[Amended 3-23-2010 by Ord. No. 961]
A. Composition. The Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department shall consist of the following personnel to be appointed to these positions by the Mayor and confirmed by the Borough Council in accordance with §
46-6:
[Amended 6-26-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-07]
(1) Not more than one Chief of Police.
(2) Not more than one Captain.
(3) Not more than one Lieutenant.
(4) Not more than six Sergeants.
(5) Not more than nine patrol officers.
B. Vacancies. Designation of the foregoing members shall not make appointment
thereto at any time mandatory, and vacancies therein may occur from
time to time.
C. Review of Table of Organization. There shall be review of the Ho-Ho-Kus
Police Department Table of Organization at least every two years by
the Chief of Police, Police Commissioners and Municipal Attorney to
ensure that it meets the needs of the Borough, its residents, businesses
and visitors and is in compliance with all relevant statutes and judicial
decisions. Failure to conduct such a review shall not render this
section invalid.
D. Compensation. The compensation for each member of the Ho-Ho-Kus Police
Department shall be set forth in the annual Salary Ordinance and the
implementing salary resolution.
E. Duties. The duties and responsibilities of the members of the Police Department are set forth in the "Police Department of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus Manual of Rules and Regulations," dated March 2003, as adopted pursuant to §
46-20 herein.
[Amended 11-25-2014 by Ord. No. 1033; 3-16-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-43]
A. Powers and duties. The Borough shall appoint a Chief of Police who
shall have all of the powers set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 and
who shall be directly responsible to the appropriate authority for
the efficiency and routine day-to-day operations of the Police Department.
B. Appointment.
(1) Goals. The Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus desires to promote the most qualified
candidates to the rank of Chief of Police. This section establishes
the eligibility requirements and the process for promotion to such
rank. The promotion process shall be on the basis of merit, experience/seniority,
education, military service, demonstrated ability, and oral examinations
as noted herein. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129, promotion
of any officer shall be made from the membership of the Ho-Ho-Kus
Police Department. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, promotion
to the position of the Chief of Police shall be made by the Mayor
with the consent and approval of the governing body utilizing the
process set forth below.
(2) Eligibility requirements. For promotion to Chief of Police, no person
shall be eligible for such promotion unless he or she:
(a)
Shall have served, in the aggregate, for at least three years
as a full-time Captain, Lieutenant, and/or Sergeant for the Ho-Ho-Kus
Police Department as of the announced date of intended appointment;
and
(b)
Shall have met or exceeded all Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department performance
standards in his or her three most recent annual performance evaluations
conducted by his or her superiors.
C. Process.
(1) In creating a list of eligible candidates for promotion to Chief
of Police, the governing body shall score/rank as each such candidate
as follows:
(a)
Oral examination. At least 20 calendar days before the examination,
the governing body, or their designee, shall announce the date, time
and location of the oral examination. The Borough may enter into a
contract with the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police
(NJSACOP), or other organization which provides oral testing services
at the Borough's sole discretion, to develop, conduct and grade the
oral examination. The governing body may alternatively approve the
use of an oral examination which is prepared, but not graded, by NJSACOP
or such other organization. The questions may be based upon police
practices, police and investigative procedures, supervisory and administrative
principles, New Jersey criminal law, report writing, search and seizure
issues, New Jersey Attorney General Guidelines and Directives, legal
aspects and requirements for police work, and such other criteria
as determined by the NJSACOP, or as determined by the governing body.
Eligible candidates who are scheduled to work during the examination
will be excused from duty to take the examination. The oral test shall
constitute 40% of the overall total score for each eligible candidate,
based on a test that contains a maximum value of 100 points. For example,
a candidate who receives 70 points out of the total of 100 possible
total points for the written test shall receive 28 points towards
the overall total score (70 points x 40% = 28 points). In advance
of such oral test, the minimum threshold/score required to be eligible
for promotion shall be established by the governing body, or its designee,
and such minimum threshold/score shall be communicated, in writing,
to all eligible candidates for promotion prior to their taking said
test. Only those candidates who achieve such minimum score shall be
eligible to continue forward in the promotion process for promotion
to Chief of Police.
(b)
Each eligible candidate shall thereafter be interviewed by an
interview panel comprised of the Borough's Public Safety Committee,
or its designees, and the Borough Administrative Officer ("interview
panel"). All candidates so interviewed by said interview panel shall
be asked the same questions, and the score accorded to each candidate
shall be arrived at by calculating the average of the scores of all
said interview panel members. Alternatively, the Borough may use NJSACOP
or other similar organization to conduct the oral interviews. The
results of such oral interview by said interview panel, and its consideration
of the candidate's past performance based upon evaluations conducted
during the preceding three years, shall constitute 40% of the overall
total score for each eligible candidate based on the average score
of all said interview panel members of such oral interview. The total
possible points for this oral interview shall be 100 points. For example,
a candidate who receives a total of 90 points for this oral interview
shall receive 36 points towards his/her overall total score (90 points
x 40% = 36 points).
(c)
Each eligible candidate shall then be evaluated by the governing
body. The results of such evaluation by the governing body shall constitute
20% of the overall total score for each eligible candidate based at
the average score of the governing body members. The total possible
score for this evaluation shall be 100 points. For example, a candidate
who receives a total of 80 points for this evaluation shall receive
16 points toward his/her overall total score (80 points x 20% = 16
points).
D. Appeal.
(1) Any appeal of the promotional process other than for the reasons set forth in Subsection
D(1)(a) and
(b) hereinbelow must be filed within 10 days of the posting of ranking of candidates, and failing same, such right of appeal shall be deemed waived. Said appeal must contain the reason(s) or justification(s) for an appeal and must be submitted to the Mayor and the appropriate authority.
(a)
Review and retabulation of the scored elements of the selection
process.
(b)
Review of any evaluation or internal document that was used
in the selection process related to the applicant.
(2) Any appeal, for reasons other than those specified in Subsection
D(1)(a) and
(b) above, must be filed, in writing, by a candidate with the Mayor and the appropriate authority, within 15 days of the posting of the ranking of candidates, and failing same, such right of appeal shall be deemed waived. Any such appeal may, in its sole discretion of the Mayor and governing body, allow the candidate to be reevaluated, or take other action it deems appropriate.
E. Eligible list duration. A ranked list of eligible candidates for
promotion to Chief of Police shall be valid for one year.
[Amended 6-23-1987 by Ord. No. 606]
Seniority in the Department is established first by rank and
second by time served in rank.
[Amended 6-23-1987 by Ord. No. 606]
A shift designates one of the basic time units for assignment
of personnel, usually specified in terms of eight-hour periods. The
senior ranking officer on duty on any shift shall be in charge of
the Department during the shift unless relieved by an officer of higher
rank, who shall thereupon sign entry in the blotter to that effect.