[Ord. No. 210, § 1; Ord. No. 221, § 1; Ord. No. 252, § 3; Ord. No. 273, § 2; Ord. No. 295, § 1; Ord. No. 319, § 1; Ord. No. 451, § 1; Ord. No. 554, § 2; Ord. No. 566A, § 10; Ord. No. 573, § 1; Ord. No. 612, § 1; Ord. No. 640, § 1; Ord. No. 648, § 1; Ord. No. 24, § 1, 6-15-1967; Ord. No. 78; Ord. No. 358, § 1, 9-27-1979; Ord. No. 605, § 1, 4-27-1988; Ord. No. 631, § 1, 3-17-1989; Ord. No. 781, § 1, 2-14-1995; Ord. No. 878, § I, 9-12-2000; Ord. No. 1077, § I, 2-11-2014]
The Chief or such person who is charged with the responsibility of overseeing and managing the Department shall structure the Department based upon the approved annual Department budget, their determination of the needs of the City, including but not limited to the number of police officers, designation of ranks, duties of the officers, and creating and structuring of the Divisions as determined by the Chief, subject to approval by the Mayor and City Council. The objective of assigning to the Chief these duties is to create an effective, efficient, and functional Department for the citizens of Pittsfield based upon changing economic, social, and law enforcement considerations both for the City of Pittsfield and cooperative law enforcement considerations between the Pittsfield Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.
[Ord. No. 210, § 1; Ord. No. 221, § 1; Ord. No. 252, § 3; Ord. No. 273, § 2, Ord. No. 295, § 1; Ord. No. 319, § 1; Ord. No. 451, § 1; Ord. No. 554, § 2; Ord. No. 556A, § 10; Ord. No. 573, § 1; Ord. No. 55, § 1, 5-22-1968; Ord. No. 1077, § II, 2-11-2014]
The members of the Police Department enumerated in Section 18-1 shall perform all the duties and be subject to all the rules and regulations prescribed by law, ordinance or orders of the Mayor and City Council.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 18, § 2]
Before entering upon service, each member of the Police Department of the City shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of the duties of their office.
[Ord. No. 546, § 1, 7-10-1986]
A. 
In accordance with Article 2, Section 2-10, and Article 3, Section 3-3, and Section 23 of the City Charter, the Mayor shall appoint a Chief of Police.
[Ord. No. 1155, § I, 9-29-2015]
B. 
In accordance with Article 3, Section 3-3, of the City Charter, the Mayor may remove the Chief of Police in their sole discretion.
[Ord. No. 1155, § II, 9-29-2015]
C. 
The Chief of Police shall receive such salary as the City Council shall determine by ordinance.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 18-5, Police auxiliary school patrol generally, as amended, was repealed 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 1077, § III.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 18, § 3]
The reserve police force already established is hereby continued subject to provisions of law and civil service regulations, and such reserve police force shall in all respects be subject to and governed by the provisions of this chapter and the laws and rules therein referred to insofar as the same are applicable.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 18, § 4; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
The Chief of Police shall be the head of the Police Department and shall have general supervision and control of its officers and members when in the service of the City. The Chief of Police, or their designee, shall keep an account of all absences from duty with the cause thereof and shall, on a biweekly basis, present to the Director of Finance/Treasurer the payroll of such members of the Police Department as are not included under the provisions of Chapter 6. They shall keep complete records of the business of the Police Department and shall, whenever required, report the doings of the Department to the City Council. They shall report to the Mayor and City Council annually, on or before the first Monday of February, the condition and organization of the Police Department and give a synopsis of its doings for the preceding year.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 18, § 5; Ord. No. 1332, 11-13-2025]
Each member of the Police Department shall enforce the laws of the commonwealth, the provisions of this Code and the other ordinances of the City and any order or regulation of the City, its City Council, officials, boards or departments having the force of law.
[R. O. 1947, ch. 18, §§ 7, 11]
A. 
The Chief of Police may establish rules and regulations for the government and management of the Police Department consistent with law, the provisions of this Code and with the other ordinances of the City, subject to the approval of the Mayor and City Council.
B. 
All rules and regulations concerning the Police Department of the City heretofore made and not inconsistent with this chapter shall continue in effect until modified in accordance therewith.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 18-10, Same—Fines, etc., imposed for disobedience, adopted by R.O. 1947, Ch. 18, § 6, was repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332.
[Ord. No. 1186, § I, 5-9-2017]
The Chief of Police shall provide written notice to the Mayor and City Council of any change in policies regarding the role of the Pittsfield Police Department in immigration enforcement at least 30 days prior to issuance.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 18-12, Uniforms, etc.—Allowances generally, as amended, was repealed 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 1077, § IV.
[Ord. No. 102, § 1; Ord. No. 566A, § 12]
The expenditure of municipal funds for uniforms for members of the Police Department and annual clothing allowance for patrolmen detailed to duty with the detective bureau shall be made subject to, and in accordance with, the terms and provisions of such rules and regulations established by the Chief of Police and approved by the City Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Sec. 18-14, Same—Police auxiliary school patrol, as amended, which immediately followed, was repealed 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 1077, § V. Former Sec. 18-14, Motor equipment repairman, adopted by Ord. No. 4, § 2, as amended by Ord. No. 18 and Ord. No. 48, § 2; and former Sec. 18-16, Clerk, adopted by Ord. No. 43, § 1, as amended by Ord. No. 581, § 1, were repealed 11-13-2025 by Ord. No. 1332. Former Sec. 18-17, Constables, and former Sec. 18-18, Height and weight requirements for police officers, as amended, were repealed 2-11-2014 by Ord. No. 1077, §§ VII and VIII, respectively.