Columbia Definitions and rules of construction ordinance (§ 18-92)

The definitions and rules of construction in section 18-35 apply to this division except as otherwise provided in this division. The following definitions and rules of construction apply to this division in place of anything to the contrary in this Article II:

Covered police employee. A person hired by the Columbia Police Department as a full-time, regular police officer on or after October 1, 2012. This term shall exclude clerical employees, watchmen, school traffic guards, turnkeys, volunteers and any other employee or associate, regardless of whether they are commissioned as a police officer, when they are not a salaried full-time, regular police officer of the city. This term shall exclude the chief of police.

Highest average salary. The average of the thirty-six (36) consecutive months of covered employment in which such covered police employee's salary was the highest, or, if the employee has less than thirty-six (36) months of service, then the average salary over the employee's entire period of service. For the purposes of calculating the thirty-six (36) months of highest average, no period shorter than twelve (12) months shall be used. "Salary," as used in this definition, includes only compensation included computing the employee's contributions to the police retirement fund.