[1]
Editor's Note: The former title of Chapter
X, Department of Public Safety, was amended to "Public Safety" by
referendum 11-4-2003.
Editor's Note: See also C.G.S. § 7-274
et seq.
[Amended by referendum 4-30-1968; amended by
referendum 11-4-2003; amended by referendum11-8-2022]
The Town Manager shall appoint a Chief of Police
who at the time of their appointment need not be a resident of the
Town or state but within one (1) year of appointment shall reside
within the Town. The Chief of Police shall be the executive head of
the Police Department and, as such, shall have charge and control,
under the direction of the Town Manager, of the administration and
discipline of the Police Department and of its buildings, property,
apparatus and equipment. The Chief shall appoint such subordinate
officers and members of the personnel in the Police Department, including
supernumerary and special police, as the Chief may deem necessary
and shall fix their compensation within a scale of wage rates recommended
by the Chief and approved by the Town Manager and within the appropriations
made by the Board of Directors. The Chief shall have control over
traffic and traffic regulations and shall be the traffic authority
of the Town with all the powers and duties within the Town vested
in and imposed upon traffic authorities by the General Statutes. The
Chief shall make and enforce such reasonable rules, orders and regulations,
not inconsistent with the General Statutes and the provisions of this
Charter, as may be necessary efficiently to exercise all the powers
and duties imposed upon and vested in the Chief and the Department,
including the duties and discipline of the personnel of the Department.
The Chief shall have authority to administer oaths and take evidence
in all proceedings relating to the direction and control of the Police
Department.
[Amended by referendum11-8-2022]
No person shall be appointed to the police force
nor as a supernumerary or special policeman unless they are of good
moral character and habits and in good health and until they shall
have passed such examination respecting his educational, physical
and general qualifications as may be prescribed by the Chief of Police
with the approval of the Town Manager.
[Amended by Sp. Act, Jan. Sess., 1955, Sp.
No. 589, approved 8-5-1955; amended by referendum 11-6-1973; amended by referendum11-8-2022]
The Chief of Police shall have the power to
remove, expel, suspend, reduce in rank or otherwise deal with officers
of all ranks and regular, supernumerary and special members of the
police when in the Chief's opinion the best interests of the Department
require such action. Any officer or member of the Police Department
thus subjected to disciplinary action shall be entitled upon request
in writing to the Town Manager to a public hearing before the Town
Manager under such procedure as the Town Manager shall provide.
[Amended by referendum11-8-2022]
The Chief, officers and members of the Police
Department shall have in criminal matters all the powers of police
officers under the General Statutes, and shall also have the power
to arrest any person found by them violating any of the laws of the
state or the penal ordinances of the Town. Such person shall be dealt
with in the same manner as if they had been arrested upon a warrant
theretofore duly issued. All criminal process for any offense committed
within the Town, and all process to recover or to enforce any penalty
for the violation of any Town ordinance issued out of any court, or
by any judge within the Town, and each process, subpoena or bench
warrant issued by the State's Attorney of Hartford County, relating
to any offense committed within said Town, may be served by any member
of the Police Department. The members of said Department shall possess
such powers and perform such other duties as may be provided by law
or ordinance.
[Amended by referendum11-8-2022]
No officer or member of the Police Department
shall be a member of any political committee or delegate to any political
convention, nor shall be hold any elective or other appointive position
in the local government except that of Animal Control Officer or Assistant
Animal Control Officer. They shall not solicit any person to vote
at any political primary, caucus or election, nor in any way or manner
attempt to influence the vote of any elector thereat. Violation of
any provision of this section shall constitute a cause for dismissal
or suspension.
[Amended by referendum 11-4-2003]
The Chief of Police shall be ex officio Animal
Control Officer of the Town and may appoint such assistants as are
necessary and may delegate to any or all members of the Police Department
any or all of the duties of an Animal Control Officer.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 10-7, Police Commission
abolished, was repealed by referendum 11-4-2003.
The fire districts existing in the Town at the
effective date of this Charter shall continue in all respects as now
provided by law.
[Amended by referendum11-8-2022]
The Town Manager shall have power, with respect
to all portions of the Town not included within the limits of any
Fire District, to make rules and regulations relating to fire protection
therein and to enter into agreements with any municipality, fire district
or voluntary fire company for aid in extinguishing fire in the Town
outside of any fire district and shall appoint a Fire Marshal for
such portions of the Town.
The Town may, by ordinance, establish a Town
Fire Department, and assume all the powers and duties requisite thereto,
and by such ordinance may include within the jurisdiction of such
Town Fire Department those portions of the Town now within the boundaries
of the South Manchester Fire District, or of the Eighth Utilities
District of Manchester, or both, and may assume all the powers, duties,
assets, liabilities and obligations of either, or both, of such Districts,
relating to fire protection, provided the provisions of any such ordinance
concerning the territory, jurisdiction or property of either the South
Manchester Fire District or of the Eighth Utilities District of Manchester
shall not become effective until such District, in a meeting duly
called for that purpose, shall have voted to accept its provisions.
The Town may also, by ordinance, assume any
and all of the jurisdiction, powers, duties, assets, liabilities and
obligations of the Eighth Utilities District of Manchester which do
not relate to fire protection or the maintenance of a fire department,
provided no such ordinance shall become effective until said District,
in a meeting duly called for that purpose, shall have voted to accept
its provisions.
[Amended by referendum 4-30-1968; amended by
referendum 11-4-2003; amended by referendum11-8-2022]
The Town Manager shall appoint a Fire Chief
who at the time of their appointment need not be a resident of the
Town or state, within one (1) year of appointment shall reside within
the Town. The Chief of the Fire Department shall be the executive
head of the Fire Department and as such shall have charge and control,
under the direction of the Town Manager, of the administration and
discipline of the Fire Department and of its buildings, property,
apparatus and equipment. The Chief of the Fire Department shall appoint
such subordinate officers and members of the personnel of the Fire
Department as he may deem necessary and shall fix their compensation
within a scale of wage rates recommended by him and approved by the
Town Manager and within the appropriations made by the Board of Directors.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall make and enforce such reasonable
rules, orders and regulations, not inconsistent with the General Statutes
and the provisions of this Charter, as may be necessary efficiently
to exercise all the powers and duties imposed upon and vested in him
and the Department, including the duties and discipline of the personnel
of the Department. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the
continuance of volunteer fire companies, together with such paid assistants
as may be deemed advisable.
[Amended by referendum 4-30-1968]
If the Town shall assume the powers and duties of the existing fire district within the Town, it shall become a part of the Town Fire Department. The provisions of §§ 10-2, 10-3 and 10-5 of this chapter shall apply to the personnel of the Town Fire Department, the Chief of the Fire Department having the comparable powers and duties given to the Chief of the Police Department in said sections.
