Whenever any words and phrases are used in this article, the meanings respectively ascribed to them in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.9 shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used herein.
There is hereby established the position of special police officer in and for the Township of Little Egg Harbor.
Before any special law enforcement officer is appointed, the Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other chief law enforcement official of the Township, shall ascertain the eligibility and qualifications of the applicant and report these determinations, in writing, to the Mayor and Committee.
A. 
Special law enforcement officers may be appointed for terms not to exceed one year. Said appointment may be revoked by the Mayor and Committee for cause after adequate hearing, unless the appointment is for four months or less, in which event the appointment may be revoked without cause or hearing. Nothing herein shall be construed to require reappointment upon the expiration of the term. The special law enforcement officers so appointed shall not be members of the police force of the Township, and their powers and duties shall cease at the expiration of the term for which appointed.
B. 
Special law enforcement officers shall be residents of the State of New Jersey.
[Amended 9-10-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-08]
A. 
No person may be appointed as a special law enforcement officer unless the person:
(1) 
Is a resident of this state 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 its 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 his/her office; and
(6) 
Has successfully undergone the same psychological testing that is required of all full-time police officers in the Township or, with regard to a special law enforcement officer hired for a seasonal period which required psychological testing of its full-time police officers, has successfully undergone a program of psychological testing approved by the Police Training Commission established in the Department of Law and Public Safety, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-70.
B. 
Every applicant for the position of special law enforcement officer shall have fingerprints taken, which fingerprints shall be filed with the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
C. 
No person shall be appointed to serve as a special law enforcement officer if that person serves as a special law enforcement officer in another municipality; nor shall any permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer of any other municipality in this state be appointed as a special law enforcement officer. No public official with responsibility for setting law enforcement policy, or exercising authority over the budget of any municipality in this state, or supervision of the Police Department of a municipality in this state, shall be appointed as a special law enforcement officer.
D. 
Any person who, at any time prior to his/her appointment, had served as a duly qualified, fully-trained, full-time officer in any municipality in this state and who is separated from that prior service and in good standing shall be eligible to serve as a special law enforcement officer consistent with the guidelines promulgated by the Police Training Commission. If the Police Training Commission waives the training requirements mandated by statute, the Mayor and Committee, if they so choose, may appoint such person as a special law enforcement officer.
A. 
No person may commence his/her duties as a special law enforcement officer unless he/she has successfully completed the training course and certification requirements of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.11, unless such training requirements have been waived by the Police Training Commission.
B. 
All special law enforcement officers appointed in service on the effective date of this section may continue in service if, within 24 months of the effective date of this section, they will have completed all training and certification requirements of this section.
There are hereby established two classifications of special law enforcement officers.
A. 
Class One. Officers of this class shall be authorized to perform routine traffic detail, spectator control and similar duties. Class One officers shall have the power to issue summonses for disorderly persons and petty disorderly person's offenses, violations of municipal ordinances, and violations of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class shall be strictly prohibited, and no Class One officer shall be assigned any duties which may require the carrying or use of a firearm.
B. 
Class Two. Officers of this class shall be authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those of a permanent, regularly appointed, full-time police officer. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class may be authorized only after the officer has been fully certified as successfully completing training as prescribed by the Police Training Commission.
Every special law enforcement officer, prior to the commencement of his/her duties, shall be furnished with a uniform which shall identify the officer's function. The uniform shall include, but not be limited to, a hat and appropriate badges which shall bear an identification number or name tag and the name of the Township of Little Egg Harbor. The uniform shall also include an insignia issued by the Police Training Commission which clearly indicates the officer's status as a special law enforcement officer and the type of certification issued by the Commission. All special law enforcement officers, prior to the commencement of duties, shall be in uniform properly displaying the appropriate insignia.
Whenever a special law enforcement officer's appointment is revoked, or a special law enforcement officer is not reappointed upon the expiration of the term, the special law enforcement officer shall return to the officer in charge of the station house all Township-issued uniforms, badges and equipment within 15 days of the revocation or expiration of term.
The special law enforcement officers shall carry and return firearms pursuant to the guidelines established in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.14(b).
Special law enforcement officers shall comply with the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum required of permanent, regularly appointed police officers of the Township, as well as any rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of special law enforcement officers.
A. 
A special law enforcement officer shall be under the supervision and direction of the Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other chief law enforcement officer of the Township, and shall perform his/her duties only in the Township unless in fresh pursuit of any person pursuant to Chapter 156 of Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.
B. 
The Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other chief law enforcement officer of the Township may authorize special law enforcement officers when on duty to exercise the same powers and authority as permanent, regularly appointed police officers of the Township, including but not limited to the carrying of firearms and the power to arrest, subject to rules and regulations. Any such authorization shall not be inconsistent with the certification requirements of § 93-20 herein.
A. 
The provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.16(a) and (c) regarding the maximum hours of employment of special law enforcement officers is hereby incorporated as if stated in full herein.
B. 
For the purposes of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.16(a) and (c), Little Egg Harbor Township is a resort community.
Special law enforcement officers may be employed only to assist the Township law enforcement unit, and may not be employed to replace or substitute for full-time regular police officers, or in any way diminish the number of full-time officers employed by the Township.