(Sp. Laws 1935, No. 455, § 1.)
There shall be a Police Board in the City of Norwalk, which shall consist of two resident electors who shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall serve without compensation. Not more than 1/2 of the members of said Board, with the exception of the Mayor, shall be members of any one political party. The Mayor of said city shall be, ex officio, a member and Chairman of said Board. Within 10 days from the passage of this act, §§ 1-297 to 1-302, the Mayor shall appoint two members of said Board to serve until the first Wednesday following the first Monday of October 1937, and biennially thereafter the Mayor shall appoint two members to serve two years, and each such member shall serve until his successor shall be appointed. Said Board shall annually elect a Secretary from its members. Two members of said Board shall constitute a quorum, and a concurrence of two votes shall be necessary for the transaction of business. Said Board shall hold meetings at least once each month and at such other times as it may determine. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Mayor or by two members upon reasonable notice to the Mayor or the other member. Said Board shall have control, management and supervision of the policemen of said city and all property belonging to or used in the Police Department. Said Board shall have the power to purchase all supplies and equipment necessary for the management of said department; to appoint, remove, suspend, discipline and punish and to prescribe the duties of all officers and members, whether regular, supernumerary or call, of said Police Department, and to fix their salaries and compensation, to make rules and regulations as it may deem necessary, consistent with the provisions hereof, for the regulation and government of said Department. It shall enforce and carry into effect all ordinances and by-laws of the Common Council and all laws of the state with reference to the safety of said city. It shall keep and preserve detailed records, files and minutes of all its proceedings and of all work, property and expenditures of said Police Department, and said files, records and minutes, or certified copies thereof, shall be accepted as evidence in all courts and proceedings. It shall have power to summon and examine witnesses as in civil actions and compel the production of books and papers, and administer oaths to such witnesses, and may require of any officer or board of said city all information and copies of records, books and papers relative to the public business in connection with said Department. It shall render monthly detailed statements and reports to the Common Council of its proceedings and of all disbursements and contracts made in said Department during the preceding month; shall render annually to said Common Council and to the Board of Estimate and Taxation,[1] a full statement of its disbursements and expenditures
in said Department during the preceding year, with a report of the
condition of said Department, and an estimate of the necessary expenditures
for the ensuing fiscal year.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also, Art. VI, for Board of Estimate
and Taxation.
(Sp. Laws 1935, No. 455, § 2.)
Said Board shall not abolish any office in the Police Department
during the incumbency thereof of any appointee to such office, nor
shall it remove, expel or reduce in rank any officer or regular or
permanent member of the Police Department except for cause found after
hearing. Notice of any such removal, expulsion or reduction in rank
shall be given by the Board in writing to the officer or permanent
member concerned, and any such officer or permanent member aggrieved
by such removal, expulsion or reduction may, within 10 days after
receiving notice of such action by the Board, appeal therefrom to
the Superior Court in and for the County of Fairfield, which shall
hear such appeal and render judgment thereon. The power to fix the
number and designation of all the officers and members of the Police
Department shall be in and exercised only by the bipartisan Police
Board, and the number and designation of all officers of said Department
shall continue as at present until said Board shall take action in
the premises. Said Board shall have the power to retire any member
of the Police Department for mental or physical disability and place
his name on the retired list and such member shall not thereafter
be entitled to pay or compensation from the city unless assigned to
duty by the Chief of Police of the Police Department. His pay for
the time so assigned to duty shall be that of a regular member of
the force.
(Sp. Laws 1935, No. 455, § 3.)
Said Board shall administer the Policemen's Benefit Fund
established under the provisions of an act approved April 30, 1925,
as amended by Section three of an act approved June 16, 1927.[1]
(Sp. Laws 1935, No. 455, § 4.)
Said Board may employ clerks for its own work and the clerical
work of the Police Department, and may pay their salaries.
(Sp. Laws 1935, No. 455, § 5.)
All appointments to be made by said Board shall be based upon merit and fitness for the duties pertaining thereto, and, in no degree, upon political affiliations or considerations. In carrying out the provisions of this section, said Board may adopt such provisions of Chapter 105 of the General Statutes as it may deem advisable and, on or before September 1, 1935, the merit system shall be in effect in said city.
(Sp. Laws 1935, No. 455, § 6.)
An act creating a Board of Public Safety in the City of Norwalk,
approved June 16, 1927, as amended by an act amending an act creating
a Board of Public Safety in the City of Norwalk, approved March 27,
1929, and all acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are repealed.
(Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 141; Sp. Laws 1925,
No. 225, § 1.)
. . . . . . Said police shall have the powers of Constables[1] of towns in the apprehension and arrest of criminals and
the service of process within the limits of said city.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former §§ 1-304, Supernumerary
Police Force; members; appointment; control; duties; powers, Sp. Laws
1913, No. 352, § 144; Sp. Laws 1915, No. 367, § 10;
Sp. Laws 1925, No. 225, § 2; Sp. Laws 1969, No. 149, and
1-305, Appointments to regular force, Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 146,
were repealed 9-2-1980 by Charter Amendment, approved by the electorate
at the general election held 11-4-1980.
(Sp. Laws 1967, No. 403.)
There shall be a special police force or call force in the City
of Norwalk consisting of not more than 200 members.
The members of said special police or call force shall be appointed
by the Board of Police Commissioners for terms not exceeding two years.
No person shall be appointed a member of the special police or call
force unless he is an elector of the City of Norwalk, of good moral
character and habits, in good health, and shall have passed such examination,
mental and physical, as may be required by the Board of Police Commissioners.
Such special police force or call force shall, at all times, be under
the direction and control of the Chief of Police and shall perform
such duties as may be assigned or designated by said Chief of Police.
Members of the special police or call force shall have the power of
regular policemen in the apprehension and arrest of criminals, in
maintaining public order, and in the service of process within the
limits of the City of Norwalk, and shall be paid for their services
by said city.
(Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 148.)
It shall be the duty of any policeman of said city to arrest,
without previous complaint or warrant, any person guilty of drunkenness,
vagrancy, disorderly conduct, breach of the peace, common assault,
or any other offense committed within said city, when such offender
may be taken or apprehended in the act, or on the speedy information
of others, or when such officer has reasonable grounds to believe
that an offense has been committed, and all persons so arrested shall
be immediately presented before the Town Court of Norwalk for trial.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former §§ 1-307, Appointment
of Women Probation Officer, 1-308, Powers of Woman Probation Officer,
1-309, Removal of Woman Probation Officer, and 1-310, Salary of Probation
Officer, Sp. Laws 1927, No. 371, §§ 1 to 4, were repealed
9-2-1980 by Charter Amendment, approved by the electorate at the general
election held 11-4-1980.
(Sp. Laws 1953, No. 590, § 1.)
The jurisdiction of the Norwalk Police Department is extended
to the entire City of Norwalk.
(Charter Amendment 11-3-1970.)
The Norwalk Police Department shall maintain an adequate police
force and shall provide all services as they may be required in the
entire City of Norwalk. This section shall apply to the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 1971, and shall be effective as of that date.
(Charter Amendment 11-3-1970.)
All the inhabitants and real and personal property within the
limits of the Fifth Taxing District shall be liable to taxation to
defray the expenses of the Police Department, and an appropriation
for the Police Department shall be included in the annual budget of
the city. This section shall apply to the fiscal year beginning July
1, 1971, and shall be effective as of that date.
(Repealed by Charter Amendment 11-3-1970; effective 7-1-1971.)
[1]
Editor's Note: Former §§ 1-317, Workweek
for policemen, and 1-318, Approval of workweek, Sp. Laws 1951, No.
293, §§ 1 and 2, were repealed 9-2-1980 by Charter
Amendment, approved by the electorate at the general election held
11-4-1980.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 1; Sp. Laws 1945, No.
235.)
There shall be in the City of Norwalk a fund to be known as
the Police Benefit Fund to consist of: (1) Such sums of money as shall
be appropriated to said fund from the Treasury of said city by the
Council thereof; (2) all property specially devised, bequeathed or
given for the benefit of disabled policemen of said city, and property
given to the Police Department of said city on account of services
rendered by said Department; (3) all lost, abandoned, unclaimed or
stolen money and all money arising from the sale of unclaimed abandoned,
lost or stolen property in charge of the Board of Public Safety of
said city at any time available for that purpose under the provisions
of the general statutes; (4) all rewards, fees, gifts, testimonials
and emoluments that may be presented to any member of the Police Force
of said city on account of special services, except such as said Board
of Public Safety may allow any member to retain; (5) one percent of
all salaries and compensation of the members of the Police Department
appointed before July 1, 1945; (6) three percent of all salaries and
compensation of such members of the Police Department appointed after
July 1, 1945; and (7) an annual appropriation to said fund by the
City of Norwalk of an amount not less than 3% of yearly salaries and
compensation of the contributing members of the Police Department.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 2.)
The Board of Public Safety of said city shall be a Board of
Trustees of said Benefit Fund and the Treasurer of said city shall
be the Treasurer of said fund. All orders drawn on said fund shall
be signed by the Chairman of said Board and countersigned by the Secretary
of said Board. Said Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings
of said Board and of all actions taken by it with regard to said fund.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 3.)
Said Board of Trustees shall have general charge of said fund
and may, by a majority vote, the Mayor to be one of such majority,
direct the Treasurer to invest any portion of the same in bonds of
the City of Norwalk or in any securities authorized by the laws of
the state as investment for trust funds, or to deposit the same or
any portion thereof in any savings banks or trust companies of the
state. Said Board of Trustees shall, annually, or more frequently,
if required, report to the Council the condition of said fund, with
the items of all the receipts and disbursements on account of same.
If said fund shall be found, at any time, to be insufficient to meet
the requirements made upon it, the Board of Estimate and Taxation,
upon application made to it by said Board of Trustees, or by said
Council acting at the instance of said Board of Trustees, shall make
an appropriation to supply such deficiency, and any prospective deficiency
in said fund may be provided for by said Board of Estimate and Taxation
in its annual appropriations for the Police Department.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 4.)
In addition to the Regular and Supernumerary Police Force of
the City of Norwalk, composed of the permanent men and officers of
said Department, there shall be an honorary grade known as "The Veteran
Reserve" to which said Board of Trustees may at its discretion, by
unanimous vote, transfer any member of the police force who shall,
from age or from disability incurred in the discharge of perilous
duty or in long and faithful service, become permanently disqualified
for the more active duties of the regular grade; provided the pay
of any member of said Veteran Reserve shall be regulated by said Board
of Trustees in accordance with the amount of duty performed and shall
not be less than 1/2 of the compensation previously received by such
member while in the regular police force and provided any member of
said Veteran Reserve may be removed in the same manner as a member
of the regular Police Department and provided no transfer to said
Veteran Reserve shall be made except on the certificate of such Medical
Examiner as said Board of Trustees may appoint. All members so transferred
shall be subject to the orders of said Board of Trustees, which may
at any time, require any such member to be reexamined, and, in case
he shall be reported capable of performing duty, may, by an affirmative
vote of the majority of its members, the Mayor to compose one of such
majority, restore him to said regular Police Department.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 5.)
Said Board of Trustees may, by a unanimous vote, as a reward
for conspicuously meritorious service, retire from duty any member
of the regular force or the Veteran Reserve Force after 25 years of
continuous service in the Department, upon the certificate of such
Medical Examiner as said Board of Trustees may designate, showing
that such member is permanently disabled, physically or mentally,
so as to be unfit for any police duty; provided such Medical Examiner
shall further certify that, in his opinion, such disability is due
either to the natural infirmities of old age or to injury received
or exposure endured in the performance of duty in the Police Department.
Such member shall be entitled to receive from said fund, during his
remaining lifetime, unless removed from the retired list, after notice
and hearing, by the unanimous vote of said Board of Trustees, a sum
equal to 1/2 of the yearly compensation received in service before
retirement as a regular member of the Police Department, such sum
to be payable in monthly installments. Said Board of Trustees may,
by an affirmative vote of the whole number of its members, retire
any member of the Police Department who, while in the actual performance
and by reason of the performance of such duty and without fault or
misconduct on his part, shall have become permanently disabled, physically
or mentally so as to be entirely unfitted to perform such duty; and
such member so retired shall be entitled to receive from said fund
during his life, unless removed from the retired list, after notice
and hearing, by the unanimous vote of the members of said Board of
Trustees, a sum equal to 1/2 of his previous compensation received
per annum, to be paid in monthly installments. Whenever said Board
of Trustees shall remove a former member of the Police Department
from the retired list, said Board shall make and keep on file a written
statement of the causes for having made such removal.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 6; Sp. Laws 1939, No.
255, § 1.)
When any member of said Police Department shall have been killed
while in the actual performance of duty, or shall have died from the
effects of any injury received or illness contracted while in the
actual discharge of such duty, said Board of Trustees shall direct
a sum not exceeding 1/2 of the yearly compensation received in service
as a regular member of the Police Department, to be paid from said
fund, in monthly installments to the widow of such policeman, or,
if he leaves no widow, to his child or children not over 16 years
of age, after the death or remarriage of such a widow; provided such
annual payments to such widow shall cease if such widow shall remarry,
and such payments to any such child shall cease when such child shall
attain the age of 16 years. In case such deceased member leaves neither
widow nor a child under the age of 16 years, the Board of Trustees
shall direct the whole of such sum to be paid to the parents, or dependent
of such member, if such parent or parents, or dependent, prior to
his death, shall have depended upon him for support.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 8.)
Said Board of Trustees may, at its discretion, order any member of the retired list, except such members as shall have been retired under the provisions of § 1-325, to be examined by a Medical Examiner to be designated by said Board, and, if such member shall be reported capable of performing police duty, said Board may, by an affirmative vote of a majority of its whole number, the Mayor to be one of such majority, restore such member either to the regular or to the Veteran Reserve Force.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 9.)
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 10.)
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 11.)
All of the accumulations deposited in the Police Benefit Fund at the time of the passage of §§ 1-319 to 1-322, from whatever source derived, are transferred to and vested in the Trustees of said Police Benefit Fund, to be held, managed and disposed of as herein set forth, and all acts of said Trustees in reference thereto are ratified and confirmed.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 12; Sp. Laws 1933, No.
333, § 2.)
The term of service of any member of the permanent force of
the Police Department of said City of Norwalk who shall have resigned
and shall have been immediately reinstated as a member of said permanent
force of the Police Department, shall be considered as a term of continuous
service for the purpose of receiving any benefits under any pension
law or Police Benefit Fund law effecting such member. Any member of
the permanent force of said Police Department who shall have resigned
from said Department when no charges were pending against him, and
who shall afterwards, at any time, be reinstated as a member of said
permanent force of said Police Department, shall be entitled to have
his two periods of service in said Department considered as a term
of continuous service for the purpose of receiving any benefits under
any pension law or Police Benefit Fund law affecting such member.
(Sp. Laws 1931, No. 518, § 13.)
When any member of the permanent force of the Police Department who shall be on or shall be eligible to be placed on the retired list, by reason of the provisions of § 1-325, shall die while on or eligible to be placed on the retired list, the Board of Trustees of the Police Benefit Fund shall direct an allowance out of said fund equal to 1/2 of the salary of such deceased policeman, to be paid to the widow or dependents of such deceased policeman.
(Sp. Laws 939, No. 255, § 2.)
When any member of the Police Department shall die, after having
served continuously for a period of 20 years or more, exclusive of
time served as a supernumerary or special policeman, the Board of
Trustees shall direct an allowance out of said fund, equal to 1/2
the salary of such deceased policeman, to be paid to the widow until
her death or remarriage and thereafter to the children of such policeman
who are under the age of 16 years, provided, in the case of any policeman
who shall have died while a member of the Veteran Reserve, such allowance
shall be 1/2 of the pay which such deceased policeman was receiving
immediately prior to being placed on such Veteran Reserve, and provided,
in case such policeman leave neither widow nor child, under the age
of 16 years, the Board of Trustees shall direct the whole of such
sum to be paid to the parent or parents or dependent of such deceased
member, if such parent or parents or dependent, prior to his death,
shall have depended upon him for support.
