No person employed as a regular full-time police officer in any police department, except officers appointed for a probationary period of one year or less, shall be suspended, removed or reduced in rank except under the act of June 15, 1951 (P.L. 586, No. 144),¹ entitled “An act regulating the suspension, removal, furloughing and reinstatement of police officers in boroughs and townships of the first class having police forces of less than three members, and in townships of the second class.”