1. Under such rules and regulations as the board of trustees shall adopt, each member who was a policeman on and prior to the date the retirement system becomes operative and who becomes a member within one year from such date and each member who was a policeman prior to reentering the service of the city as a policeman, shall file a detailed statement of all service as a policeman rendered by the member prior to the date the retirement system becomes operative or prior to the date of last becoming a member, for which the member claims credit. If such member has withdrawn the member’s accumulated contributions prior to reentering said service, then the member shall repay all such accumulated contributions plus the applicable members’ interest thereon from the date of withdrawal to the date of repayment in order to receive credit for such prior service.

2. The board of trustees shall fix and determine by proper rules and regulations how much service in any year is equivalent to one year of service, but in no case shall more than one year of service be creditable for all service in one calendar year, nor shall the board of trustees allow credit as service for any period of more than one month‘s duration during which the member was absent without pay.

3. Subject to the above restrictions and to such other rules and regulations as the board of trustees may adopt, the board of trustees shall verify the service claims as soon as practicable after the filing of such statement of service.

4. Upon verification of the statements of service the board of trustees shall issue prior service certificates, certifying to each member the length of prior service with which the member is credited on the basis of such member’s statement of service. So long as the holder of such a certificate continues to be a member, a prior service certificate shall be final and conclusive for retirement purposes as to such service; provided, however, that any member may, within one year from the date of issuance or modification of such certificate, request the board of trustees to modify or correct such prior service certificate. When any policeman ceases to be a member, the former member’s prior service certificate shall become void. Should the former member again become a member, the former member shall enter the retirement system as a member not entitled to prior service credit except as provided in sections 86.200 to 86.366.

5. Creditable service at retirement on which the retirement allowance of a member shall be based shall consist of the membership service rendered by the member since last becoming a member and also if the member has a prior service certificate which is in full force and effect, the amount of the service certified on such prior service certificate.