a. 
There is hereby established in the Township of Roxbury a police department, the head of which shall be the chief of police.
b. 
The township manager shall serve as the appropriate authority, as the same is defined in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, to whom the police chief shall be directly responsible for the efficiency and routine day-to-day operations of the police department.
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, the police force shall be organized, constituted, and administered as heretofore established by ordinance, to the extent that any such ordinance is not inconsistent with the charter, this code and general law. The department shall have all the functions, powers, duties and responsibilities prescribed by law for a municipal police department generally and by any provision of the charter and ordinance relating to the township police department, chief of police, and the officers and men of the department.
[Amended 3-28-2023 by Ord. No. 03-23]
a. 
The Roxbury Township Police Department shall consist of a Chief of Police, not more than two Captains, not more than four Lieutenants, at least three, but not more than eight Sergeants, and forty Patrolmen (including Probationary Officers).
b. 
In addition, the police department shall have the following temporary/part-time employees:
1. 
Not more than five police matrons;
2. 
Not more than 15 school crossing guards; and
As used in this section:
a. 
"Superior officers" shall mean and include the members of the police department above the rank of police officer.
b. 
"Police officer" shall mean and include any duly appointed member of the police department below the rank of sergeant.
c. 
"Force" shall mean and include, collectively, all active members of the police department.
d. 
"Police chief" shall mean the duly appointed chief of police, or his authorized alternate.
The members of the police department shall be appointed and designated by the township manager and shall receive such salaries as may be provided by ordinance.
The members of the township police department, as presently constituted, are hereby continued in their respective offices or position; and, the salaries established by the salary ordinance now in effect shall prevail; and, nothing contained in this section shall be considered as affecting the status, rank, tenure or any rights heretofore acquired by any member of the existing department.
The police department shall be comprised of the divisions and/or bureaus as authorized and approved by the township manager and as established in the Roxbury Township Police Department Rules and Regulations/ Policies and Procedures, Volume II, Chapter 1 Organization and Structure. The manpower assigned to each division/bureau shall be determined by the chief of police, under the supervision of the township manager. Individual members of the police department may be assigned to and reassigned to and from each division/bureau by the chief of police as may be necessary for the efficient operation of the division/bureau and in accordance with the job title of the affected member.
Assignment to and reassignment from a division/bureau shall in no way affect the existing status, title, seniority and rights of such members of the police department as may be so assigned or reassigned. Neither shall the creation of a division and the assignment of members of the police department thereto constitute the creation of a new office or rank within the police department.
a. 
There is hereby established within the police department a division which shall be known as the patrol division.
b. 
The patrol division shall be responsible for daily patrol of the entire community, enforcing the ordinances of the township and laws of the State of New Jersey, providing assistance to the residents of the community as necessary, reporting and taking necessary corrective action for all hazardous conditions, and performing those other duties as established in the Police Duty Manual.
a. 
There is hereby established within the township police department a bureau which shall be known as the traffic bureau.
b. 
This bureau shall supplement the operation of the patrol division as it relates to traffic enforcement and shall perform non-traffic duties as necessary.
c. 
The traffic bureau's basic function is traffic safety and the application of techniques toward a goal of traffic safety; the enforcement of those moving and parking violations that are causative factors of traffic accidents; the decreasing of the number of serious traffic accidents and of driver improvement, thus increasing the overall efficiency of the police department.
d. 
The operations of the traffic bureau shall consist of:
1. 
Patrolling areas of high accident rate being particularly alert for the violations involving moving vehicles that will cause unsafe conditions.
2. 
Operating radar or other approved surveillance equipment on the township roadways, as well as on county and State highways.
3. 
Making recommendations for changes or improvements in existing conditions relative to traffic safety.
4. 
Reporting those intersections where the presence of brush obstructs the view of the driver and creates a hazardous condition.
5. 
Performing a full and thorough investigation of fatal accidents as well as of serious motor vehicle accidents.
6. 
Special assignments which may consist of but shall not be limited to:
(a) 
Bicycle safety programs.
(b) 
Traffic surveys of township roadways.
(c) 
Meeting with any civic organizations as approved by the chief of police.
(d) 
Survey of construction sites and detours.
(e) 
Survey of street lighting requests.
a. 
There is hereby established within the police department of the township a division which shall be known as the detective division.
b. 
The detective division shall be in charge of all investigative activities of the police department.
c. 
The detective division shall be under the direct working supervision of a superior officer, assigned to said division, who shall supervise and direct the activities of the division and who shall have the command and control of other members of the department assigned thereto, subject to the direction of the chief of police.
d. 
The detective division shall keep accurate and complete records of each day's business and shall submit promptly all records in any and every case assigned to them. No official records or photographs shall be removed from the files of the detective division or destroyed, unless such removal or destruction is made in the manner prescribed by law. The officer in charge of the detective division shall be personally responsible for the safekeeping of all records.
e. 
No member of the police department shall be permitted to have access to or to search any of the files of the detective division, except the chief of police and the officers assigned to the division, Information or data on file in the detective division shall be obtained only through the chief of police, or the officer in charge of said division or, by his direction, from members assigned thereto.
f. 
Members of the police department assigned to duties in the detective division shall be furnished with badges, cards or other means of identification. Such badges and other means of identification shall be turned over to the chief of police by any member assigned to the detective division when reassigned to other duties or when leaving the department.
g. 
A member of the detective division shall be designated by the chief of police to serve as custodian of all evidence and property under the jurisdiction of the police department.
a. 
There is hereby established within the police department of the township a division which shall be known as the records division.
b. 
The records division shall be responsible for maintaining the official files of the department, performing clerical services required within the department, issuing copies of reports to the public in the manner prescribed by law, and performing other administrative services as directed by the chief of police.
Former § 19-7.6, Communications Division, previously codified herein was repealed in its entirety by 3-28-2023 by Ord. No. 03-23.
a. 
There is hereby established within the township police department a bureau which shall be known as the crime prevention bureau. This bureau shall supplement the operation of the patrol division as it relates to crime prevention and shall perform patrol duties as necessary.
b. 
The crime prevention bureau's basic functions shall include surveying private residences and businesses to discover safety hazards and to make recommendations for burglary and theft protection; responding to requests for public information on crime prevention; monitoring the operation of the fire and burglar alarms in use in the township; maintaining accurate records of emergency business addresses and telephone numbers; and other administrative and related duties as directed by the chief of police.
The manager may appoint any number of special police which may be authorized by the council, provided that such appointees comply with the requirements of ordinances relating to the township police department and general law and are recommended for appointment by the chief of police.
a. 
Special police shall not be members of the police force, and their powers, rights and duties shall immediately cease at the expiration of the term for which they were appointed, or upon revocation of their appointment. They shall be furnished with a badge which shall be returned upon expiration of the appointment. A fee to be fixed by the township manager may be charged for issuing to any such officer a certificate of appointment.
b. 
No person shall be appointed as such a special policeman unless he is a citizen of the United States, able to read and write and speak the English language, is physically qualified and of good moral character, and shall not have been convicted of any indictable offense. No such special policeman shall carry a revolver or other weapon when off duty. Every such special policeman shall be fingerprinted and his fingerprints shall be filed with the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
c. 
Every such special policeman shall be under the supervision and direction of the chief of police.
d. 
Every such special policeman shall perform his duties only in the Township of Roxbury except when in fresh pursuit of any person pursuant to the provisions of State Statutes.
e. 
Every such special policeman shall comply with the regular rules and regulations promulgated by the chief of police for the conduct and decorum of the regular members of the township police department.
f. 
Before any such appointment is made, the chief of police shall ascertain whether the applicant for the appointment is eligible and qualified, as provided herein, and a report thereon shall be made to the township manager.
g. 
When so required, special policemen may perform general police duty during emergency conditions when, in the judgment of the chief of police, with the concurrence of the township manager, the services of such persons shall be required.
h. 
Prior to appointment as a special police officer an applicant must present evidence of medical and psychological fitness for duty by a physician approved by the township. The township shall reimburse the applicant for these costs after the successful completion of one year of active duty.
i. 
All applicants shall have successfully completed the basic Special Police Officer's School approved by the Roxbury Township Manager prior to performing any assignments.
The township manager may appoint police matrons who shall perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the chief of police. Any such appointment shall be for a term not exceeding one year and may be revoked without cause or hearing.
The township manager may appoint school guards upon recommendation of the chief of police. The powers and duties of school guards shall be limited to the protection of children while on public thoroughfares in the township in connection with their attendance at the several schools in the township, and to the direction and regulations of pedestrian and vehicular traffic at the various street intersections and crossings where they may be stationed.
While on active duty, school guards shall be under the jurisdiction of and subject to the orders of the chief of police.
No person who shall serve as special policeman, matron or school guard, or who shall perform any duties of a police nature other than as a probationary patrolman, prior to appointment as a regular member of the township police department, shall be entitled to credit for any such prior periods of duty, or services rendered, either with or without pay on account of any required tenure or promotion record in the police department; provided, however, that persons permanently appointed to the department who shall have served as probationary policemen shall be entitled to credit for service during their probationary periods, as hereinafter set forth.
[Amended 11-12-2019 by Ord. No. 16-19]
a. 
No person shall be appointed a member of the Police Department unless the person:
1. 
Is a citizen of the United States;
2. 
Is sound in body and of good health sufficient to satisfy the Board of Trustees of the Police and Fireman's Retirement System of New Jersey as to his or her eligibility for membership in the retirement system;
3. 
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently;
4. 
Is of good moral character and has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude;
5. 
Is a resident of the State of New Jersey at the time of appointment;
6. 
Has completed and filed with the Township a written application, under oath, on a form to be furnished by the Township;
7. 
Has a valid New Jersey driver's license prior to the date of appointment;
8. 
Has earned at least a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university; or has a minimum of 60 credits from an accredited college or university and two years' satisfactory full-time employment; or has received an honorable discharge from any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States or United States Coast Guard after serving a minimum of three years.
9. 
Has successfully passed a medical and psychological examination;
10. 
Has successfully passed a physical agility test; and
11. 
Has satisfactorily passed a oral examination as provided in Subsection 19-9.4.
b. 
Each applicant shall submit an application fee of $25 to the Township along with his/her application for membership in the Police Department.
Every applicant for appointment to or member considered for promotion within the police department of the township shall, within two weeks prior to the appointment, submit to a thorough physical examination by a physician approved by the township manager, who shall certify that the applicant is in good health, sound body and mind, emotionally stable and able to perform the duties required of him. All new appointments shall also submit to a psychological examination to prove his emotional stability to properly perform the duties required of him.
In his report, the physician shall set forth in writing in detail any physical injuries, congenital defects, organic or functional disturbances or other matters ascertained by or made known to him which might, in the opinion of the physician, impair the usefulness of the applicant or cause him to become disabled subsequent to his appointment or promotion.
Every person appointed to the police department shall, as a prerequisite to becoming a member thereof and before entering upon his duties as such, take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation as may be required and prescribed by the laws of the State of New Jersey.
[Amended 11-12-2019 by Ord. No. 16-19]
a. 
Every applicant for appointment to the Township Police Department shall submit to an examination in order to ascertain his mental qualifications, his educational background and the extent of his general knowledge and aptitude, and furnish character references from three reputable citizens.
b. 
Oral examinations covering each candidate's general knowledge and aptitude shall be conducted by a personnel consultant with established qualifications to conduct said examinations or by a panel of superior officers of the Department.
c. 
Candidates must have attained a passing grade in their oral and physical examinations for appointment as probationary patrolmen.
d. 
New applicants who have performed military service shall furnish photocopies of military service history and service discharge or certificate of service for permanent filing with the Police Department.
e. 
All newly appointed candidates shall be classified as probationary patrolmen.
a. 
Every applicant for membership in the township police department shall be employed for a period of one year on a probationary basis prior to permanent appointment as a patrolman, in order that his qualifications and fitness for the duties which he is to perform may be observed and determined.
b. 
During such probationary period such applicants shall be known as probationary policemen, and they may be discharged prior to or at the termination of said probationary period at the pleasure of the township manager.
c. 
No person shall hereafter be given or accept a permanent appointment as a police officer in the township unless such person has successfully completed a police training course at a school approved and authorized by the Police Training Commission in the Department of Law and Public Safety by the State of New Jersey pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 56 of the Laws of 1961.
d. 
This section shall not prohibit the giving or accepting of a probationary appointment as a police officer for a period not to exceed one year, to enable a person seeking a permanent appointment to complete a police training course as prescribed by the Police Training Commission.
e. 
No person shall be permitted to take a police training course unless he holds a probationary appointment as a police officer in the township, and such appointee shall be entitled to a leave of absence with pay during the period of the police training course.
f. 
Until such applicant is permanently appointed to the department, or rejected, the township manager may continue to employ him for a further probationary period, not to exceed six months.
g. 
Upon permanent appointment to the department, all time served by any member during such probationary period shall be considered as service with the department and shall be applied toward any required tenure and promotion period.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former section 19-11, Promotions was amended in its entirety by Ordinance No. 12-03. Prior ordinance history includes portions of Ordinance Nos. 11-82, 31-90, 3-91, 14-97 and 22-99.
Promotion denotes vertical movement in the organization hierarchy from one rank classification to another. The validity of the promotional process can only be accomplished through clear and concise procedures. The promotional process for the police department shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures and requirements approved by the township manager and established in the Roxbury Township Police Department Rules and Regulations/Policies and Procedures, Volume I, Chapter 5, Promotional Process.
The Township Manager shall adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper government of the Police Department and for the discipline of its members. Such rules and regulations shall be administered and enforced by the Chief of Police.
The duties and responsibilities of the members of the police department shall be those set forth by law, and as prescribed in the Roxbury Township Police Department Rules and Regulations as adopted and promulgated by the Township Manager.
When any member of the township police department who has entered or hereafter shall enter the active military service of the United States, or of this State, in time of war or an emergency, or for or during any period of training, or pursuant to or in connection with the operation of any system of Selective Service, or who has entered or hereafter in time of war shall enter the active service of the United States Merchant Marine or any similar organization authorized by the United States to serve with the army or navy, he shall be granted leave of absence for the period of such service and for a further period of three months after receiving his discharge from such service. If any such person shall be incapacitated by wound or sickness at the time of his discharge from such service, his leave of absence shall be extended until three months after his recovery from such wound or sickness, or until the expiration of two years from the date of his discharge from such service, whichever shall first occur.
In no case shall such person be discharged or separated from his office, position or employment during such period of leave of absence because of his entry into such service. During the period of such leave of absence such person shall be entitled to all the rights, privileges and benefits that he would have had or acquired if he had actually served in such office, position or employment during such period of leave of absence, except unless otherwise provided by law, the right to compensation. Such leave of absence may be granted with or without pay as provided by law. Such person shall be entitled to resume the office, position or employment held by him at the time of his entrance into such service, provided he shall apply therefor before the expiration of his leave of absence. Upon resumption of his office, position or employment, the service in such office, position or employment of the person temporarily filling the same shall immediately cease.
No person who, after entry into such service, shall have been separated from such service by a discharge of lesser degree than full honorable discharge shall be entitled to any of the rights, privileges or benefits herein conferred.
If any person shall be appointed a member of the police department of the township to fill a vacancy created by this section, the township manager shall certify how such vacancy occurs or exists, and the name of the person, if any, who held such office or position immediately prior to the vacancy.
When any member of the police department of the township is granted a military leave of absence or pursuant to any law granting leave of absence to persons entering the military or naval forces of the United States, or of this State, the township manager may appoint a person to serve in the place of the person who has been granted such leave of absence and during the continuance thereof. Such appointment shall constitute a temporary appointment only, and such temporarily appointed person shall have no obligation to contribute to any pension fund and shall acquire no pension or tenure rights.
Such temporary appointment shall terminate upon the expiration of the leave of absence granted to the appointee's predecessor in office, or upon official notification of the permanent incapacity or death of such predecessor. It may be terminated sooner if such appointment is found to be no longer necessary or in the interest of economy.
Such temporary appointment shall meet all of the requirements for a normal appointment to the department.
Any person who has been, or shall be, appointed a member of the police department of the township while serving in the military or naval service of the United States in time of war, and who has been, or shall be, delayed in qualifying and becoming a member of such police department as a result of such service, and who has qualified and become a member of such police department or who shall qualify and become a member of such police department within six months after being honorably discharged or released from such service, shall be considered, for the purpose of determining his years of service, rank and grade, increase in pay, or any other rights or benefits as having qualified and to have become a member of such department, as of the date of his appointment, notwithstanding the requirements of any other law concerning the appointment of members to such police department.
When an award shall be made to a member of the township police department by a duly constituted governmental or voluntary agency for heroic or meritorious service, a record shall be made and kept of such award by the chief of police or other person in command of the department and such record shall constitute a part of the service record of such recipient.
[Ord. #11-82; Ord. #21-95, S1; Ord. #4-98, S1; Ord. #32-98, S1; Ord. #4-01, S1; Ord. No. 06-2014; amended 12-13-2017 by Ord. No. 24-17; 2-13-2024 by Ord. No. 03-24]
Any request for police attendance for private purposes outside the regular duty assignments of police officers, such as the use of uniformed police officers for traffic control, crowd control, security, and the like police services, at privately sponsored gatherings, events, or other special private appropriate occurrences, shall be made to the Chief of Police.
The Chief of Police, at his discretion, may assign members of the Police Department not on regular duty to perform services described in the preceding paragraph for private purposes. While on said duty, the members of the Department so assigned shall be under the supervision and control of the Chief of Police and superior officers of the Department and shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter.
The Township of Roxbury shall be paid the sum of $115 per hour for each officer assigned to private duty by the private party making the request, which includes an administrative charge of $25 per hour for vehicle use and the processing of funds, maintenance of accounts, issuance of checks, payment of taxes, insurance and other administrative costs paid by the municipality.
If the Township chooses to use a third-party vender to administer all, or a portion of the scheduling of off-duty employment, the amount billed to the Township by the third-party vender for performing said services shall be separately assessed to the party requesting services.
The Township of Roxbury shall be paid the sum of $85 per hour for each officer assigned to a Roxbury School event paid for by the Roxbury Township Board of Education. There shall be no additional assessment paid to the Township for this service.
The Township Manager is authorized to establish the appropriate procedure for payment and collection of these fees.
[Amended 12-13-2017 by Ord. No. 24-17; 2-13-2024 by Ord. No. 03-24]
The chief of police, whenever in his opinion the public service so requires, may detail any of the members of the department to any special or particular duty connected with the police service of the Township, and for such purpose may send any member or members outside of the Township limits together with any police car or equipment required in the performance of such special or particular police service. For services provided in other municipalities that are paid at fixed rates that are less than those provided for non-Board of Education Private Events in Subsection 19-17.3, the Township of Roxbury shall charge and collect an administrative charge of $25 per hour for vehicle use and the processing of funds, maintenance of accounts, issuance of checks, payment of taxes, insurance and other administrative costs paid by the municipality. Any payment to a Township of Roxbury police officer or patrolman shall reflect the administrative charge adjustment to any rate so paid.