The Village Board hereby establishes the following rules and
regulations for the government, discipline and administration of the
Village of Sag Harbor Police Department.
A.
It is the duty and power of the members to maintain law and order
in the Village of Sag Harbor, and, to this end, they should detect,
enforce and prevent, whenever possible, the violation of all criminal
laws and infractions therein. They should exert themselves constantly
to accomplish this end. Each member must examine and make himself
perfectly acquainted with each part of the Village and, by his vigilance,
make it extremely difficult for anyone to commit a crime or go undetected
should he commit one, in the Village of Sag Harbor. Accordingly, each
member should maintain his character, condition, knowledge and ability
so that the performance of his official duty will be of the highest
type.
B.
It is the duty of the members to have a thorough knowledge of these
rules and regulations and of all orders issued by the Chief of Police
and to render them implicit with prompt obedience and strict conformance.
[Amended 11-13-1985]
C.
All members will be deemed to be always on duty. They shall be on
active duty when taking their scheduled tour or when so designated
by the Chief of Police. When on active duty, all members shall appear
in full uniform except when it may be necessary for the public interest
to appear in citizen's clothing and then only when so ordered
by the Chief of Police. Although certain hours are allotted to the
respective members for active duty, at all times they must be prepared
to act immediately on notice that their services are required.
[Amended 11-30-1985]
D.
When on active duty, members shall not sleep or leave their posts
but shall constantly patrol them in accordance with the schedules
and orders of the Chief of Police. Each member must carefully inspect
each part of his route or post and be ready at any time to furnish
information concerning the state of it. Should he observe anything
likely to produce danger or public inconvenience or anything irregular,
he shall report the same to a superior officer. He shall frequently
carefully examine, especially in the nighttimes, all doors and lower
windows of stores and business places to see that they are properly
secured. The regularity of his tour of inspection, however, should
not prevent him from remaining at any particular place if his presence
is required, but he must be able to satisfy the Chief of Police that
there was sufficient cause for so remaining. Members should not leave
active duty until properly relieved by their replacement. It is suggested
that the replacement arrive 15 minutes early for the convenience of
the member he is relieving. Each member shall make a written report
of his activities and of the police action taken by him. This report
should be submitted at the end of each tour of duty.
E.
Every member will be held responsible for the proper discharge of
the duties assigned to him by his superior officer, and it will be
no excuse for failure to offer that he followed the advice of others.
F.
Beyond the demands of ordinary civility, a member must not walk or
talk with members of the general public while in uniform except on
official business, and then he will stand and transact that business
in a courteous and efficient fashion. He shall give his name and number
to all persons when they require same. He will be willing to help
anyone in distress at any time.
G.
When on active duty, a member must not enter any house, including
his own, or any business establishment, except in the execution of
his duty and except that each member may be allowed one thirty-minute
lunch period during an eight-hour shift.
H.
A member must not use his baton or gun except in the most urgent
case or in self-defense.
I.
Whenever a member is sick or unable to do duty, he shall so notify
the Chief of Police at once.
J.
It is strictly enjoined upon the members to be careful in the use
of all Village property. Roughness or carelessness is not to be tolerated
and will be made the subject of written charges.
K.
It is the duty of all members to properly execute with care all reports
and other forms of paperwork indicated for them by these rules and
regulations or by order of the Chief of Police.
A.
Members must be civil, quiet and orderly in conduct and deportment
and, in the performance of duty, must be attentive, maintaining decorum,
command of temper, patience and discretion. Members must at all times
refrain from harsh, violent, indecent, coarse, profane or insolent
language and yet must act, when required, with firmness and energy
in the performance of duty.
B.
No member shall use intoxicating liquor to excess, nor shall be drink
of it while on active duty or two hours prior to his scheduled hours
of duty.
C.
Smoking while on duty will be permitted only at headquarters or in
the police car.
D.
Members must be respectful to each other at all times.
A.
Members on duty shall not, except in the immediate performance of
duty, enter any place in which intoxicating liquor is sold.
B.
Members in uniform are prohibited from attending parties or visiting
places of amusement or public resort except in the performance of
duty. While off duty no member shall wear his uniform except while
going off or coming on duty.
C.
Members shall act in a manner tending to reflect credit to the Department
and afford the greatest possible police protection.
A.
It shall distinctly be understood that the police headquarters is
not and shall not be made a place for loitering but shall be used
only for the members of the Department and persons on business.
B.
No member shall communicate, except such persons as directed by the
Chief of Police or by the Village Board or the Mayor, any information
concerning any proposed police action on the part of the Department.
C.
It is hereby declared that a state of public emergency, as defined
in § 189-a of the Village Law[1], exists when any member of the Police Department is absent
on sick or vacation leave, and the Mayor may appoint special policemen
in such event.
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 189-a was omitted when the Village
Law was renumbered L.1972, c. 892, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1973.
D.
Each member of the Department will be allowed 15 days sick leave.
Said sick leave shall be cumulative, and any number of days, not to
exceed 15 days per year, unused by any employee will be carried forward
and credit accordingly given against subsequent illness in any other
year or years to a maximum of 120 days. Two weeks' vacation leave
shall be granted for up to five years of service, three weeks for
six to 10 years of service and four weeks after 10 years of service.
E.
The police car is to be used only for official business. It is not
to be used as a taxi.
F.
The senior officer is the officer, on duty at any time, longest employed
in the Department. At all times the senior officer shall be in charge
of the shift on duty and shall be responsible to the Chief of Police
for its conduct.
