[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Edmonston 2-10-1997 by Ord. No. 96-002 (Ch. 3, Art. III, §§ 3-17 and 3-18, of the 1997 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 138-1, Councilperson in charge; rules and regulations, was repealed 10-14-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-OR-08.
Police officers shall take appropriate action to detect and arrest violators of the law and of the ordinances of the Town; protect life and property; preserve the peace; and enforce all laws and ordinances, where applicable, within the Town.
[Added 10-14-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-OR-08]
A. 
The Chief of Police, with the approval of the Mayor, may establish a Reserve Officer Program with the Edmonston Police Department in accordance with the criteria of this section. The Chief is authorized to determine the requirements of the Program, in keeping with the terms of this section.
B. 
The purpose of the Reserve Officer Program is to provide sworn law enforcement officers to supplement the Town's force of paid full-time police officers.
C. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall be sworn as law enforcement officers with full police powers with the Town of Edmonston.
D. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall serve without compensation, remuneration or monetary benefits of any kind for their services as volunteer officers participating in the Reserve Officer Program.
E. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall have at least such training as may be required by the Maryland Police Training Commission to perform the duties of a sworn law enforcement officer.
F. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall serve at the pleasure of the Chief of Police who can hire or dismiss reserve officers at will.
G. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall be subject to a twelve-month probationary period upon initial entry into the Program. However, participants in the program shall acquire no right to continued participation in the program upon completion of the probationary period.
H. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall be subject to all laws, rules, and regulations and orders regarding the operation of the Police Department and conduct of its police officers.
I. 
Participants in the Reserve Officer Program shall be subject to discipline to the same extent and in the same manner as a full-time police officers, except that during the participant's probationary period the participant shall be subject to discipline in the same manner and to the same extent as a full-time police officer serving a probationary period. Law enforcement officer bill of rights protections do not apply.
J. 
The Chief may determine the hours of work and assign a participant in the Reserve Officer Program to such rank, duties and responsibilities in the Department as the Chief reasonably determines consistent with the qualifications and experience of the participant.
K. 
The Chief and Town Administrator shall ensure that participants in the Reserve Officer Program are covered by the same liability insurance coverage and protections as are provided from time to time for the Town's full-time paid police officers. To the extent required by law, the Chief and Town Administrator shall ensure that participants in the Reserve Officer Program are covered by the same workers' compensation insurance coverage as provided from time to time for the Town's full-time paid police officers.
L. 
Any expenses related to the Reserve Officer Program may be incurred only to the extent that funds are available for such purposes in the Police Department's annual budget.