There is hereby established within the Police Department of the Township of Hanover a branch or section which shall be known as the "Detective Bureau."
The Detective Bureau shall be under the direct working supervision of a Sergeant. This officer will be assigned to be in charge of the Detective Bureau by the Chief of Police with the consent of the Township Committee. As the officer in charge of the Detective Bureau, the Sergeant shall supervise and direct the activities of the Bureau and shall have command and control of other members of the Bureau assigned thereto, subject to the direction of the Chief of Police or, in his/her absence or incapacity, the Captain in charge of the Police Department.
Effective upon the enactment of this chapter, the rank of Detective shall be abolished. Assignment to and from the Detective Bureau shall be a work assignment made by the Chief, with the consent of the Township Committee. No person shall have a right to, or expectation of, continued employment in the Detective Bureau. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any person holding the rank of Detective as of the date of the enactment of this chapter shall continue to hold such rank unless he/she is demoted, promoted or separated from employment.
[Amended 5-23-2013 by Ord. No. 16-13]
The Detective Bureau shall be responsible for all such investigative activities of the Police Department as outlined and authorized by the Chief of Police and shall be responsible to, and receive orders only from, the Police Chief or his/her designee, or, in his/her absence or incapacity, the officer in charge of the Police Department.
Members of the Detective Bureau shall keep accurate and complete records of each day's official business and shall submit promptly all reports in each and every case assigned to them when so required by the Chief of Police. The officer in charge of the Detective Bureau shall keep a daily record of all criminal or quasi-criminal matters reported or referred to the Detective Bureau and all miscellaneous matters referred to the Detective Bureau for investigation. The case status, progress and disposition shall also be recorded on an appropriate form designed for this purpose. The officer in charge of the Detective Bureau shall keep the Chief of Police informed of the progress of all matters under his/her jurisdiction.
No official records or photographs shall be removed from the files of the Detective Bureau or destroyed unless such removal or destruction is made in the manner prescribed by law. Official records or photographs may be temporarily removed from the files in conjunction with the routine official operations of the Department.
All photographs and fingerprints of arrested persons required by law shall be taken by Police Department personnel and shall be kept in a file provided for the same for the official use of the Police Department and as an aid in the prevention and detection of crime. The officer in charge of the Detective Bureau shall be personally responsible for their safekeeping.
No member of the Police Department shall be permitted to have access to or search any of the files of the Detective Bureau, except the Chief of Police and the officers assigned to the Detective Bureau. Information or data on file in the Detective Bureau shall be obtained only through the Chief of Police or the officer in charge of the Detective Bureau or, by his/her direction, from members assigned thereto.
Civilian clothing allowance and other equipment incidental to investigative work shall be furnished to the members of the Police Department who are permanently assigned to the Detective Bureau.
Members of the Detective Bureau shall be furnished with badges, cards and other means of identification bearing the inscription, "Police Department of Hanover Township - Detective Bureau," with the member's rank inscribed thereon. Such badges and other means of identification shall be turned over to the Chief of Police by any member assigned to the Detective Bureau when reassigned to other duties or when leaving the Department.
Members of the Police Department assigned to the Detective Bureau will comply with the duty schedules as approved by the Chief of Police or, in his/her absence or incapacity, the officer in charge of the Police Department.
The Police Department shall establish, by written policy, an internal affairs function or unit, which shall function in accordance with the internal affairs guidelines promulgated by the New Jersey Attorney General.