73 Pa.C.S. § 1947: Provisional appointments.

(a) Noncompetitive examination.--If there are urgent reasons for the filling of a vacancy in a position in the police force and there are no names on the eligibility list for the appointment, the board of commissioners may nominate an individual to the civil service commission for a noncompetitive examination. If the nominee is certified by the civil service commission as qualified after the noncompetitive examination, the nominee may be provisionally appointed to fill the vacancy.

(b) Competitive examination.--Within 90 days of the provisional appointment under subsection (a), the civil service commission shall hold a competitive examination, certify an eligibility list and make a regular appointment to the position under section 1944 (relating to eligibility list and manner of filling appointments) from the names submitted by the civil service commission. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the appointment without an examination of individuals temporarily as police officers in cases of riot or other emergencies or firefighters in cases of emergency.