[Amended 3-13-2001 by Ord. No. 01-3; 6-26-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-06]
A. The Police Department of the Village of Ridgefield Park shall consist
of the following police officers and civilian employees:
(5) Such number of detectives and patrolmen as the Commissioner of Public
Safety may deem necessary, not to exceed a total of 22.
(8) A Records Bureau consisting of such number of civilian personnel
as may be necessary.
(9) A Police Physician, if necessary.
(10) Civilian police dispatchers (the number of civilian police dispatchers
should be determined by the Commissioner of Public Safety).
(11) Parking Enforcement Officers, as authorized by Chapter
68 of this Code.
(12) Class Three special law enforcement officers (SLEO III) who are retired
regular police officers and who may from time to time be appointed
and shall serve at the pleasure of the Commissioner of Public Safety
for a term not to exceed one year, which officers shall not be members
of the regular police force but shall nevertheless be under the control
and supervision of the Chief of Police for use solely as school security
officers as detailed in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.10, et seq. The number
of SLEO III officers shall be determined as necessary by the Commissioner
of Public Safety.
B. It shall not be necessary that any or all of these positions should
be filled, and the appointment of a member of the Department to a
respective position or the employment of a nonpolice officer, such
as in the Record Bureau, shall be at the discretion of the Commissioner
of Public Safety.
C. In the event that there is an unfilled vacancy in any of the superior
officer positions, the maximum number of patrol officers shall be
increased by the number of such vacancies. However, in no event shall
the maximum number of officers in the Police Department, including
the Chief, Captain, Lieutenants, Sergeants and patrol officers, but
excluding auxiliary police officers, exceed 35 members.
It shall be the function of the Police Department
to protect life and property, preserve the public peace, prevent and
detect crime, detect and arrest offenders, enforce the laws, including
statutes of the United States and this state and the Code of the Village
of Ridgefield Park, and all other ordinances of the Village, regulate
and control traffic and perform such other duties or functions not
specified above as may be considered proper functions of a police
department or as may be covered by the rules and regulations of the
Police Department.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
The Commissioner in charge of the Police Department
shall recommend to the Board of Commissioners from time to time amendments
and supplements to the manual of rules and regulations of the Ridgefield
Park Police Department, which, if accepted, shall be adopted by ordinance
by the government body. Such manual shall provide for the administration
and operation of the Police Department, shall prescribe the duties
and rules of conduct of the members thereof, and shall contain such
other matters as are necessary for the proper functioning of the Police
Department. All of the members of the Police Department and its civilian
employees shall be subject to and faithfully abide by the Police Department
rules and regulations contained in the aforesaid manual.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
The general administration and control of the
Police Department is vested in the Chief of Police, who shall be responsible
to the Commissioner in charge of the Police Department, who shall
be known as the "appropriate authority" under N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118,
for the efficient and routine day-to-day operations of the Police
Department and the members and civilian employees thereof. Pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, the Chief of Police shall have the following
powers and duties:
A. To administer and enforce rules and regulations and
special emergency directives for the disposition and discipline of
the force and its officers and personnel; provided, however, that
no such rules, regulations or directives shall in any way conflict
or be inconsistent with the rules issued by the appropriate authority;
B. To issue orders and to amend and supplement existing
orders as may be necessary for the proper conduct and efficiency of
the Police Department; provided, however, that no such order shall
in any way conflict or be inconsistent with the rules issued by the
appropriate authority;
C. To have, exercise, and discharge the functions, powers
and duties of the force;
D. To prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates
and other personnel;
E. To delegate such of his authority as he may deem necessary
for the efficient operation of the force, to be exercised under his
direction and supervision; and
F. Report at least monthly to the appropriate authority
in such form as shall be prescribed by such authority on the operation
of the force during the preceding month, and make such other reports
as may be requested by such authority.
The Captain of Police shall be second in command
of the Police Department and be directly responsible to the Chief
of Police for the efficiency and good order of the Patrol Division,
Detective Bureau, Traffic Bureau and Records Bureau and all other
police and civilian personnel of the Police Department. In the absence
or disability of the Chief of Police, the Captain of Police shall
perform the duties and exercise all the authority and functions of
the Chief of Police.
In the absence or disability of the Chief of
Police and Captain of Police, the Senior Lieutenant of Police shall
perform the duties and exercise all of the authority and functions
of the Chief of Police and Captain of Police.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122.1, no
member of the Police Department nor civilian employee shall be required
to be a resident of the Village of Ridgefield Park as a condition
of original appointment, continued employment, promotion, or for any
other purpose in the Police Department. However, every member and
civilian employee of the Police Department shall be a resident of
the State of New Jersey, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122.8.
A. All appointments to and promotions in the Police Department
shall be made by the Commissioner in charge of the Police Department
in such manner and form as may be provided for by state law and by
rules and regulations of the Police Department. All such appointments
and promotions shall be made by such Commissioner in writing to the
Village Clerk and Chief of Police.
B. All appointments to the grade of patrolman shall have
graduated from a New Jersey police academy and received a PTC certification
prior to such appointment and shall be retained for a probationary
period of no less than one year, during which period the appointment
may be revoked by the Commissioner in charge of the Police Department.
At the end of such probationary period, the Commissioner in charge
of the Police Department shall appoint such person as a regular patrolman,
if: 1) the service of such appointee has been satisfactory; 2) he
is not otherwise disqualified from employment at the Police Department;
and 3) he has been recommended for hire by the Chief of Police.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
C. Appointment and promotion. All appointments to be
considered for the grade of sergeant shall have served as a PTC-certified
police officer in the Ridgefield Park Police Department for a minimum
of six years.
[Added 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
The creation of or existence of a vacancy in
any office or position provided for in this chapter shall be filled
by the Commissioner in charge of the Police Department, in accordance
with the rules and regulations promulgated in this chapter.
Every member and employee of the Police Department
shall, before entering upon the performance of his duty, subscribe
to an oath or affirmation to bear true faith and allegiance to the
government established in this state, to support the Constitution
of the United States of America and the state, and to faithfully,
impartially and justly perform and discharge the duties of his office,
which oath shall be filed with the Village Clerk and shall be in the
form provided by statute.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter,
regular members of the Police Department shall hold the offices to
which they have been appointed, provided that they maintain good behavior,
physical and mental capacity and efficiency in said office. No regular
member of the Police Department shall be removed from office for political
reasons or for any other reasons other than those enumerated in this
chapter or authorized by statute. Proceedings for removal from office
of any member of the Police Department shall be in accordance with
statute and the rules and regulations of the Police Department.
[Amended 1-27-1981 by Ord. No. 2-81; 3-26-1985 by Ord. No.
6-85; 4-26-1988 by Ord. No. 8-88]
A. Except in cases fixed by referendum pursuant to statute
or as provided in this chapter, the Board of Commissioners shall fix
and authorize by ordinance the salary to be paid to members and employees
of the Police Department. Those members of the Police Department covered
by contract agreement between the Village of Ridgefield Park and the
Police Benevolent Association and any other member of the Police Department
assigned to five-and-two duty shift shall be compensated by taking
the base salary, which shall be divided by 1,945 and then multiplied
by 40, and that result shall be added to their base salary according
to their equivalent rank.
B. In a case where the Chief of Police shall assign a member of the Police Department to the Traffic Bureau, Range Officer or TAC Officer, or when the Commissioner in charge of the Police Department assigns a member of the Police Department to the Detective Bureau, he may, by written order to the Village Clerk, direct that such member receive an additional amount of compensation equal to the amount set forth in Subsection
C of this section, which compensation for the officer assigned to these duties shall be in addition to any overtime. Upon termination of such detail or assignment, such additional compensation shall be discontinued.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
C. The following stipends shall be paid to a member of
the Police Department who serves in the aforementioned bureaus:
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
|
Bureau or Function
|
Annual Stipend
|
---|
|
Detective Bureau
|
$1,200
|
|
Traffic Bureau
|
$1,200
|
|
Range Officer
|
$1,200
|
|
TAC Officer
|
$1,200
|
All members and employees of the Police Department
shall be subject to all laws of the state enacted for the conduct,
benefit and protection of members and employees of any police department
in municipalities of this state.
A. There is hereby created within the Police Department
a Detective Bureau, which shall function as prescribed by the Police
Department rules and regulations and the Chief of Police. The Commissioner
in charge of the Police Department may designate such number of Detectives
and other members of the Police Department to serve in the Detective
Bureau as he may deem necessary. Such appointments may be terminated
by the Commissioner at his pleasure.
B. A Juvenile Officer shall be designated by such Commissioner
to serve in the Detective Bureau and shall have such duties as may
be prescribed by the rules and regulations of the Police Department
and the Chief of Police. Such appointment may be terminated by the
Commissioner at his pleasure.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
A. There is hereby created within the Police Department
a Traffic Bureau, whose members shall be selected from the members
of the Department by the Chief of Police. The Traffic Bureau shall
function as prescribed by state law, this chapter and other Village
ordinances, and by the rules and regulations of the Police Department.
B. A Civilian Police Utilityman shall be assigned to
the Traffic Bureau by the Commissioner in charge of the Police Department
and shall have such duties as may be prescribed by the Chief of Police
and by members of the Traffic Bureau.
[Amended 9-23-2008 by Ord. No. 08-09]
There is hereby created within the Police Department
a Records Bureau, which shall function as prescribed by the rules
and regulations of the Department and the Chief of Police. The Records
Bureau may be operated by civilian records clerks under the supervision
and direction of the Chief of Police.
The Commissioner in charge of the Police Department
may appoint any licensed doctor of medicine of the state as Police
Physician. The Police Physician shall perform such medical services
as the Commissioner may require and as are prescribed by the rules
and regulations of the Police Department. The Police Physician shall
receive such reasonable compensation for services rendered as may
be approved by the Commissioner. The appointment of the Police Physician
may be terminated by the Commissioner at any time without cause or
hearing.
A. The Commissioner in charge of the Police Department
may establish a reserve force by appointing special policemen or policewomen
in such number as he may deem necessary. Such members shall not be
construed to be members of the regular Police Department. Members
of the reserve force shall be under the direct supervision of the
Chief of Police and shall be subject to drill and training in police
duties and routine.
B. The Chief of Police may detail for special duty, whenever
in his opinion it shall be advisable, as many special policemen or
policewomen for periods of times as he may deem necessary. While performing
such special duty, members are vested with the authority of special
officers of the Village, as provided by state law.
C. Members of the reserve force are subject to the rules
and regulations of the Police Department.
D. Members of the reserve force while on special duty
may be compensated on a per diem basis in such amount as the Commissioner
may determine, but such amount may not exceed the rate of pay of a
patrolman of the regular Police Department in the first year of service.