[Adopted 7-19-1951 by Ord. No. 6-51 (Ch. 26, Art. I, of the 1972 Code)]
[Amended 3-18-1971 by Ord. No. 5-71; 7-20-1989 by Ord. No. 12-89; 10-18-2001 by Ord. No. 8-2001; 4-17-2003 by Ord. No. 2-03; 12-17-2009 by Ord. No. 17-09; 7-21-2011 by Ord. No. 8-11; 3-18-2021 by Ord. No. 02-2021; 3-17-2022 by Ord. No. 04-22; 10-19-2023 by Ord. No. 14-23; 8-15-2024 by Ord. No. 11-24]
A. 
There is hereby established in the Borough of Kinnelon a Police Department, which shall consist of members according to the following schedule:
Title
Maximum number of officers
to be employed in the title
Chief of Police
1
Acting Chief of Police (as needed pursuant to § 56-7)
1
Captain
1
Lieutenant
2
Patrol Sergeant
4
Detective
1
Patrol Officer
9
Police Matron
4
B. 
Any officer in the Kinnelon Police Department who has irrevocably submitted for permanent retirement and is no longer receiving assignments for work in the Kinnelon Police Department in any capacity but who remains on the payroll by utilizing accumulated and accrued sick days, personal days, vacation days, or any other accumulated leave shall not be counted toward calculating the maximum number of officers in any category in this section.
[Amended 7-20-1989 by Ord. No. 12-89]
Each member and officer shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State of New Jersey for two years next preceding his appointment, of good moral character, sound in body and in good health, able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently and shall possess a New Jersey driver's license which is in effect at the time of appointment.
[Amended 7-20-1989 by Ord. No. 12-89]
No person shall be appointed an officer or member of the Police Department who has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or who is less than 18 or more than 35 years of age. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit the continuance in office or employment of any person who is employed by the Borough of Kinnelon in the capacity of a policeman at the time of the adoption of this chapter.
[Amended 7-20-1989 by Ord. No. 12-89]
A. 
The appropriate authority for the discipline and removal of members of the Police Department shall be the Borough Council.
B. 
The Borough Council may suspend, without notice, any member of the Police Department for just cause, if, in its judgment, the best interest of the Borough requires it.
C. 
No member of the Police Department, except officers or men temporarily employed in cases of emergencies or as special policemen, shall be removed from office or employment for political reasons or for any other cause than incapacity, misconduct or disobedience of rules and regulations established for the government of the Police Department, provided that any member of the Department who shall be absent from duty without just cause for the term of five days continuously shall, at the expiration of the said five days, cease to be a member of the Police Department.
D. 
No member of the Police Department shall be suspended, removed, fined or reduced from office or employment except for just cause as set forth in Subsection A of this section, and then only after written charge or charges of the cause of complaint shall have been preferred against him and the opportunity for a fair and impartial hearing upon said charge or charges is afforded him in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-147 et seq.
E. 
The Chief of Police or such other appropriate authority as the Borough Council may designated is hereby designated to act as the hearing officer in Police Department disciplinary matters. The Chief of Police shall examine, hear and investigate charges made or preferred against a member of the Police Department and shall make a recommendation to the Borough Council as to the guilt or innocence of the member charged with misconduct.
[Amended 7-20-1989 by Ord. No. 12-89]
The Chief of Police shall be the head of the Police Department and shall be directly responsible to the Council for the efficiency and routine day-to-day operations of the Police Department. The Chief shall, pursuant to the policies established by the Council:
A. 
Administer and enforce rules and regulations and special emergency directives for the discipline and disposition of the police force and its officers and personnel.
B. 
Have, exercise and discharge the functions, powers and duties of the police force.
C. 
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates and other personnel.
D. 
Delegate such of his authority as he may deem necessary for the efficient operation of the police force to be exercised under his direction and supervision.
E. 
Report at least monthly to the Council in such a form as shall be prescribed by the Council on the operation of the police force during the preceding month and make such other reports as may be requested by the Council.
[Added 6-15-2000 by Ord. No. 6-2000]
The Borough Council may, in its discretion, appoint an Acting Chief of Police of the Police Department of the Borough of Kinnelon for a temporary period of time as designated by the Borough Council in times of extended disability, sickness or other absences of the duly appointed Chief of Police. If such appointment and designation is made by the Borough Council, the Borough Council reserves the right to terminate said temporary appointment at any time thereafter. During the time of temporary appointment, the person occupying the position shall be entitled to compensation within the guidelines of the applicable salary ordinance of the Borough of Kinnelon. During such period of appointment, the Acting Chief of Police shall be the acting head of the Police Department and be directly responsible to the Borough Council for the efficiency and routine day to day operations of the Police Department. The Acting Chief of Police shall have all the powers and perform all of the duties and functions of the Chief of Police as set forth in § 56-6 of the Code of the Borough of Kinnelon and all applicable laws, rules and regulations.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 26-7, Special policemen, which section immediately followed this section, was repealed 9-18-1986 by Ord. No. 14-86.
[Amended 5-1-1972 by Ord. No. 9-72]
The Borough Council may make provisions for the acquisition of such apparatus, equipment and vehicles as it may deem necessary or useful for the Police Department.
[Added 6-16-1960 by Ord. No. 4-60; amended 10-18-2001 by Ord. No. 8-2001]
A. 
The Borough Council shall be empowered to select, designate and appoint individuals as prospective members of the police force within the limitations as set forth in § 56-2. The perspective member must serve a twelve-month probationary period before being appointed to the Police Department.
B. 
Such appointees shall during their employment, have the same duties and powers as members of the Police Department of the Borough of Kinnelon. Such appointees shall hold their appointment at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council, and they may be removed by the Mayor and Council without cause at any time. During the probationary period, the individual under probation shall receive such training as specified by the Chief of Police and Police Department.
[Added 3-18-1971 by Ord. No. 5-71; amended 7-20-1989 by Ord. No. 12-89]
The appropriate authority for the direction and control of the Police Department is the Borough Council. The Council, by resolution, from time to time as may be necessary, shall adopt and amend rules and regulations for the government and discipline of the Police Department and members thereof. Said rules and regulations shall fix and provide for the enforcement of penalties for the violation of such rules and regulations. The members of the Police Department shall be subject to such rules, regulations and penalties and the laws of this state and the ordinances and regulations of the Borough.
[Added 12-19-1963 by Ord. No. 10-63]
No member of the Police Department of the Borough of Kinnelon shall be required to be on duty for more than 40 hours per week, except in the case of an emergency.