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Borough of Emerson, NJ
Bergen County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A. 
There shall be a full-time Police Department in and for the Borough of Emerson, in the County of Bergen.
B. 
The official name of said Police Department shall be the "Borough of Emerson Police Department."
C. 
The Police Department shall:
(1) 
Preserve the public peace, preserve order at all elections and public meetings and assemblages;
(2) 
Protect life and property;
(3) 
Detect, arrest and prosecute offenders of the laws of the State of New Jersey and the ordinances of the Borough of Emerson;
(4) 
Provide proper police attendance and protection during emergencies;
(5) 
Provide appearances in court when necessary;
(6) 
Direct and control traffic;
(7) 
Cooperate fully with the law enforcement agencies and prosecuting federal, state and county governments;
(8) 
Maintain such police training programs as may be necessary and proper for the efficient and effective organization of the Police Department.
The Chief of Police shall be the head of the Police Department and shall be directly responsible to the appropriate authority for its efficiency and day-to-day operations. The Chief of Police shall, pursuant to the rules and regulations established by the appropriate authority:
A. 
Administer and enforce the rules and regulations and special emergency directives for the disposition and discipline of the Department and its officers and personnel;
B. 
Have, exercise and discharge the functions, powers and duties of the Police Department;
C. 
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all members and officers;
D. 
Delegate such of his authority, as may be deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the Police Department, to be exercised under the Police Chief's direction and supervision in accordance with the chain of command of the Department;
E. 
Maintain the good order and discipline of the Department; and
F. 
Report at least monthly to the governing body, in such form as the governing body shall prescribe, on the operation of the Police Department during the preceding month and make such other reports as may be requested by the Borough Administrator.
[Amended 12-29-2020 by Ord. No. 1621-20]
A. 
The appropriate authority required by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 shall consist of two members of the governing body, along with the Emerson Borough Business Administrator, as appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council. No member of the governing body appointed hereof shall simultaneously serve as a member of the Borough's Courts Committee or Police Committee.
B. 
As required by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, the appointing authority shall promulgate rules and regulations for the government of the force and for the discipline of its members, subject to approval by the governing body, consistent with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 and New Jersey law.
C. 
All appointments to the appropriate authority must be compliant and consistent with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 as requiring a line of authority consistent with the degree of separation of executive and administrative powers from legislative powers inherent in the municipal form of government.
A. 
The Police Department shall consist of a police force and such other nonsworn or civilian personnel as the governing body shall appoint. The police force shall consist of one Chief of Police and no more than: one Captain, one Lieutenant, five Sergeants, up to 15 police officers and up to four special law enforcement officers or one Captain, two Lieutenants, four Sergeants, up to 15 police officers and up to four special law enforcement officers. Such configuration shall be determined at the discretion of the appropriate authority after review by the CFO and certification of available funds to provide for the salaries associated with the selected configuration. Such employees shall carry out and obey all orders and instructions of the Chief of Police or, in his absence, in accordance with the chain of command. In the event of an officer in any of these positions being on leave immediately preceding an announced retirement or a suspension with intent to dismiss, the Mayor and Council may, for the efficiency of the Department, appoint a replacement to serve in the vacant position. The governing body may also choose to leave a position vacant to undertake a review of whether the current table of organization is still beneficial to the police mission. The governing body shall have up to one year from the effective date of retirement or resignation to appoint/promote the replacement in order to conduct a thorough, fair and competitive search and selection process.
[Amended 11-10-2015 by Ord. No. 1511; 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 1578-18; 6-14-2022 by Ord. No. 1651-22; 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
B. 
The governing body may decrease the force for reasons of economy. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-143, the governing body, if they shall deem it necessary for reasons of economy, may decrease the number of members and officers of the Police Department or force or their grades or ranks. In case of demotion from the higher ranks, the officers or members to be so demoted shall be in the inverse order of their appointment. When the service of members or officers is terminated, such termination shall be in the inverse order of their appointment. Any member or officer who is demoted or whose service is terminated by reason of such decrease shall be placed on a special employment list, and in the case of subsequent promotions, a person so demoted shall be reinstated to his original rank, and in the case of termination of service and new appointment, prior consideration shall be given to the persons on said special employment list.
C. 
There shall also be such clerical, secretarial and administrative employees, community service officer, school crossing guards and police technicians, as the governing body shall appoint. Said employees shall not be members of the Police Department within the meaning of any provision of Chapter 14, Title 40A, of the Revised Statutes of New Jersey, as amended and supplemented. Such employees shall carry out and obey all orders and instructions of the Chief of Police or, in his absence, his designee.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Salaries and compensation of the Chief of Police shall be fixed by ordinance. Salaries and compensation of other employees of the Police Department shall be fixed by their respective collective bargaining agreements or by ordinance in the absence of a collective bargaining agreement. The governing body shall fix the per diem or hourly rate of pay for special officers by ordinance.
[Amended 9-15-2015 by Ord. No. 1508]
The Emerson Police Department will not engage in continuous, overt recruitment activities. Active periods of advertisement and recruitment shall only occur when deemed necessary, by the governing body, to fill existing vacancies; and then only to the extent necessary to fulfill the requirements of the aforementioned recruitment strategy. No person shall be appointed as a member of the Police Department unless he/she submits satisfactory evidence that he/she:
A. 
Is a citizen of the United States;
B. 
Is of good mental and bodily health sufficient to satisfy the Board of Trustees of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System of New Jersey that he would be eligible for membership in the retirement system;
C. 
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently;
D. 
Is of good moral character and free from conviction of any crime constituting an indictable offense or any crime or offense involving moral turpitude;
E. 
Is able to pass such written, oral, physical, psychological, medical and drug testing examinations as shall be selected by the governing body and meet essential job functions;
F. 
Has a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university recognized by the United States, or two-year associate's degree and two years' military service, or four years of military service with an honorable discharge;
G. 
Is a holder of a valid New Jersey driver's license; and
H. 
Otherwise meets all requirements of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122 to 40A:14-127.
[Amended 9-15-2015 by Ord. No. 1508]
A. 
Investigation of applicants. No applicant shall be appointed to any position with the Police Department until after the applicant shall have been fingerprinted and said fingerprints filed with the New Jersey State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and no applicant shall be appointed until after there has been a thorough background and character investigation of the candidate that will also determine the candidate's fitness for the position.
B. 
Examinations; selection process.
[Amended 4-17-2018 by Ord. No. 1556-18]
(1) 
All personnel who have either a formal application or resume on file with the Emerson Police Department will be notified of the time and location of the written and physical examinations. The cost of the application and testing shall be determined by the overall selection process selected. The selection process is as follows:
(a) 
Written examination. The material used in this examination shall be of such a nature that it will fairly test a candidate's cognitive ability to perform as a police officer. The test contents and procedures shall be determined and administered by the Emerson Police Department or an outside agency. The test will be used to narrow the pool of candidates.
(b) 
Physical examination.
[1] 
All applicants will be required to have an application on file with the Emerson Police Department. Applicants must provide an original physician's letter, dated within the past six months, indicating the applicant is capable of participating in rigorous physical activities in order to participate in the physical examination.
[2] 
Test contents and procedures for the initial physical examination shall be determined by the Emerson Police Department or an outside agency. The physical testing, at a minimum, will include a 1.5 mile run, maximum push-ups and maximum sit-ups. At the conclusion of the physical examination, the overall results will be analyzed and used in determining which applicants will move on.
(c) 
Police Committee oral interviews.
[1] 
The Police Committee, for the purpose of selecting new member(s) to fill existing vacancies in the Emerson Police Department, shall consist of the Chief of Police and two members of the Emerson Police Department selected by the Chief of Police, along with the appropriate authority. In the absence of any member of the appropriate authority, any Council member may be used as an alternate, as appointed by the Mayor.
[Amended 12-29-2020 by Ord. No. 1621-20]
[2] 
The oral interview process shall consist of one or more interviews, as determined necessary by the Police Committee to narrow the pool of candidates to a group of finalists. At the discretion of the Police Committee, initial interviews may be conducted by less than the entire membership of the Police Committee at the discretion of the Police Committee; however, all initial interviews must be conducted by the same members of the Police Committee. The top 10 candidates shall be interviewed by entire Police Committee. The top six candidates will be ranked collectively by the findings of the Police Committee, who will then recommend the candidate(s) to the governing body for ratification and offer a conditional employment as a probationary officer.
(2) 
The Borough of Emerson and the Police Chief may decide to allow the selection process to include the consideration of a lateral transfer or candidates that are currently PTC certified in the State of New Jersey. Further consideration can be given to a candidate who is currently enrolled in an alternate route program sanctioned by the Police Training Commission while the hiring process is underway. If a decision is rendered to hire under the above provisions, the requirements for the written examination and physical examination process will be waived.
C. 
Required training course; probationary status.
(1) 
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-66 et seq., no person shall be permanently appointed to the police force of the Borough of Emerson until after having successfully completed a police training course at an approved school. During the period of required training, the employee shall hold the rank of probationary officer. Employees shall be entitled to a leave of absence with pay during the period of the police training course. Following the completion of an employee's police training course, he or she shall be classified as a probationary employee with the Police Department for a period of one year from date of hire, with a possible six-month probationary extension, upon the recommendation of the Police Chief and approval by the governing body.
(2) 
The governing body may waive the attendance of such training if satisfactory certification of previous accredited schooling under the Mandatory Police Training Act of the State of New Jersey is presented and found satisfactory. Police officers hired pursuant to this section shall be classified as probationary employees with the Police Department for a period of one year from the date of hire, with a possible six-month probationary extension, upon the recommendation of the Police Chief and approval of the governing body.
(3) 
All nonsworn employees of the Police Department shall serve a probationary period of six months before becoming regular employees.
(4) 
Probationary employees will be evaluated on a monthly basis throughout the entire period of their probation in an effort to determine their suitability for continued employment. Probationary employees will be advised of their progress and counseled when necessary in an effort to correct any deficient performance or behavior.
(5) 
The Chief of Police shall make a recommendation to the governing body concerning the suitability for transition from probationary status to regular status for each probationary police officer. Such recommendation shall be submitted to the governing body no later than 10 days prior to the end of the probationary employee's period of probation. Nothing herein shall prohibit the Chief of Police from submitting such recommendation at any time during an employee's probationary period when such employee demonstrates that he/she does not possess the qualities and abilities to competently perform the duties of a Borough of Emerson police officer.
(6) 
The governing body may terminate a probationary employee at any time during or at the end of the probationary period, or affirm the retention of the date as a full-time member of the police force.
D. 
Every member of the Police Department and special police officers, before entering upon the performance of their duties, shall take and subscribe an oath of affirmation to bear true faith and allegiance to the government established in this state under the authority of the people, to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey and to faithfully, impartially and justly discharge and perform all the duties of their offices, which oaths or affirmations shall be filed with the Borough Clerk.
A. 
The governing body desires to promote the most qualified candidates to positions of higher rank. This chapter establishes the eligibility requirements and the process for promotion to all higher ranks. The promotion process shall be on the basis of merit, experience, education, demonstrated ability and competitive written submissions. “Competitive written submissions” are defined as a letter of intent/cover letter, resume and any supporting documentation. Also, for the promotion process to the rank of Sergeant only, there shall be a competitive written examination as well. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129, promotion of any officer shall be made from the membership of the department. No person shall be eligible for promotion to be a superior officer unless he or she has previously served as patrol officer in such department or force (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129).
[Amended 5-5-2009 by Ord. No. 1370; 7-21-2009 by Ord. No. 1380; 2-7-2012 by Ord. No. 1439]
B. 
Upon receiving instructions from the governing body to do so, the Chief of Police shall announce the promotional process to members of the Department at least 30 days before the written examination is to be given. The announcement shall contain, at a minimum, the rank to be filled, the dates of the exams, source materials or reading lists from which exam questions will be taken or topics from which questions will be formulated. Candidates who qualify shall notify the Chief of Police of his or her interest in taking the examination by submitting a letter of interest no later than 10 calendar days after the promotion announcement. Failure to do so shall render the officer ineligible to participate in the process.
C. 
Where two or more candidates are ranked equally, pursuant to the promotional procedure set forth herein, preference shall be given to the candidate with the most seniority in service, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129, or a resident over a nonresident, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122.6.
D. 
The reviewing committee for departmental promotions shall, at a minimum, consist of the Chief of Police and the appropriate authority. If a member of the appropriate authority cannot attend or be part of the process, then another member of the governing body, designated by the Mayor, may take that member's place in the process. The Captain, at the Chief's discretion, may also be part of the reviewing committee.
[Amended 2-7-2012 by Ord. No. 1439; 9-20-2016 by Ord. No. 1533; 12-29-2020 by Ord. No. 1621-20]
E. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, Promotion testing procedure, was repealed 2-7-2012 by Ord. No. 1439.
F. 
Promotional standards for promotion to rank of Sergeant.
[Amended 5-5-2009 by Ord. No. 1370; 7-21-2009 by Ord. No. 1380; 2-7-2012 by Ord. No. 1439; 9-15-2015 by Ord. No. 1509; 9-20-2016 by Ord. No. 1533]
(1) 
Promotion policy. Promotion denotes vertical movements in the organization hierarchy from one rank classification to another. Validity of the promotional process can only be accomplished through clear and concise procedures. A promotional process has been developed to identify employees who possess the ability to assume greater responsibilities combined with the necessary skills and knowledge to perform competently at a higher organizational level. This policy is established for the position of Sergeant.
(2) 
Eligibility for promotion. In order to be eligible for promotion from patrol officer to the rank of Sergeant, said officer must serve for a period of five full calendar years as a patrol officer within the Borough of Emerson. For those hired after January 1, 2009, the Sergeant shall have graduated from high school and possess, from an accredited college or university recognized by the United States Department of Education, at least an associate's degree, or the equivalent in college credits, and two years of military service, or a bachelor's degree, or four years of military service with an honorable discharge.
(3) 
Promotional criteria.
(a) 
All candidates seeking promotion to the rank of Sergeant shall be evaluated based upon the following criteria:
[1] 
Written examination: 20% of total score.
[2] 
Oral in-house examination: 20% of total score.
[3] 
Job performance evaluation: 30% of total score.
[4] 
Seniority: 10% of total score.
[5] 
Mayor and Council interview: 20% of total score.
(b) 
Criteria described.
[1] 
Written examination.
[a] 
All candidates for promotion shall submit to a written examination. the written examination shall be administered by the Chief of Police, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police or the Department of Personnel (DOP), at the discretion of the appropriate authority.
[Amended 8-14-2018 by Ord. No. 1563-18]
[b] 
At least 30 days prior to the date a written examination is scheduled, a notice shall be posted at the Police Department that will set forth the following:
[i] 
Position available through promotion.
[ii] 
Date the examination will be conducted.
[iii] 
The location of the examination.
[iv] 
The time the examination will begin.
[v] 
A list of study materials.
[c] 
The written examination shall be graded. The applicant shall receive the following percentages toward overall score based upon the score attained on the written examination:
Written Test Score
Percentage Overall Score
0 to 59.99
0%
60 to 61.99
1%
62 to 63.99
2%
64 to 65.99
3%
66 to 67.99
4%
68 to 69.99
5%
70 to 71.99
6%
72 to 73.99
7%
74 to 75.99
8%
76 to 77.99
9%
78 to 79.99
10%
80 to 81.99
11%
82 to 83.99
12%
84 to 85.99
13%
86 to 87.99
14%
88 to 89.99
15%
90 to 91.99
16%
92 to 93.99
17%
94 to 95.99
18%
96 to 97.99
19%
98 to 100
20%
[d] 
The results of the written examination shall be valid for a period of two years from the completion of the test.
[2] 
Oral examination:
[a] 
All candidates participating in the written examination phase shall be eligible to participate in the oral examination phase. The oral examination shall be administered by the Chief of Police, together with up to two additional members of the Borough of Emerson Police Department to be selected by the Chief of Police or by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, at the discretion of the governing body.
[b] 
Candidates shall be notified by the Chief of Police of their scheduled examination date at least 10 days prior to the date.
[c] 
The oral examination phase shall consist of questions posed to the candidate to which the candidate must provide oral answers. The same questions shall be given to each of the candidates. The individuals administering the oral examination phase shall provide the following percentages towards the candidate's overall score:
Oral Test Score
Percentage Overall Score
0 to 59.99
0%
60 to 61.99
1%
62 to 63.99
2%
64 to 65.99
3%
66 to 67.99
4%
68 to 69.99
5%
70 to 71.99
6%
72 to 73.99
7%
74 to 75.99
8%
76 to 77.99
9%
78 to 79.99
10%
80 to 81.99
11%
82 to 83.99
12%
84 to 85.99
13%
86 to 87.99
14%
88 to 89.99
15%
90 to 91.99
16%
92 to 93.99
17%
94 to 95.99
18%
96 to 97.99
19%
98 to 100
20%
[d] 
The results of the oral examination shall be valid for a period of two years from the completion of the test.
[3] 
Job performance.
[a] 
The job performance of each applicant shall be evaluated based upon a standardized checklist to be developed by the Chief of Police, and the job performance evaluation shall include attendance, awards received, ability to relate to members of the public, ability to handle emergencies, computer skills and knowledge of current law and arrest procedures. The checklist shall also include such other information as the Chief of Police shall deem appropriate. This evaluation must be completed a new each time a candidate applies for a promotion.
[b] 
Upon evaluation of the standardized checklist, the Chief of Police shall assign a percentage to the scores, which percentage shall be counted towards the overall evaluation score. The maximum score to be assigned shall be 30% and the minimum shall be 5%.
[4] 
Seniority. Seniority will be assessed as one of the stages of the promotional process. This assessment must be completed anew each time a candidate applies for a promotion. Seniority shall be determined by the number of years of service completed, commencing on the date on which the employee was sworn in or the date first placed on the payroll, whichever date first occurred. Seniority shall count in the following percentages towards the overall score:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
[a] 
Start of year six through 12 years: 2%.
[b] 
Start of year 13 through 15 years: 4%.
[c] 
Start of year 16 through 18 years: 6%.
[d] 
Start of year 19 through 20 years: 8%.
[e] 
Start of 21st year and up: 10%.
[5] 
Personal interview by Mayor and Council. A personal interview shall be conducted with all candidates for promotion. A new interview shall be conducted each time a candidate applies for a promotion. The information to be viewed during the interview will come from each candidate's personnel file. Each candidate shall be given the opportunity to make a personal statement if he or she chooses to do so. Each candidate will be asked the same series of questions by a governing body member who is part of the appropriate authority. Each Council member shall grade each candidate based on the interview. The maximum attainable score for the interview shall be 20%, which shall be determined based upon the average of each individual Council member's score. Factors to be considered by the Borough Council in scoring the candidate's interview shall include Town volunteerism.
[6] 
In the event a Sergeant position is available within two years of the completion of a prior Sergeant promotional process, the written examination score and the oral examination score remain valid for two years; however, the job performance evaluation, seniority assessment and the Mayor and Council Interview must be conducted anew.
G. 
Promotional standards for promotion to rank of Lieutenant. Candidates for the position of Lieutenant shall participate in a promotional procedure administered by the governing body which will consist of the following:
[Amended 5-5-2009 by Ord. No. 1370; 7-21-2009 by Ord. No. 1380; 3-15-2011 by Ord. No. 1421; 9-20-2016 by Ord. No. 1533]
(1) 
Any candidate for the position of Lieutenant must hold the rank of Sergeant for one year and possess at least 12 years' experience as a police officer.
(2) 
Leadership evaluation: poise, alertness, ability to communicate clearly and effectively, and ability to effect good work and public relations and moral character. A promotional committee, consisting of the Police Chief, Police Captain and the appropriate authority will meet and review each candidate's job performance, seniority in grade, educational and special training, leadership ability and examination of personnel file. The promotional committee will articulate the merit of each candidate at the Mayor and Council interview, as mentioned in the opening statement regarding the process.
(3) 
Interview with Mayor and Council, Borough Administrator, Police Chief and Police Captain: interview to include review of leadership, performance, seniority and education. Each candidate will be asked the same series of questions by a governing body member who is part of the appropriate authority; all candidates will be asked the same question.
H. 
Promotional standards for Promotion to Rank of Captain. The Borough of Emerson requires that the Captain have held the rank of Sergeant and/or Lieutenant with the Borough of Emerson Police Department. Candidates for the position of Captain shall participate in a promotional procedure administered by the governing body which will consist of the following:
[Amended 5-5-2009 by Ord. No. 1370; 7-21-2009 by Ord. No. 1380; 9-20-2016 by Ord. No. 1533]
(1) 
Interview with Mayor and Council, Borough Administrator and Police Chief: interview to include review of leadership, performance, seniority and education. Each candidate will be asked the same series of questions by a governing body member who is a member of the appropriate authority.
(2) 
Leadership evaluation: poise, alertness, ability to communicate clearly and effectively, ability to effectuate good working and public relations, and moral character.
(3) 
Candidates shall possess a minimum of three years' supervisory and management experience in law enforcement as a Lieutenant or Sergeant.
[Amended 7-21-2009 by Ord. No. 1380]
Candidates for the position of Chief of Police shall participate in a promotional procedure administered by the governing body and its designee(s). The governing body shall consider the following: the candidates' knowledge of criminal law and procedure, police science and police administration, leadership and management, ability, general knowledge of local government and N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, the candidates' poise, alertness, ability to communicate clearly and effectively, ability to effect good working and public relations, and moral character. Candidates shall have at least five years' supervisory experience in the rank of Captain, Lieutenant or Sergeant.
A. 
The following chain of command shall exist within the Police Department:
(1) 
Chief of Police.
(2) 
Captain.
(3) 
Lieutenant.
(4) 
Sergeant.
(5) 
Patrol officer.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
Each rank/position shall be subordinate to all higher ranks as illustrated above.
C. 
Civilian employees shall report to their assigned supervisor, or his/her designee, or in his/her absence, the ranking officer on duty.
[Amended 4-20-2021 by Ord. No. 1627-21]
The governing body may appoint special law enforcement officers in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.8 et seq., to be utilized by the Police Chief. Their terms may not exceed one year. They shall possess and exercise all the powers and duties provided by said statutes during their term in office, but shall not be considered as regular members of the Police Department and shall not be entitled to tenure.
[Added 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
The Borough hereby authorizes the establishment of special law enforcement officers Class III ("SLEO III") within the Borough of Emerson Police Department ("Police Department"), to assist the Police Department in the performance of its duties and responsibilities subject to the eligibility criteria, authorizations and limitations set forth in the Special Law Enforcement Officers Act, N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.10 et seq.
[Added 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
The requirements for the position of SLEO III include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. 
Applicant must not have been separated from prior service as a full-time officer in any municipality or county of the State of New Jersey, or a member of the New Jersey State Police for more than three years.
B. 
Applicant must be a resident of the State of New Jersey during his/her term of appointment.
C. 
Applicant must be a retired officer in any municipality or county of the State of New Jersey, or a member of the New Jersey State Police.
D. 
Applicant must have left the agency in good standing. (It is necessary to have a good standing letter from the agency retired from and copy to be submitted to the Police Training Commission.)
E. 
Applicant must be less than 65 years of age for appointment.
F. 
Applicant must be able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently, and must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
G. 
Applicant must be of sound body and of good health.
H. 
Applicant must be of good moral character.
[Added 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
In order to qualify for consideration, an applicant must complete the following requirements:
A. 
Applicant must pass a psychological exam.
B. 
Applicant must pass a drug screening test.
C. 
Applicant must pass an updated background investigation.
[Added 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
A. 
No SLEO III shall be appointed to any term exceeding one year.
B. 
No SLEO III, by virtue of his/her appointment as such, shall be or become a regular member of the Police Department.
C. 
SLEO III are considered at-will, part-time hourly employees, appointed annually, and can be terminated for cause after an adequate hearing, unless the appointment is for four months or less, in which event the appointment may be revoked without cause or hearing (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.14).
D. 
All SLEO III, while on duty, shall abide by all the rules and regulations of the Police Department and those policies, general orders or standard operating procedures established by the Borough of Emerson Chief of Police and reinforced throughout the chain of command.
E. 
The Police Department is authorized to perform the necessary background investigations and arrange for all that is associated with the hiring of such SLEO IIIs, so that they will be ready to commence their duties.
F. 
Upon appointment, all SLEO IIIs must:
(1) 
Complete SRO training within 12 months of being appointed.
(2) 
Conform to the Attorney General's mandatory in-service training requirements.
(3) 
Be a uniformed officer, displaying the special law enforcement officer Class III patch provided by the Police Training Commission.
(4) 
Complete agency training.
[Added 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
An SLEO III is authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those of a permanent, regularly appointed, full-time police officer only 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, when it is occupied by public or nonpublic school students, teachers, or staff, or when in fresh pursuit of any person pursuant to Chapter 156 of Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes or when authorized to perform duties in another unit pursuant to a mutual aid agreement enacted in accordance with § 1 of P.L. 1976, c. 45.
[Added 8-16-2022 by Ord. No. 1655-22]
Compensation of an SLEO III, at the rate of $35 per hour, plus administrative costs. The hourly rate will be paid by the Emerson Board of Education. Administrative costs will be paid by the Emerson Police Department, pursuant to the terms of an agreement to be entered into by the Borough and the Borough Board of Education on an annual basis.
No member or officer of the Police Department shall be suspended, removed, fined or reduced in rank other than for cause and as provided in the New Jersey Statutes and the Police Department Rules and Regulations.
A. 
The hours of employment shall be in accordance with the agreement between the Borough and the Police Benevolent Association, as negotiated.
B. 
In case of emergency, said members of the Police Department may be summoned for and kept on duty during the period of emergency, as by said agreement provided.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]