Whenever any words and phrases are used in this
chapter, 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 Stafford.
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 Council.
There are hereby established three 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 persons 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.
C. Class Three SLEO Class III (SLEOIII) are 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 or nonpublic
school on the school premises during hours when the public or nonpublic
school is normally in session or when it is occupied by public or
nonpublic school students or its teachers.
[Added 6-12-2018 by Ord.
No. 2018-09]
Every special law enforcement officer, prior
to the commencement of his 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 Stafford. 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 Stafford 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:14-146.14b.
Special law enforcement officers shall comply
with the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum
of the 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.
Special law enforcement officers may be employed
only to assist the Township's law enforcement unit but 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.