[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of
Marple 7-12-1971 as Ch. 18 of the 1971 Code. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to the authority contained in the First Class Township Code,
there is hereby created the office of Police Surgeon for the Township of Marple.
As soon as practicable after the adoption of this chapter, the Board
of Commissioners of the township shall elect, by a vote of a majority of the
members, one duly qualified and licensed physician, who shall be named the
Police Surgeon, and who shall serve for the term of one year and until his
successor is elected and qualifies. Vacancies in the office of Police Surgeon
shall be filled by the Board of Commissioners for the unexpired term.
The Police Surgeon shall be a duly qualified and licensed physician
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a period of at least three years.
The compensation of the Police Surgeon shall be fixed by resolution
of the Board of Commissioners. Such compensation, when fixed, shall be full
and complete compensation for the performance of all duties set forth in this
chapter.
The Police Surgeon shall be under the direction and supervision of the
Board of Commissioners and he shall perform the following duties:
A.
He shall examine applicants for appointment to the Police
Department whenever the Board of Commissioners may deem it necessary, and
make a written report thereon to the Board of Commissioners.
B.
He shall, upon the notification of illness of any member
of the Police Department, when requested by the Superintendent of Police or
officer in charge, visit such members and report orally or in writing to police
headquarters.
C.
He shall keep a careful record of the sick time of each
member of the Police Department and make a report thereof to the Board of
Commissioners and Superintendent of Police, setting forth in such report the
name and rank of the sick member, the date and duration of his sickness, the
number of visits made during the same, the total of days of lost time, and
also in plain and popular language the name and character of the disease or
disability.
D.
He shall report in writing to the Board of Commissioners
and Superintendent of Police concerning any member of the Police Department
who shall seem to evade duty on the pretense of sickness, or whose sickness
or disability is caused by improper conduct, intemperance or immoral or vicious
habits or practices.
E.
He shall, upon being notified by the commanding officer
that there is reason to believe that an officer reporting sick is feigning
or under the influence of alcoholic liquor, narcotic or drug, arrange with
the commanding officer to immediately visit the officer reported and ascertain
the facts, and leave with the commanding officer a written report on the officer's
condition.
F.
He shall report in writing to the Superintendent of Police
and the Board of Commissioners the deaths as they occur in the Police Department,
and state the time, cause and circumstances of each death, specifying if the
deceased member was killed while in the actual performance of police duty
or died from the effects of any injury received while in the actual discharge
of said duty or, if death was caused by misconduct on the part of such member,
to so state.
G.
He shall make all determination required to be made by
a duly qualified physician under the provision of the Marple Township Police
Pension Plan Ordinance of 1958, as Revised in 1965, particularly determination
as to service-connected total and permanent disability.
H.
He shall perform all sobriety tests on individuals arrested
in Marple Township wherever requested to do so by the Police Department of
Marple Township. He shall ensure his availability at all times for sobriety
testing, and in the event of unavailability, he shall notify the Police Department
of his absence and ensure the availability of another duly qualified physician
to perform such tests in his absence at no additional cost to the township.
Whenever requested to do so, he shall appear at all hearings and court proceedings
to offer testimony to substantiate his findings as to sobriety.
I.
He shall render medical care and treatment to all members
of the Police Department who become ill or suffer injury during the performance
of police duties. He shall also render medical care and treatment to any member
of the Police Department who requests such medical care and treatment, whether
or not the illness or injury arose out of the performance of police duties.
All services rendered to members of the Police Department as aforesaid shall
be on a no-fee basis.
J.
He shall, whenever requested by the Police Department,
render medical assistance at the scene of any emergency situation or accident
occurring in the Township of Marple.
K.
He shall perform such additional duties as requested
from time to time by the Board of Commissioners.
Whenever the Township Health Officer is a duly licensed physician and
otherwise meets the qualifications set forth in this chapter, the Township
Health Officer may be elected to simultaneously hold the office of Police
Surgeon.
