[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Township Council of the Township of Dover (now Toms River) 6-22-2004 by Ord. No. 3884-04. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Adoption of Administrative Code — See Ch. 1, Art. III.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
OFFICIAL OR MUNICIPAL OFFICIAL
A present or former Township employee, appointee, official, elected official or member of the various boards, agencies and commissions of the Township of Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey.
A. 
The Township of Toms River is hereby directed to provide for the defense of actions brought against its officials and to indemnify such officials to the extent hereinafter set forth and shall save harmless and protect such officials from any financial loss resulting from litigation.
B. 
The obligation of the Township of Toms River to defend and indemnify its officials for acts or omissions arising out of or in the course of the performance of the duties of that person shall be limited to those circumstances under which the Township itself would be liable for the acts of its officials under the doctrine of respondent superior.
The Township shall indemnify the costs of defending any criminal action against its officials, provided that:
A. 
The Township is authorized by state statute, municipal ordinance or by resolution.
B. 
The criminal proceedings(s) has been dismissed or results in a final disposition in favor of the official.
C. 
The Township Council determines that there is no good cause to dismiss the official arising out of the incident or related incidents of the criminal proceeding(s).
The Township Council shall not approve indemnification or the defense of any action if:
A. 
The act or omission complained of was not within the scope of employment or authority.
B. 
The act or omission complained of was the result of actual fraud, willful misconduct or actual malice.
C. 
The defense of the action or proceeding would create a conflict of interest between the Township and the official involved.
D. 
There exists policies of insurance, either obtained by the Township or by another, by virtue of which the Township official is entitled to a defense of the action in question from the insurer.
E. 
The official has failed to deliver to the Township Administrator within 10 days of the time he/she is served with any summons, complaint, process, notice, demand or pleading the original or copy of such document or thereafter fails to cooperate with the Township or its attorneys in the defense of the matter.
F. 
The official fails to request the defense of any action.
G. 
The action is brought by the Township.
If the Township Council determines to provide a defense in a civil action as authorized in this chapter, it may do so by:
A. 
Designating a member of its Law Department;
B. 
Hiring an attorney of the Township's choice and paying same directly; or
C. 
Indemnifying the official for a reasonable attorney's fee expended or obligated to be expended by such official in defense of the action.