SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law or rule to the contrary, the Town of Tewksbury shall be exempt from chapter 31 of the General Laws for the purposes of recruiting and hiring the position of permanent full-time police officer; provided, however, that such hiring shall occur only after a competitive process implemented by the appointing authority of the Town; provided, further that such competitive process shall offer preference to residents of the Town of Tewksbury or veterans of the United States military; and provided, further that following (1) an original appointment as a permanent full-time police officer and graduation from a police academy or (2) a permanent full-time position transfer from another police department, said police officer shall engage in the actual performance of the duties of such position for a probationary period of twelve (12) months, whereupon after completion of the probationary period, or extended probationary period, the police officer shall be considered a full-time tenured civil service employee in said position under chapter 31 of the General Laws.

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