[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Village of Ridgefield Park 9-24-1991 by Ord. No. 14-91 (Ch.
47 of the 1985 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby created in the Village of Ridgefield
Park the position of "Parking Enforcement Officer." The Village shall
have the authority to appoint those Parking Enforcement Officers that
may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities the Village may
have under the laws of the State of New Jersey and the ordinances
and regulations of the Village of Ridgefield Park relating to the
parking of vehicles within the municipality. The term of office for
a Parking Enforcement Officer shall be for one year, from January
1 to December 31. A Parking Enforcement Officer may be reappointed
annually, provided that the individual qualifies under the provisions
of this chapter and there are sufficient funds allocated for that
purpose in the Village's budget.
All Parking Enforcement Officers shall have the authority
to issue parking tickets, serve and execute process for parking offenses
and to cause vehicles to be towed when necessary. Such responsibilities
and duties shall be carried out in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:9-154.7
and the ordinances and regulations of the Village of Ridgefield Park
relating to parking.
A Parking Enforcement Officer shall not carry or use
a firearm while on duty but shall be deemed to be performing a public
safety function while on duty.
All Parking Enforcement Officers shall be fingerprinted
prior to commencing their duties, and their fingerprints shall be
filed with the State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Chief of Police shall ascertain the eligibility
and qualifications of the applicant and report his determination,
in writing, to the Commission of Public Safety before any appointment
is made.
All Parking Enforcement Officers shall complete a
training course conducted or approved by the Village of Ridgefield
Park, which requirement may be waived if the person proves to have
had substantially equivalent training and background as determined
by the Chief of Police.
All Parking Enforcement Officers shall be supplied
with a uniform which shall clearly identify the officer's function,
which uniform shall include but not be limited to a hat and an appropriate
badge which shall bear the identification number or a name tag. The
uniform shall include an insignia issued by the municipality clearly
identifying the officer's status as a Parking Enforcement Officer.
The uniform shall be different in color from the uniform of a regular
police officer or special enforcement officer, and the municipality
may issue temporary insignia for use prior to the issuance of permanent
insignia.
The municipality may charge a reasonable fee for the
issuance of the uniform, but no fee shall be charged for the training
or for the issuance of the certificate of employment.