A Police Department is hereby established in and for the Borough of South Plainfield, under the name of "Police Department of the Borough of South Plainfield."
[Amended 9-5-2006 by Ord. No. 1746]
A. 
The Police Department of the Borough of South Plainfield shall consist of one Chief of Police; up to three Captains appointed as necessary; up to seven Lieutenants appointed as necessary; up to eight Sergeants appointed as necessary; and up to 46 police officers appointed as necessary; and such other staffing requirements and employees as shall from time to time be deemed necessary by the Mayor and Council to properly preserve peace and good order within the Borough of South Plainfield.
[Amended 6-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2114; 12-4-2023 by Ord. No. 2285]
B. 
In the event a Captain of the Police Department is appointed to serve as provisional Chief of Police pending conclusion of service of the sitting Chief of Police, and pending the appointment of a permanent Chief of Police, the Council may appoint an additional Captain in accordance with the provisions of the Borough Code and other law.
[Added 9-7-2010 by Ord. No. 1900]
[Amended 10-9-2003 by Ord. No. 1631; 2-1-2010 by Ord. No. 1873]
All appointments and promotions within the Police Department shall be made in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 4A:1-1.1 et seq. and N.J.S.A. 40A:14-123.1. Residents are given preference in appointments.
The Borough Council shall establish and may from time to time amend or repeal such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the government and efficient working of the entire Department and to secure the greatest possible protection to persons and property and the supremacy of law, peace, health, order, morality and temperance throughout the Borough.
The Chief of Police shall designate appropriate physicians; medical, psychological and drug testing for examination for appointments. Upon completion of testing, the Police Chief, based upon the background investigation, shall make a recommendation of appointments to the Mayor and Council for their approval.
[Amended 10-9-2003 by Ord. No. 1631]
A. 
Each applicant shall comply with all the laws of the State of New Jersey pertaining to the appointment as a police officer. No person shall be given or accept a permanent appointment as a police officer in the Borough unless such person first has been given a probationary or temporary appointment to such office for a period of not longer than one year, and has successfully completed a police training course at a school approved and authorized by the Police Training Commission in the Department of Law and Public Safety of the State of New Jersey, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 1959.
B. 
No person shall be appointed to the Police Department as a regular or probationary member unless he or she shall at the time of making application be between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age, except as provided by law. This provision shall also apply to all appointees or employees who are reemployed by the Borough pursuant to the reemployment lists submitted by the NJ Department of Personnel.
Each person hereafter appointed to the Department shall first serve a probationary period of six months from the date of his appointment. During the probationary period he shall be known as a "probationary officer."
Every member of the Police Department, before entering upon the performance of his duties, shall take and subscribe an oath or 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 the laws and ordinances enacted thereunder and to faithfully, impartially and justly discharge and perform all the duties of his office, which oath or affirmation shall be filed with the Borough Clerk.
The Chief of the Police Department shall be the executive head of the Department and shall be responsible to the Public Safety Committee and, through said Committee, to the Mayor and Council for the conduct, efficiency and management of the Department. In the absence or disability of the Chief of Police, his duties shall be performed by the next officer in command in order of rank then on duty.
The members of the Police Department shall be held responsible for the proper enforcement of all ordinances of the Borough of South Plainfield and the laws of the State of New Jersey and of the United States.
All records of the Police Department shall be kept in a proper and orderly fashion under the direct supervision and responsibility of the Chief of Police. Such records shall be kept and maintained in the form and manner prescribed under the rules and regulations approved by the governing body and the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey.
The Chief of Police shall report, in writing, to the Public Safety Committee on all matters pertaining to the Department as required by the Mayor and Council.
No person shall be removed from office or employment in the Police Department for political reasons or for other causes than incapacity, misconduct, violation of the terms of this chapter or of the rules and regulations of the Department.