Appointments to and promotions in all paid fire or police departments, or both of cities, villages, and municipalities shall be made only according to qualifications and fitness to be ascertained by competitive examinations, and no person shall be appointed, reinstated, promoted, or discharged as a full-time paid member of a department, regardless of rank or position, in any fire or police department of any city, village, or municipality in this state except as provided in this act. This section applies only to full-time paid members as defined in section 17.
MCL 38.507