[Ord. #93-36 § 1; Ord. #98-36]
The Township hereby agrees to cooperate with all other municipalities which adopt a similar reciprocal ordinance providing for inter-municipal police assistance in times of emergency.
This inter-municipal assistance will be provided if and when the Township of Woodbridge has an emergency within its boundaries requiring additional police assistance to protect life and property, or to assist in suppressing a riot or disorder; and whenever another municipality, which has enacted a similar reciprocal ordinance, may experience a similar emergency requiring additional police assistance. Radio communications between members of this Department and the various other departments involved the mutual aid request shall operate on the designated radio frequency (or frequencies), that is available to all agencies and their members, as directed by the officer in charge, including but not limited to, the State Police Emergency Network (SPEN) Radio System and/or the use of telephones.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Woodbridge or the highest ranking officer on duty at the time, is hereby authorized to request assistance from the Chief or the highest ranking officer on duty of the Police Departments of other municipalities for inter-municipal police assistants during and/or after an emergency situation.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Woodbridge or the highest ranking officer on duty at the time, shall provide assistance to another municipality or municipalities making a valid request to supply such personnel and equipment, to the extent possible without endangering person or property within the Township of Woodbridge.
Members of the Woodbridge Police Department supplying emergency assistance to another municipality shall have the same powers and authority, as have the members of the Police Department of the municipality in which the assistance is being rendered. Additionally, the members shall also have, while so acting, the rights and immunities as they may otherwise enjoy in the performance of their normal duties within the Township of Woodbridge.
The Township of Woodbridge shall, upon providing assistance to another municipality which has enacted a similar inter-municipal assistant ordinance, assume the cost and expense of providing the personnel and equipment to the requesting municipality; excepting such instances when the requesting municipality receives State or Federal aid as reimbursement therefore. In this event, the costs incurred by the Township shall be submitted to the municipality which requested assistance, for reimbursement.
At such times that an emergency may occur and inter-municipal police aid is requested, the Chief of Police of the municipality wherein the emergency situation exists, shall be the senior ranking officer of all members of any Police Department rendering assistance within the boundaries of the municipality.
In the event any member of a police force summoned pursuant to an agreement to render assistance, suffers injury or death in the performance of his or her duties, his/her designee or legal representative shall be entitled to such salary, pension rights, workman's compensation or other benefits as would have accrued, if such injury or death had occurred in the performance of his or her normal duties.
A copy of this section shall be transmitted to the Municipal Clerk of each municipality within Union and Middlesex Counties, no later than five (5) business days followings its adoption. The Clerk of the Township of Woodbridge shall maintain a record of all such similar ordinances adopted by other municipalities.