[Ord. 188, 2/18/1957, §§ 1-6; as amended by
Ord. 561, 6/1/1987]
1. A Police Department shall hereby be established in and for the Township
of Elizabeth, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The Department shall
be under the control and judgment of the Board of Township Commissioners
and, at the discretion of said Board, may be supervised by a Committee
and/or by a member of said Board.
2. A Chief of Police shall head the Police Department. Subordinate to
the Chief of Police the following classifications are hereby established:
Lieutenant, sergeant, patrolmen, extra patrolmen and special school
police. The priority of authority among such subordinate classifications
shall be in the order above listed. The number of persons to serve
in each of such subordinate classifications, and the compensation
of each shall be as determined by the Board of Commissioners from
time to time.
3. The lieutenant shall act as Chief of Police in the absence of the
Chief of Police, perform ordinary police duties and such other duties
as may be prescribed by law from time to time. He shall serve as such
officer until his successor is appointed and qualified.
4. The patrolman shall perform ordinary police duties and such other
duties as prescribed by law from time to time. He shall serve as such
officer until his successor is appointed and qualified.
5. Extra patrolmen shall assist patrolmen in traffic control and regular
police work as prescribed by the Board of Commissioners from time
to time.
6. Special school police shall control and direct traffic at schools
and such other duties as may be prescribed by law or the Board of
Commissioners from time to time. They shall serve at the pleasure
of the Board.
[Ord. 408, 8/7/1972, §§ 1, 2; as amended by
Ord. 561, 6/1/1987]
1. Prior to employment as a policeman for Elizabeth Township, a candidate
must be a Township resident. Residency must be maintained during the
term of his employment with the Township.
2. A certified copy of this section shall be provided the Civil Service
Commission of Elizabeth Township, so that it may advise future applicants
of this residency requirement.
[Ord. 441, 7/7/1975, §§ 1, 2; as amended by
Ord. 561, 6/1/1987]
1. The Lieutenant of the Township of Elizabeth is hereby appointed as
the Ordinance Officer of the Township.
2. The Lieutenant shall have all powers granted to him as the Ordinance
Officer under the existing ordinances of the Township.
[Ord. 852, 9/8/2008, § 1]
1. The Township promulgates the following guidelines to be followed
by Township police officers when making an arrest under Section 8902
of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.
2. Prior to making a warrantless arrest under 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 8902,
the officer shall ensure that the following requirements contained
in the statute are satisfied:
A. The officer had probable cause to believe that one of the four listed
events is involved;
B. The defendant's conduct is ongoing;
C. That the conduct constituting the offense is within the officers
view; and
D. Lastly, the conduct imperils personal security of any persons or
endangers public or private property.
3. After making a warrantless arrest pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S.A. §
8902, the officer shall allow Rule 71, Procedures Arrest Without Warrant,
as set forth in the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, which
provides that the defendant, when a defendant has been arrested without
a warrant, shall be either released from custody or taken before the
proper issuing authority. When the defendant has been arrested without
a warrant, the arresting officer may, when the officer deems it appropriate,
promptly release the defendant from custody when the following conditions
are present:
A. The defendant is a resident of the Commonwealth.
B. The defendant poses no threat or immediate physical harm to any person
or to him/herself .
C. The officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the defendant
will appear as required and the defendant does not demand to be taken
before an issuing authority. The citation shall be issued to the defendant
at the time of release and thereafter the case shall proceed in accordance
with Rules 55 — 59 of the Rules of Pennsylvania Criminal Procedure.
D. When the defendant has not been released from custody, the defendant
shall be taken without unnecessary delay before an issuing authority
or the citation shall be filed against the defendant. The defendant
shall be given immediate trial unless the Commonwealth is not ready
to proceed or the defendant requests a postponement or is not capable
of proceeding, and, in any of these circumstances, the defendant shall
be given the opportunity to deposit collateral for appearance on the
new date and hour fixed or the defendant's criminal record must be
ascertained before trial as specifically required by statute or for
grading of the offense charged in the event the defendant shall be
given the opportunity to deposit collateral for a new date.