[Adopted 8-28-1972 by Ord. No. 1972-2 (Part 10, Ch. 2, Art.
A, Secs. 10-2001 to 10-2006, and Art. B, Secs. 10-2011 to 10-2015,
of the 1976 Code of Ordinances)]
[Amended 6-11-1984 by Ord. No. 1984-11]
The Township Manager-Secretary is hereby appointed to direct
and control the Police Department of the Township, on behalf of the
Board of Commissioners, and, subject to such direction, the Police
Department shall be headed and supervised by the Chief of Police.
The Chief shall deploy Department personnel as needed to achieve maximum
efficiency and control and shall organize the Department as may be
necessary to properly accomplish the Department's mission. He
shall conduct staff meetings and inspections to evaluate and improve
the performance and efficiency of the Department. He shall issue orders,
directives and procedural directives and delegate duties to be carried
out by the personnel of the Department, including the appointment
of a command officer to act during periods when he intends to and
shall be temporarily absent from duty for reasons other than illness
or incapacity. He shall not be influenced in the performance of any
of his duties by any consideration of race, religion, color, sex,
politics or creed. The Chief of Police shall make regular and periodic
reports of the activities of his Department to the Board of Commissioners,
through the Township Manager-Secretary.
The position and rank of Lieutenant shall be the second highest
rank in the Department. Officers shall qualify for the position in
accordance with the civil service provisions of the First Class Township
Code[1] and the civil service rules and regulations of the Township.
The Lieutenants shall assist in the direction of the Department as
ordered and directed by the Chief of Police.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 55101 et seq.
The officers of the Department shall qualify for the rank of
Sergeant in accordance with the civil service provisions of the First
Class Township Code and the civil service rules and regulations of
the Township. Sergeants shall be in command of the several squads
of police officers and shall be assigned to such other duties as directed
by the Chief of Police or superior officer.
There shall exist in the Police Department a nonpromotional
position of specialist, entitling the officer holding such a position
to an appropriate increase in salary for specialized services rendered
to the Department. Having the classification of specialist shall be
detectives, traffic safety officers, youth officers, and such other
specialist classifications as may be hereafter designated by the Commissioners
upon recommendation of the Chief of Police.
All other officers of the Police Department who have qualified
for such position under the civil service provisions of the First
Class Township Code and the civil service regulations of the Township
shall be designated patrolmen. They shall perform such police duties
as are assigned to them by the Chief of Police or superior officer.
Every member of the Police Department shall be subject to duty
24 hours each day and may be called to duty by the Chief of Police
or superior officer.
Police officers shall wear uniforms and carry and be supplied
with equipment as directed by the Commissioners upon recommendation
of the Chief of Police. Regulations relative to the nature of the
uniforms to be worn and equipment to be carried, and regulations relative
to the care and maintenance of uniforms and equipment, shall be made
in the form of orders of the Chief.
There shall be one police headquarters, the location of which
shall be at the Township Municipal Building. All records, files, documents
and papers pertaining to the Police Department shall be kept and maintained
at headquarters.
[Amended 6-11-1984 by Ord. No. 1984-11]
If the Chief of Police shall be temporarily absent from his
duty by reason of illness or incapacity, unintentionally absent for
any reason, or in the event the Chief of Police shall have failed
to appoint a command officer during an intentional, temporary absence,
the Township Manager-Secretary shall appoint a Lieutenant of the Police
Department to serve in his place as Acting Chief of Police, such appointment
to be subsequently reviewed and confirmed, if approved, by the Board
of Commissioners as soon as possible. The officer so appointed shall
be subject to all of the duties and responsibilities of the office
of Chief of Police. He shall not be entitled to any increase in his
salary or compensation by reason of such appointment or the performance
of his duties in such office; provided, however, that he may receive
such additional compensation for the entire period of such service
as the Commissioners shall then determine.
All members of the Department, when sick, must still report
to the headquarters by telephone or other suitable means of communication
one hour before their tour of duty begins and shall also report one
hour before the tour of duty begins before their return to duty, if
so requested by the Chief, and deliver a physician's written
certification as to the illness and length of time the same rendered
them unfit for duty; otherwise, they shall be considered as absent
without leave and shall forfeit any rights to sick leave. When any
member of the Department is injured in the line of duty, he shall,
within 24 hours after such injury, submit or cause to be submitted
a report of the injury and the circumstances surrounding it to the
Chief of Police and superior officer.
[Amended 6-11-1984 by Ord. No. 1984-11]
All rules and regulations as set forth in this article are constituted
orders of the Board of Commissioners of the Township, issued and directed
to the Township Manager-Secretary and the Chief of Police and to all
members of the Police Department.
