Civil service exams slated for October

Two positions open at El Dorado Police Department

The El Dorado Civil Service Commission is gearing up for another round of civil service exams this year to help fill vacancies in the El Dorado Police Department.

Written and oral exams/interviews for new-hires will be administered at 6 p.m. Oct. 19 in the activity building at the Union County Fairgrounds.

It will be the second round of testing for the EPD in 2020. Exams were held in June for the EPD and El Dorado Fire Department.

During an ECSC meeting Wednesday, police Chief Kenny

Hickman said he hired four entry-level officers who passed exams in June and within the past couple of weeks, he has three certified officers.

Hickman said the EPD has had as many as 11 vacancies on its uniformed roster list since June.

With one officer back from a military deployment and another expected to return from a deployment within the next two weeks, Hickman said the EPD now has two open positions.

He said the eligibility list from the spring exams has been exhausted and an additional testing cycle is needed this year.

“You can’t really count the ones who are in training,” Hickman said of the four entry-level hires.

He told civil service commissioners that one of the entry-level candidates has served on the EPD’s reserve unit for the past five years.

“He has experience in business and a degree in Criminal Justice. He’s one of our favorites and we’re excited to bring him on board,” the police chief said.

Fire Chief Chad Mosby said the EFD is fully staffed and still has some candidates on its eligibility list for 2020.

Eligibility lists are made up of candidates who passed civil service exams but were not immediately hired due to a lack of open positions.

The lists are good for up to one year after civil service exams are certified.

Mosby said the EFD was able to draw from its eligibility list to fill two vacancies that opened when one firefighter took a job in the private sector and another resigned to become a full-time military serviceman.

Both departments have 51 positions for uniformed personnel.

“We won’t be doing the October testing. We still have a valid eligibility list,” Mosby said.

The EFD, however, is facing a coronavirus (COVID-19)-related issue regarding training, the fire chief said.

Because of the COVID pandemic, Mosby said there has been a backlog in classes at the Arkansas Fire Training Academy in East Camden, adding that entry-level candidates will not be able to attend the academy until after the first of the new year.

COVID-19 also affected the civil service testing process in June, prompting the ECSC to institute safety guidelines, including moving the exam site from the EPD’s training room to the activity building at the fairgrounds to allow more space to practice social distancing.

Commissioners said they will follow the same protocols next month, noting that candidates must also wear face masks during the tests.

ECSC Chairman Toddy Pitard said they will grade the exams at the fairgrounds and certify the test results later in the week.

The deadline to submit applications for the EPD is 4 p.m. Oct. 9.

Applications may be picked up between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mon. Fri., at EPD headquarters at 402 N. West Ave.

Upon submitting a completed application, candidates will receive a study guide for the civil service exam.

Applicants must be at least 21 years and have a high school diploma or GED.

Candidates must successfully pass written, oral and physical fitness exams, as well as a psychological exam and a background check.

For more information, call the EPD at 870-8814800.