A Police Department is hereby established in
the Borough under the name of the "Fort Lee Police Department."
[Amended 5-23-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-15; 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 2000-32; 12-13-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-60; 1-24-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-1; 2-28-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-5; 4-4-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-12; 1-27-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-1; 11-8-2007 by Ord. No.
2007-50; 1-29-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-3; 2-10-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-5; 12-20-2012 by Ord. No.
2012-44; 1-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-1; 7-18-2013 by Ord. No.
2013-17; 7-17-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-8; 2-12-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-6; 12-15-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-39; 7-13-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-8; 11-9-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-14; 6-14-2018 by Ord. No.
2018-10]
A. The Police Department Table of Organization may consist of not more
than 115 officers in total and three Special Law Enforcement Class
III (SLEO III) officers in the following positions at the sole discretion
of the Mayor and Council:
[Amended 4-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-5; 5-14-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-5;7-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-13; 2-17-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-1; 4-20-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-9; 7-6-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-19]
1
|
Police Chief
|
2
|
Deputy Chiefs
|
4
|
Captains
|
9
|
Lieutenants
|
16
|
Sergeants; the total combined Sergeants and Lieutenants shall
not exceed 25
|
83
|
Police officers, or higher, not to exceed the Department's full
complement of officers
|
3
|
Special Law Enforcement Class III (SLEO III) officers
|
B. In the event that position of Chief of Police is vacated as a result
of death, illness, incapacity or any other reason, the Deputy Chief
shall temporarily assume the position of Acting Chief of Police. In
the event the Deputy Chief is unavailable to assume command, the senior
ranking officer present shall assume temporary command until a Captain
shall be designated by the Mayor and Council, to assume temporary
command.
C. The Chief of Police shall be the executive and supervisory officer
of the Police Department and is responsible to the Police Committee
for its proper functioning.
D. Officers of the Department shall rank in the order set forth above,
and rank seniority shall be determined by date of advancement to that
rank plus longevity as determined by the Administrative Code for civil
service employees.
E. 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 an entry in the blotter to that
effect.
[Amended 8-23-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-24]
Pursuant to the authority contained in N.J.S.A.
40A:14-118, the Borough Administrator of the Borough of Fort Lee is
hereby designated as the appropriate authority for the adoption and
promulgation of rules and regulations for the government of the Police
Department. The Mayor, with confirmation by the majority vote of the
Council, shall appoint one or more of the Council members as the Police
Committee. The Police Committee shall have general supervisory direction
of the Police Department, subject to ultimate control by the Borough
Council. The Police Committee shall act through the Chief or, in his
absence, the Deputy Chief or, in his absence, the ranking officer
on duty.
All members of the Police Department, after
having been appointed and qualified, shall severally hold their respective
offices during good behavior, efficiency in the performance of their
duties and residence in the Borough of Fort Lee; provided, however,
that all original appointments shall be for a probationary period
of three months, which appointments thereafter will become absolute
(N.J.S.A. 11:22-6).
The compensation and other benefits of the members
of the Police Department shall be such as is from time to time established
by the Council by ordinance or in accordance with law or referendum.
No member of the Department shall be absent
from duty for any time unless first excused by the Chief or the Police
Committee for due cause.
A. If a member is unable to report for duty or continue
on duty due to illness or injury, he shall immediately report his
disability to the Chief or, in his absence, the ranking officer of
the Department on duty so that he can be excused and arrangements
can be made for a substitute. Such member shall submit a medical report
by a duly licensed physician stating that he is unable to continue
on duty, specifying the illness or injury which is the cause thereof.
In the event the member does not submit a medical report, he shall
not be paid for the period of his absence and shall be subject to
disciplinary action.
B. Any member who is on disability leave is required
to remain at his home or hospital, unless otherwise authorized in
writing by the Chief or the Police Committee.
C. The Police Committee, or the Chief, may order a member
to submit to a medical examination at any time it or he deems the
same necessary or desirable.
It shall be the purpose of every person employed
as a member of the Police Department to devote his interest and activity
primarily to the Department as his first and primary employment. Any
other employment engaged in must be subordinated thereto; and subject
to such regulation as the Council may adopt by resolution from time
to time. No member of the Police Department shall engage in outside
employment that may be detrimental to the proper performance of his
duty as determined by the Chief of Police and the Police Committee.
Leave of absence may be granted without pay
to permanent employees but not exceeding six months at any one time.
A. An extension of six months may be granted by formal
action of the Chief of Police and the Police Committee and no further
extension may be granted unless upon approval in writing of the Civil
Service Commission.
B. Any member may have a leave of absence without pay
to fill an elective position.
C. Leaves of absence may be granted with pay or partial
pay where employee is disabled through injury or illness resulting
from employment; provided, however, that the amount, shall be reduced
by any workers compensation award.
D. The Mayor and Council of the Borough may, in its discretion,
where deemed warranted, grant leaves of absence with pay not exceeding
one year to members and officers of its Police Department and force
who shall be injured, ill or disabled during the performance of their
duties, provided that the examining physician appointed by the Borough
Council shall certify to such injury, illness or disability.
[Amended 6-22-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-24]
All members of the Police Department shall comply
with the rules and regulations of the Police Department as set forth
in the document entitled “Rules and Regulations, Police Department,
Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey, 2016,” as attached hereto.
Three copies of the rules and regulations are on file in the office
of the Borough Clerk and may be examined by any interested party.
A. Upon adoption of this article and thereafter, the
Chief of Police shall deliver to each member of the Police Department
a copy of these rules and regulations and obtain from each member
of the Police Department a receipt that he has received these rules
and regulations.
B. Any neglect or failure to carry out the responsibilities
and duties set forth in these rules and regulations shall be grounds
for impositions of penalties as set forth in this article and in these
rules and regulations.