[Amended by Ord. No. 90-19]
The Police Department of the City shall consist of a Chief of Police and such other officers and personnel as may be provided for.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Watertown as § 5.01 of the former City Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Appointments to the Department shall be made as provided in § 62.13, Wis. Stats.
[Amended by Ord. No. 90-20]
Each police officer, at the time of his appointment, shall have a complete physical examination to be paid for by the City.
[Amended by Ord. No. 90-21]
The Chief of Police shall be chief executive of the Police Department under the direction and control of the Mayor and Common Council. The police officers and Department personnel shall be under the direction of the Chief of Police.
[Amended by Ord. No. 90-22; Ord. No. 00-16]
A.
The Chief of Police shall cause the public peace to be preserved and see that all laws and ordinances are enforced. When any violation thereof shall come to his notice, he shall cause the requisite complaint to be made and see that evidence is procured for the prosecution of the offender or offenders. In case of tumult or affray, riot or threatening thereof, he shall take charge in person of the police officers and direct them in the discharge of their respective duties.
B.
He shall attend all meetings of the Council and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law, by ordinance of the City or by direction of Mayor or Common Council. It shall be his duty to serve all papers directed to him in connection with the commission of any crime or violation of law or ordinance in the City and all papers directed to him by the Municipal Judge having jurisdiction in any civil action wherein one or both parties to such action reside in the City, and he shall serve no other papers.
C.
The Chief of Police shall be the custodian and have charge of all property pertaining to the Police Department. He shall give a bond in the penal sum of $1,000 running to the City, which said bond shall be approved by the City Attorney, conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties and that he will properly account for all monies and property which may come into his charge and keeping as such Chief of Police. All monies collected shall be accounted for and deposited with the City Treasurer on a daily basis.
[Amended 7-5-2022 by Ord. No. 22-63]
[Added by Ord. No. 68-28; amended by Ord. No. 73-2; Ord. No. 94-32; Ord. No. 99-55]
The working day for union-affiliated members of the Police Department shall be established by agreements between the City and the respective labor unions representing those members.
[Amended by Ord. No. 74-8; Ord. No. 94-32; Ord. No. 99-55]
Vacations for union-affiliated members of the Police Department shall be established by agreements between the City and the respective labor unions representing those members.
A.
If a person is arrested by the Police Department and the Municipal Judge is not available for the purpose of entertaining the defendant's plea or fixing of bond preceding the trial of the action, any member of the Police Department may accept from the arrested person a cash bond in the amount of the forfeiture and costs for violation of the ordinance.
B.
The cash bond shall be given only to assure the appearance of the defendant in court and shall be of no effect if the defendant appears in court when his case is called. Said bond may provide that the bond shall be construed as a plea of guilty by the defendant in the event of his nonappearance in court at the time his case is called, and the amount of bond shall be forfeited and applied against the forfeiture in the discretion of the court.
C.
The court in imposing the forfeiture and costs in said action shall not be limited by the deposit of the cash bond, but the defendant will be responsible for any amount by which the forfeiture costs may exceed the cash bond deposited.
The Chief of Police shall have the power to punish minor violations summarily. Any disciplinary action involving suspension or removal shall be governed by § 62.13(5), Wis. Stats.
[Added by Ord. No. 73-52; amended 11-2-2020 by Ord. No. 20-28]
The Chief of Police may establish an auxiliary police organization consisting of volunteer members residing in the City who shall assist members of the Watertown Police Department and perform services under the direction and control of the Chief of Police. Auxiliary police members shall not make arrests or carry firearms. The auxiliary police shall be compensated at a rate to be determined by the Common Council. The Chief of Police shall establish the rules and regulations of the auxiliary police.
[Added by Ord. No. 90-24]
All civilian appointments (non-sworn officers) shall be made per the personnel policies of the City.
[Added by Ord. No. 97-30; amended by Ord. No. 99-22; Ord. No. 06-11; 10-4-2016 by Ord. No. 16-18]
Pursuant to the provisions of §§ 814.70, 814.705 and 814.71, Wis. Stats., if the Police Department serves a warrant or a commitment order upon an individual, a fee for the service of said warrant shall be established by the Common Council, upon the payment of which it shall be deposited into the City's general fund.