[Adopted 9-23-1986 by Ord. No. 32-1986; amended 4-14-2020 by Ord. No. 12-2020; 12-1-2020 by Ord. No. 25-2020]
Pursuant to the authority granted to the Town of Dover by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 and N.J.S.A. 40A: 14-146.8 et seq., the governing body of the Town of Dover deems necessary the appointment of special law enforcement officers of the first, second and third class sufficient to perform the duties and responsibilities permitted by statute as shall be assigned by the Chief of Police from time to time.
A. 
The Police Department shall be authorized special officers of the first class not to exceed 15.
B. 
The Police Department shall be authorized special officers of the second class not to exceed 25% of the total number of regular police officers.
C. 
The Police Department shall be authorized special officers of the third class not to exceed 10.
Special officers of the first, second and third class shall be appointed annually by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for a term of one year, and the appointment may be revoked by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for cause after adequate hearing. Special officers so appointed shall not be members of the police force.
A. 
No person may be appointed a special officer unless the person:
(1) 
Is a resident of the State of New Jersey during the term of appointment.
(2) 
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently and has a high school diploma or equivalent.
(3) 
Is sound in body and of good health.
(4) 
Is of good moral character.
(5) 
Has not been convicted of any offense involving dishonesty or which would make him/her unfit to perform the duties of special officers.
(6) 
Has successfully undergone the same psychological testing that is required of all full-time police officers.
B. 
The Chief of Police shall have had the applicant fingerprinted as required by statute, conducted a background investigation of the applicant to determine the eligibility and qualifications of the applicant and has reported these determinations in writing to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
A. 
No person may be appointed a special officer unless the person:
(1) 
Is a resident of the State of New Jersey during the term of appointment.
(2) 
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently and has a high school diploma or equivalent.
(3) 
Is sound in body and of good health.
(4) 
Is of good moral character.
(5) 
Has not been convicted of any offense involving dishonesty or which would make him/her unfit to perform the duties of special officers.
(6) 
Has successfully undergone the same psychological testing that is required of all full-time police officers.
(7) 
Be a retired law enforcement officer who is less than 65 years of age; for the purposes of this subsection, a law enforcement officer shall not be considered retired if the officer's return to employment violates any federal or state law or regulation which would deem the officer's retirement as not being bona fide.
(8) 
Have served as a duly qualified, fully trained, full-time officer in any municipality or county of this state or as a member of the State Police and was separated from that prior service in good standing.
(9) 
Be physically capable of performing the functions of the position, determined in accordance with Police Training Commission guidelines.
(10) 
Possess a New Jersey Police Training Commission basic police officer certification or New Jersey State Police Academy certification.
(11) 
Have completed the training course for safe schools resource officers developed pursuant to subsection a. of section 2 of P.L. 2005, c.276 (N.J.S.A. 52:17B-71.8).
B. 
The Chief of Police shall have had the applicant fingerprinted as required by statute, conducted a background investigation of the applicant to determine the eligibility and qualifications of the applicant and has reported these determinations in writing to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
No special officer shall commence his duties until he has completed the training as required under N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.11 or as amended from time to time.
The uniform of special officers shall be determined by the Chief of Police and shall be in compliance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.12.
A. 
A special officer shall be under the supervision and direction of the Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other superior officer designated by the Chief of Police and shall perform his duties only in the Town of Dover unless in fresh pursuit of any person pursuant to Chapter 156 of Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.
B. 
The special officer shall comply with the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of the permanent, regularly appointed police officers of the Town of Dover, as well as any rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of special officers.
A. 
The Chief of Police may authorize special officers of the second class when on duty to exercise the same powers and authority as permanent, regularly appointed police officers of the Bureau of Police, including but not limited to the carrying of firearms and the power of arrest, subject to rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the certification and requirements of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.11 and 40A:14-146.14.
B. 
Special officers of the first class shall be authorized and have the power to issue summons for disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses and violations of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes but shall not be assigned duties which may require the carrying or use of a firearm.
C. 
Special officers of the third class shall be authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those of a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer while providing security at a public school on the school premises during hours when the public school is normally in session or when it is occupied by public school students or their teachers. While on duty in the jurisdiction of employment, an officer may respond to offenses or emergencies off school grounds if they occur in the officer's presence while traveling to a school facility, but an officer shall not otherwise be dispatched or dedicated to any assignment off school property. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class shall be authorized pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of section 7 of P.L. 1985, c.439 (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.14). An officer of this class shall not be authorized to carry a firearm while off duty unless the officer complies with the requirements set forth in subsection 1. of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6 authorizing a retired law enforcement officer to carry a firearm.
D. 
A special officer of the third class shall be employed only to assist the Police Department with security duties at public schools and shall not supplant a law enforcement officer employed pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:17-43 or a safe schools resource officer employed pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of P.L. 2005, c.276 (N.J.S.A. 18A:17-43.1).
E. 
A Special officer of the third class appointed pursuant to the provisions of P.L. 1985, c.439 (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.8 et seq.) shall not, based on this appointment, be eligible for health care benefits or enrollment in any state-administered retirement system.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A: 14-146.16:
A. 
The Chief of Police may assign special officers of the first and second class to perform authorized duties not to exceed 20 hours per week.
B. 
Special police officers of the first and second class may be assigned without limit during periods of emergency.
C. 
The Chief of Police may designate one special officer of the first or second class to whom the limitation of hours set forth in Subsection A of this section shall not apply as provided by N.J.S.A. 40A: 14-146.16, Subdivision c.
D. 
The Chief of Police may assign special officers of the third class to perform authorized duties when the public school is normally in session or when it is occupied by public school students or their teachers.