§2537.  Duties of the board

The board shall:

(1)  Represent the public interest in matters of personnel administration in the fire and police service of the municipal government, or parish government, or fire protection district government of which the fire service is a part.

(2)  Advise and assist the governing body, mayor, commissioner of public safety and the chief of the fire department of the municipality, or the parish governing authority, or fire protection district, governing authority, as the case may be, with reference to the maintenance and improvement of personnel standards and administration in the fire and police service, and the classified system.

(3)  Advise and assist the employees in the classified service with reference to the maintenance, improvement and administration of personnel matters related to any individual or group of employees.

(4)  Make, at the direction of the mayor, commissioner of public safety, chief of the fire department of the municipality, or president of the parish governing authority, or chairman of the board of commissioners of the fire protection district, or upon the written petition of any citizen for just cause or upon its own motion, any investigation concerning the administration of personnel or the compliance with the provisions of this Part in the fire and police service; review and modify or set aside, upon its own motion, any of its actions, and take any other action which it determines to be desirable or necessary in the public interest or to carry out effectively the provisions and purposes of this Part.  However, any investigation requested of the board by the mayor, commissioner of public safety, chief of the fire department of the municipality, or president of the parish governing authority, or chairman of the board of commissioners of the fire protection district, or upon the written petition of any citizen for just cause shall be completed within sixty days of the receipt of the request for an investigation or receipt of a written petition of any citizen, or both.

(5)  Conduct investigations and pass upon complaints by or against any officer or employee in the classified service for the purpose of demotion, reduction in position or abolition thereof, suspension, or dismissal of the officer or employee, in accordance with the provisions of this Part.  Investigations conducted pursuant to the provisions of this Paragraph shall be completed within sixty days.  However, the sixty-day limitation shall not apply to any investigation conducted pursuant to the provisions of Subpart H of Part II of Chapter 4 of this Title, comprised of R.S. 33:2181 et seq.

(6)  Hear and pass upon matters which the mayor, commissioner of public safety, the chief of the fire or police departments of the municipality, or any member of the parish or fire protection district governing authority or the state examiner of fire and police civil service brings before it.

(7)  Make, alter, amend and promulgate rules necessary to carry out effectively the provisions of this Part.

(8)  Adopt and maintain a classification plan.  The classification plan shall be adopted and maintained by rules of the board.

(9)  Make reports to the governing body, either upon its own motion or upon the official request of the governing body, regarding general or special matters of personnel administration in and for the fire or police service of the municipality, parish or fire protection district, as the case may be, or with reference to any appropriation made by the governing body for the expenses incidental to the operation of the board.

Acts 1964, No. 282, §1.  Amended by Acts 1965, No. 146, §1; Acts 2004, No. 274, §1.