Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 2.02(I) of Article II of the charter of the town of Rockland, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following three paragraphs:-

The chief of police shall have full authority to appoint, demote, suspend and terminate all the police officers and command officers of the police department, and for the purposes of the requirements of chapter 31 of the General Laws, and the rules made thereunder shall be considered the appointing authority for the police department.

In original appointments to the permanent-intermittent force, regular full-time force or the promotion of any officer to any rank, said chief of police shall convene an assessment panel comprised of not less than three superior police officers of any police department, who shall interview and recommend the best candidates to said chief of police who shall choose among the names submitted to him by the assessment panel in accordance with the provisions of said chapter 31.

Said chief of police shall appoint such clerical and civilian staff as is authorized by town meeting.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.