[Adopted 11-12-1952 by Ord. No. 39 (Ch. 96, Art. I, of the 1990 Code)]
[Amended 3-27-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-14; 4-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-23; 10-9-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-52; 5-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-34; 5-9-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-35; 2-11-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-11]
A. 
There shall be and hereby is established a Police Department for the City of Vineland which shall consist of such number of superior officers and patrolmen as are hereinafter set forth and consistent with the annual budget of the City of Vineland. This subsection is intended to ratify the existence and operation of the Police Department which has historically operated within and served the City of Vineland and to satisfy statutory requirements of the enabling legislation as amended.
B. 
The Police Department shall preserve the public peace; protect life and property; detect, arrest and prosecute offenders of the laws of the State of New Jersey and the ordinances of the City of Vineland; direct and control traffic; provide attendance and protection during emergencies; provide appearances in court; cooperate with all other law enforcement agencies; and provide training for the efficiency of its members and officers.
C. 
The Police Force shall consist of the following police officers in the following descending ranks and order of authority:
(1) 
Chief of Police: one.
(2) 
Deputy Chief of Police: two.
(3) 
Captains: not more than four.
(4) 
Lieutenants: not more than eight.
(5) 
Sergeants: not more than 28.
(6) 
Police officers: not more than 130.
D. 
The number of Police Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants and police officers appointed in accordance with this article shall further be determined by the Mayor with the advice of the Director of Public Safety and provided the funds for the positions are certified by the Chief Finance Officer of the City of Vineland, but in no event shall there be more positions than as established in accordance herewith.
E. 
The powers, functions and duties of the members of the Police Force shall be as currently prescribed by the City of Vineland Police Department Rules and Regulations Manual and as are generally set forth herein.
[Amended 11-9-1976 by Ord. No. 1046]
It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police to cause public peace to be preserved and to see that the police officers are prompt and faithful in the discharge of their duties. He shall, whenever any violation of the laws of this state or of the ordinances of this City comes to his knowledge, cause the requisite complaint to be made and see that the evidence is procured for the prosecution of the offender. He shall obey and cause the police officers under him to obey the police rules and shall, in the case of riots or insurrections, take command, in person, of the police officers and direct their movements and operations. Subject to the supervision of the Chief of Police, the Department shall maintain records, registers, books and reports concerning the affairs and operations of the Department. The Chief of Police shall be responsible for the efficiency, general conduct and good order of the Police Department and shall receive all complaints made against any police officer.
[Added 10-9-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-52[1]]
The Deputy Police Chief shall assist the Police Chief in management and discipline of the Department and shall perform all of the duties of Chief of Police in his or her absence. The Deputy Police Chief, among other duties, shall give assignments and instructions to subordinate members of the Department, provide them with needed advice/assistance when difficult/unusual problems arise, checks the work of subordinate personnel to assure proper procedures are followed, that reasonable standards of workmanship, conduct and output are maintained and that desired police objectives are achieved. The Deputy Police Chief shall take the lead in establishing and maintaining helpful, cooperative relations with civic, recreation and business organizations, school/court officers, police authorities in other jurisdictions, and others interested in maintenance of law and order.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated former § 123-3 as § 123-3.1.
[Amended 8-9-1966 by Ord. No. 584; 11-9-1976 by Ord. No. 1046; 5-22-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-33; 8-27-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-55; 10-9-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-52]
The Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants and patrol officers of the Police Department shall severally perform the duties imposed upon them, respectively, by ordinances of the City of Vineland and the rules and regulations of the Department. During the temporary absence of the Chief of Police and the Deputy Chief of Police, the Chief of Police shall appoint one of the Captains to exercise all powers and duties of the Chief of Police. In the event of the permanent absence or incapacitation of the Chief of Police, the Deputy Chief of Police shall exercise all of the powers and duties of the Chief of Police pending the appointment of a Chief of Police by the Mayor which shall be with the advice and consent of City Council.
The several policemen, when on duty, shall preserve order, peace and quiet and promptly report to the Chief of Police all violations of the laws and ordinances. They shall have power to arrest, without warrant, all persons in the act of violating any law or ordinance or in aiding or abetting in any such violation and shall arrest all persons found under suspicious circumstances and shall take all such persons so arrested to the City jail. They shall have power and authority within the City to serve and execute warrants and other processes for the apprehension and commitment of persons charged with or held for examination or trial or taken in execution for the commission of any crime or misdemeanor for the violation of any law or ordinance and, while executing or serving or assisting in the execution or serving of any such warrant or process and while in the performance of their duties as peace officers, they shall be and hereby are vested with and shall have all the powers and authority conferred on constables at common law and by the laws of this state.
The officers and patrolmen of the Department shall not engage in any other business which may draw their attention from the public service or make them unfit for their duties and shall not absent themselves from duty without permission from the Chief of Police. The policemen shall usually be employed in regular service, but the Chief of Police, whenever in his opinion the public service requires it, may detail any number of policemen for any special or particular duty connected with the police service and may require the policemen to do duty at any time of the day or night.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 127-9, Tenure; § 127-10, Reports, as amended; § 127-11, Pursuit of criminals; and § 127-12, Uniforms, guns and equipment, which immediately followed this section, were repealed 11-14-1989 by Ord. No. 89-76. In addition, original § 127-13, Ranks of the regular police, as amended, which also followed this section, was repealed 11-9-1976 by Ord. No. 1046. [1968 Code citations.]
Each of the regular policemen shall devote all of his time to the duties of his office and shall be vigilant in detecting and arresting all offenders against any City ordinance or any law of the state within the City and in preserving the public peace and protecting the rights of persons and property and, when on duty, shall wear such dress or badge as the Director may designate.
[Amended 1-9-1973 by Ord. No. 879; 11-9-1976 by Ord. No. 1046]
The Chief of Police shall have the power to designate and assign members of the Police Department to perform the duties of detective work for such periods of time and on such occasions as he may from time to time determine.
[Amended 11-14-1989 by Ord. No. 89-76]
Any member of the Police Department may be suspended, removed, fined or reduced in rank for incapacity, misconduct or disobedience of rules and regulations as provided by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-147.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 127-17, Pay withheld during suspension, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 11-9-1976 by Ord. No. 1046. Original § 127-18, Charges against members of the Police Department, as amended, which also followed this section, was repealed 11-14-1989 by Ord. No. 89-76. [1968 Code citations.]
[Amended 11-14-1989 by Ord. No. 89-76]
Each member of the Police Department shall be presented with a printed copy of the rules and regulations of the Police Department as promulgated by the Director of Public Safety. Such rules shall show what his duties shall be on all occasions or upon his being apprised of the violation of the provisions of any of the ordinances of the City of Vineland and also what particular provision of any ordinance or ordinances it is his duty to see enforced, and any neglect by any member of the Police Department to carry out each and every rule and regulation or order as aforesaid shall be held to be sufficient cause for his dismissal from the Department.
[Amended 11-14-1989 by Ord. No. 89-76]
The aforesaid ordinances and rules and regulations to be promulgated by the Director of Public Safety shall be printed and filed in the office of the City Clerk and shall be binding upon all police officers and members of the Department.