition, you must make a request with the delegation administrator or their designee. All requests will be reviewed and approved by the delegation administrator or their designee.
Delegation Administrator or Designee: Carrie Ribeiro (cribeiro@ludlow.ma.us)
Updating Information: Candidates are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information. Failure to keep your records current may jeopardize opportunities for promotion. For information on how to update your information, click on Update Account.
Identification at the Examination Site: At the examination site, candidates must present a current and valid government issued photo identification with signature (e.g., driver's license, passport, military ID). Candidates will not be allowed to take the examination without valid identification.
Private School or Service: HRD does not recommend or endorse any private school, service, or publisher offering preparation and/or publications for examinations and is not responsible for their advertising claims.
Supplemental Information
Women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
For more information or inquiries about this and other civil service examinations, visitwww.mass.gov/civilservice or email the Civil Service Unit at civilservice@mass.gov.
The Civil Service Unit's hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:45am – 5:00pm, except holidays. Inquiries may also be made to the Civil Service Unit during these hours at the following numbers:
Boston area: (617) 878-9895 or (617) 878-9700
Toll-Free Within Massachusetts: 1-800-392-6178
TTY Number: (617) 878-9762