[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Westfield
as Title 3, Ch. 1 of the 1985 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Police Department of the Village shall consist of the Chief of Police
and such other police officers as the Village Board may prescribe from time
to time by ordinance or resolution.
Before an individual may commence employment as a police officer of
the Police Department of the Village, he must have met the recruit qualifications
set by the Village and the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board, and
before any individual may commence employment as a police officer in said
Department on a permanent or part-time basis he must have been certified by
the Board before the end of his or her probationary period as having met the
recruit qualifications and as having successfully completed the preparatory
training course required under the Board's recruit training standards. Any
person employed as a member of the Village Police Department shall be considered
on probation until successfully completing such training course and having
been certified by the Board, provided that such training course must be completed
within one year after initial employment.
A.Â
The Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Village Board under the authority granted by § 115-3 of this Code and the Wisconsin Statutes. The Village Board shall have the authority to hire subordinates, terminate a subordinate's employment or promote the subordinate. Officers shall serve on a probationary basis for one year following appointment; however, the Board shall review the work progress of the Chief of Police after the first six months of said Chief's employment as to performance and will consider a wage adjustment at that time.
B.Â
The Chief of Police shall be accountable to the Village
President as his immediate supervisor. Any recommendations of the Operations
Committee or the Board shall be communicated to the Chief of Police through
the Village President, and the Village President shall have the day-to-day
responsibility of communicating with the Chief. In the event that the Village
Board should by resolution order the Chief to do certain tasks under this
section, said resolution or ordinance amendment shall be communicated to the
Chief or the Village President.
The Chief of Police and all policemen of the Village shall possess the
powers, enjoy the privileges and be subject to the liabilities conferred and
imposed by law on village marshals and constables.
A.Â
Every member of the Police Department shall:
(1)Â
Familiarize himself with the ordinances of the Village and the
state statutes and attend to the enforcement of such ordinances by all lawful
means.
(2)Â
Help prevent crimes, misdemeanors and violations of Village ordinances
and protect the health, safety, public peace and order of the Village and
its inhabitants.
(3)Â
Report all street and sidewalk obstructions, unlighted streetlamps,
unlawful street signs or signals and defective or dangerous streets and sidewalks
to the appropriate person or organization responsible for their repair or
service.
(4)Â
Assist the Fire Department in maintaining order at the scene
of a fire or any other fire response within the Village.
(5)Â
See that the necessary permits and licenses issued by the state
or Village are in the possession of or properly displayed by any person engaged
in an activity or business within the Village for which such permit or license
is required and that the terms of such permits or licenses are complied with
and shall work in conjunction with the Public Works Department and Clerk-Treasurer
in enforcing these licenses.
(6)Â
Perform such other lawful duties as ordered by the Chief of Police
or his authorized representative.
B.Â
The Police Department and force shall have the power
and it shall be their duty to preserve the public peace; prevent crimes; detect
and arrest offenders; suppress riots, mobs and insurrections; disperse unlawful
or dangerous assemblages and assemblages which obstruct the free passage of
public streets, sidewalks, parks and places; protect the rights of persons
and property; guard the public health; preserve order at elections and all
public meetings and assemblages; subject to the provisions of law and the
rules and regulations of the Village Board, regulate, direct, control and
restrict the movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic for the facilitation
of traffic and the convenience of the public as well as the proper
protection of human life and health; remove all nuisances in the public streets,
parks and places; arrest all street mendicants and beggars; provide proper
police attendance at fires; inspect and observe all places of public amusement
and all places of business having excise or other licenses to carry on any
business; enforce and prevent the violation of all laws and ordinances in
force in the Village; and for those purposes to arrest all persons guilty
of violating any law or ordinance for the suppression or punishment of crimes
or offenses.[1]
In addition to the duties imposed upon him by § 115-3 of this Code, the Chief of Police shall:
A.Â
Be the head of the Department and have supervision over
all officers and members thereof.
B.Â
Keep such records and make such reports concerning the
activities of his Department as may be required by statute or by the Village
Board.
C.Â
Be responsible for the performance by the Police Department
of its functions. All persons who are members of the Police Department shall
serve subject to the orders of the Chief of Police.
D.Â
Serve any process except on command to another police
officer.
E.Â
Have a thorough knowledge of all sections of the Village
and when going on duty shall immediately familiarize himself with all police
business transacted since his last tour of duty.
F.Â
Inform the commanding officer coming on duty of all matters
which have occurred and which may require attention.
G.Â
Diligently inquire into all complaints and charges of
laxity and misconduct in the performance of duty by members under his command
and take such steps as he deem necessary to correct the same.
H.Â
Cause the public peace to be preserved and receive and
give proper attention to complaints and all persons referred to him.
I.Â
Report to the Chairman of Operations Committee any misconduct
of any member of the Police Department.
J.Â
Devote his energies no less than 40 hours each week to
the performance of his duties, and in all cases should be available for emergency
duty. He shall make written monthly reports to the Village Board of activities
of the Department to be presented at the regular monthly Village Board meeting
and comply with such procedures as may be prescribed by the Village President
relative to fiscal and administrative matters.
K.Â
Conduct himself, and cause his subordinates to conduct
themselves, in a proper and law-abiding manner at all times and avoid the
use of unnecessary force.
L.Â
Carry out the preservation of the public peace, the protection
of life and property, the prevention of crime, the arrest of violators of
the law, and the proper enforcement of all the laws and ordinances of which
the Department takes cognizance; be consistently direct in his efforts to
accomplish these ends intelligently and efficiently; hold himself in readiness
at all times to answer the calls and obey the orders of his supervisors; and
be accountable to his supervisor for the general public safety conditions
of the Village during the hours assigned to him.
M.Â
Wear the regulation uniforms in keeping with the specifications
adopted by the Village Board.
N.Â
During patrol duty, not go beyond the limits of the Village
unless in the performance of actual police duty, or to aid in an emergency
situation.
O.Â
Strive to maintain suitable, productive relationships
with other Village departments and with other governmental agencies and private
organizations concerned with law enforcement, crime prevention, administration
of justice and public safety. He shall cooperate and exchange information
with other Village departments in matters relating to their various functions.
P.Â
Be the custodian of all Village property, equipment and
supplies under the control of or used by the Police Department and be responsible
for the care, maintenance, safeguarding and accurate records of such property,
equipment and supplies.
Q.Â
Be the custodian of all evidentiary property and be responsible
for the safekeeping, lawful disposition and accurate record of the same. He
shall see that all property is returned to its lawful owner or otherwise disposed
of according to the applicable statues.
R.Â
Perform such other duties as may be required from time
to time as prescribed by the Village Board.
The Chief of Police shall establish and promulgate rules of conduct,
directives and policy procedures and prescribe such duties for individual
members as he may deem necessary for the effective and efficient command and
operation of the Department; provided that no such rules of conduct, directive
or policy procedure duties or assignment shall be in conflict with the statutes
or ordinances or with any rules approved by the Village Board.
The Chief of Police shall cause to be maintained adequate personnel
records of employment, assignment, promotions, attendance, performance and
training for all members of the Department. He shall also comply with all
the provisions of the Law Enforcement Standards Board in regard to background
investigations. He shall keep himself adequately informed of the activities
of the Department and be assured that the duties of his subordinates are properly
discharged. He shall formulate procedures for recognizing outstanding performances
by Department members, for investigating complaints of misconduct by any Department
member and for taking appropriate disciplinary action subject to the provisions
of the applicable statutes and rules of the Department.
The Chief of Police is responsible for the training of all members of
the Department. He shall cause adequate and progressive programs of training
to be organized and conducted to prepare Department members in the knowledge,
procedures and techniques of their duties and responsibilities. He will ensure
that, within budgetary limitations, members of the Department attend training
courses, seminars and conferences necessary to maintain and improve their
job skills and professional knowledge. He shall encourage Department members
to further their education in law enforcement through study, special courses,
college attendance, extension programs and independent readings.
The Chief of Police shall, subject to the approval of the Village Board,
prescribe the style, design, material and color of uniforms to be worn by
the uniformed members of the Department and certain attire to be worn by plainclothes
personnel. He shall prescribe the weapons and other police equipment to be
carried and used by police personnel and the badges and insignia by the Department.
