The following rules and regulations for the
operation and government of the Police Department and the special
law enforcement officers are hereby established.
[Amended 5-11-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-08; 10-31-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-12; 6-10-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02]
The Police Director shall have and shall exercise
the following authority and shall, except during hours when he shall
be off duty or absent on vacation pursuant to the order of the Township
Committee or its designee, perform the following duties:
A. To serve as the active executive administrator of
the Police Department and shall command the Police Department and
the special police officers assigned to active duties.
B. To report to the Township Committee or its designee
with such frequency as the Township Committee shall require for orders
and instructions and shall promptly report all matters of interest
connected with the Police Department, and shall furnish a monthly
report containing such detailed and special information as it may
from time to time require.
C. To instruct and direct as executive administrator
through the officer in charge all other members of the Police Department
and the special police officers assigned to active duty with respect
to their duties and shall require that all such duties be properly
performed and that all rules and regulations herein established be
strictly obeyed and complied with and shall generally maintain a high
degree of efficiency on the part of the Police Department and the
special police officers assigned to active duty.
D. To communicate to the other members of the Police
Department and to the special police officers assigned to active duty
all orders made and instructions given by the Township Committee or
its designee in relation to their work and shall require the prompt
performance thereof and compliance therewith.
E. To observe the work of all other members of the Police
Department and the special police officers assigned to active duty
and, as occasionally required, shall criticize constructively the
work of individual officers and give such instruction and direction
as may be appropriate to improve the efficiency of their work.
F. To have charge of all property of the Township used
by the Police Department and by the special police officers and shall
attend to the repair and maintenance of all such property and equipment
so that the same shall at all times be in proper condition for effective
use; provided, however, that the expenditure of money for the maintenance
and repair of such property shall first be authorized by the Township
Committee, except in case of emergency, when expenditures not exceeding
$250 may be made for such purposes. All emergency expenditures shall
promptly be reported to the Township Committee and also to the Township
Clerk on the next following business day.
G. To receive and have the custody of lost personal property
found by members of the Police Department or by the special police
officers assigned to active duty or by other persons and delivered
to the Police Department; to have the custody of personal property
stolen or wrongfully taken and thereafter recovered by the Police
Department or by the special police officers assigned to active duty,
and to take proper measures for the purpose of returning all such
personal property to the owner or owners thereof.
H. To verify and sign a periodic payroll showing the
names of the members of the Police Department and the special police
officers assigned to active duty who shall have rendered police services
to the Township during the period covered by such payroll, and showing
also the dates and times when such services were performed, and indicating
the installments of salary or amounts of compensation which the persons
named therein are then respectively entitled to receive, together
with the authorized deductions, which payroll he shall deliver to
the Police Director.
I. To keep himself fully informed at all times with respect
to the conditions in the Township affecting the public safety and
good order.
J. In his discretion, summarily relieve from active duty,
without pay, for not more than five days, any officer or member or
special police officer who he is satisfied is violating or has violated,
within five days next preceding, any of the terms or provisions of
this chapter and the rules and regulations herein established, and
shall immediately notify the Township Committee of the action taken;
provided, however, that such member of the Police Department or special
police officer shall have the right of summary appeal from the action
of the Police Director in accordance with the collective bargaining
agreement.
K. The Police Director may, with the approval of the
Township Committee, establish such bureaus or divisions as may be
required for the proper functioning of the Department's work. The
Director may have the power to assign any and all members of the Department
to their respective duties and require them to perform the same, and
shall assign officers in his command to such duties as shall be for
the best interests of the Department and for the safety and welfare
of the residents of the Township.
L. The Police Director may change the hours of duty of
any officer or member of the Police Department, assign such members
of the Department to special duty or require them to perform extra
duty whenever there may be necessity for the same in accordance with
the collective bargaining agreement.
M. The Police Director shall, from time to time, promulgate
orders and cause same to be executed. The Director shall also have
the power to supplement the same from time to time by issuing such
orders as are necessary to make the same effective. Such orders shall
be subject to the approval of the Township Committee.
N. The Police Director shall cause to be enforced all
the laws of the state and the ordinances of the Township and shall
cause to be investigated all crimes and all violations of state statutes
and of Township ordinances, and, where appropriate, shall cause prosecution
to be commenced. It shall be the Director's duty to be cognizant of
any and all neglect of duty, disobedience of orders and other offenses
on the part of members of the Department and to make formal written
charges whenever such offenses require formal charges. To this end,
the Director shall investigate or cause to be investigated any such
offenses and shall submit a written report, along with any evidence,
to the Township Committee.
O. For adequate cause, the Police Director may suspend
from duty any officer or member or special police officer of the Department.
The Director shall present to the Township Committee, without unnecessary
delay, a written report setting forth his reason for suspending an
officer, and if the suspension is for more than five days, he shall
request a hearing before the Township Committee.
P. The Police Director shall maintain complete files
of personnel records and Department equipment.
Q. The Police Director shall devote his energies and
plan his activities for the health, welfare, safety and general well-being
of the citizens and residents of the Township. The Director shall
stimulate in the members of the Police Department a concern for the
well-being of all the people and property in the community and an
appreciation and respect for the rights and liberties of all persons.
The Director shall constantly require the members of the Police Department
to strive for a high degree of excellence in the quality of the law
enforcement and service rendered by them.
R. The Police Director shall, subject to available appropriation,
whenever in his judgment it may be necessary or advisable, assign
any one or more of the special police officers to the performance
of active police duties.
S. The Police Director shall be the supervisory head
of the special police officers.
T. The Police Director shall be the supervisory head
of any bureau or division that exists or may be formed with the Police
Department, and he may designate a member of the Police Department
to be the officer in charge of any bureau or division when he deems
it necessary or advisable for the efficient operation of the same.