There is hereby created and established in the government of
the City of Hoboken a department that shall be known as the Department
of Public Safety.
Said Department shall embrace and there is hereby allocated
and assigned thereto the Division of Police, Outside Police Personnel
Employment, Division of Fire, Arson Investigation Unit, Division of
Signal and Traffic, Special Law Enforcement Officer, Office of Emergency
Management.
There is hereby assigned and transferred to said Department all of the subordinate officers and employees in the City of Hoboken holding their offices and positions under tenure of office under any law of this state of Title 11A (Civil Service) of the Revised Statutes of New Jersey and now exercising and performing any of the functions, powers and duties in the office and divisions enumerated in §
59A-2.
There is hereby transferred and assigned to said Department
all of the property, books, papers and records relating to any of
the offices and other governmental agencies hereinabove allocated
and assigned to said Department, except such books, papers and records
as are now required by law or ordinances of the City of Hoboken to
be kept in the office of some other officer or department of the City
government.
[Amended 8-11-2010 by Ord. No. Z-52; 1-3-2017 by Ord. No. Z-454]
A. The Business Administrator or the Business Administrator's designee
shall be designated as the Appropriate Authority as provided by New
Jersey statute. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A: 14-118, as Appropriate Authority,
the Business Administrator or the Business Administrator's designee,
or in the case of a vacancy in the position of the Business Administrator,
the Acting Business Administrator or the Acting Business Administrator's
designee, shall be responsible for the overall performance of the
Police Department. The Appropriate Authority shall adopt and promulgate
rules and regulations for the governance of the police department
and for the discipline of its members.
[Amended 3-18-2020 by Ord. No. B-247]
B. There is hereby created the office of Director of the Department
of Public Safety. He shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice
and consent of the Council and shall serve during the term of the
Mayor appointing him and until the appointment of his successor or
elimination of the position. He shall receive such compensation for
his services as the Council shall by ordinance provide. Vacancies
in the office of Director shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment but for the unexpired term only.
[Amended 8-11-2010 by Ord. No. Z-52]
The Director shall be head of the Department of Public Safety
and, in addition to the functions, powers and duties that are hereby
or may hereafter be conferred and imposed upon him/her by law and
the ordinances of the City, shall:
A. Organize, develop, direct and perform work involved in the management
of the Department.
B. At the direction of the Mayor, act as a resource to the Council,
Department Heads and various City committees, commissions and advisory
groups on matters of public safety.
C. Review annual budget requests of the Department. Develop and prepare
the budget expenditures to ensure that budgets are managed within
approved limits.
D. Develop police, work programs, personnel, and budgetary policies
in consultation with the Mayor and Chief of Police.
E. Evaluate the effectiveness of work programs and procedures of public
safety departments.
F. Promote close coordination planning efforts.
G. Undertake special studies pertaining to public safety, shared services,
regionalization and preparation of reports.
H. Establishes and maintains helpful and cooperative relations with
civic and business organizations, schools and court offices and other
groups, police authorities in other jurisdictions, and others interested
in the maintenance of law and order.
I. May conduct disciplinary hearing in accordance with state law and
as delegated by the Mayor.
J. The Director of the Department of Public Safety shall be a civilian
position and, as such, possesses no police powers. The Director of
the Department of Public Safety may not interfere in the routine day-to-day
operations of the Police Department. As such, the Director shall not
be permitted to:
(1) Operate a marked police patrol vehicle, conduct a motor vehicle stop
or answer calls for service;
(2) Routinely stop, detain or arrest persons;
(3) Wear a law enforcement officer uniform;
(4) Be issued a City firearm;
(5) Approve permits to carry firearms;
(6) Direct the investigation of criminal matters.
All appropriations available or to become available to any department,
office or other governmental agency, the functions, powers and duties
of which are hereby assigned and transferred to said Department are
hereby transferred to the Department established hereby, and shall
be available for the objects and purposes for which appropriated.