Each applicant for original appointment to any position in the competitive class in any bureau of police in any city of the second class shall undergo a physical examination, subsequent to a mental examination but prior to appointment, which shall be conducted by a commission composed of doctors of medicine appointed for that purpose by the mayor. Said commission shall certify to the civil service commission that the applicant is free from bodily or mental defects, deformity or disease that might incapacitate him from the performance of the duties of the position he is seeking. No application for such appointment shall be received from any person who is under eighteen years of age or over thirty-five years of age at the date of his application. A city of the second class may require a police officer to become a bona fide resident of the city as a condition of employment. Any applicant for reinstatement as a member of the bureau of police who shall have served as an employe in such bureau of police for a period of more than six months shall be eligible for such reinstatement, even though such applicant shall be over the age of thirty-five years. A city of the second class may require a reinstated police officer to meet the same residency requirement as all other police officers.

All original appointments to the position of police officer in the bureau of police shall be for a probationary period of six months. If at any time during the probationary period the conduct or capacity of the probationer has not been satisfactory to the appointing officer, the probationer shall be notified, in writing, that he will not receive absolute appointment, whereupon his employment shall cease; otherwise, his retention in the service shall be equivalent to final appointment.