[1972 Code § 30-1]
A Police Department shall be and the same is hereby established
in and for the Borough of Watchung under the name of Police Department
of the Borough of Watchung.
[1972 Code § 30-2; Ord. No. 06/11 § 1; Ord. No. OR: 07/25 § 1; amended 10-6-2022 by Ord. No. 22/08; 4-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23/03]
The Police Department of the Borough of Watchung shall consist of a Chief of Police, a Captain, up to three Lieutenants of Police, up to six Sergeants of Police, up to 22 Police Officers, and such other employees as may, from time to time, be deemed necessary by the Governing Body to properly preserve the peace and good order within the Borough. The Chief of Police may, in his discretion, subject to review by the Police Committee, organize the Police Department into such divisions or bureaus as are necessary. Immediately subordinate to the Chief of Police in the line of authority is the Captain, who shall perform such duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Chief through the chain of command. Determination of the appointment of the Chief of Police, the Captain, the Lieutenants, Sergeants and Police Officers shall be based upon the recommendations of the Police Committee to the Mayor and the appointments then made as hereinafter provided. There shall also be persons designed as Police Aides who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Borough Police Department to the extent specified in the Personnel Policy of the Borough of Watchung as established pursuant to Chapter 5 of this Code. All secretarial and clerical help shall not be considered members of the Watchung Police Department, but rather employees of the Borough of Watchung assigned for such duties to the Police Department by the Governing Body.
[1972 Code § 30-3]
All appointments to and promotions within the Department shall
be made only with special reference to the fitness of the person for
the position to which he seeks to be appointed or promoted.
[Ord. No. 96/17 § 12; Ord. No. 06/11 § 2]
There is hereby created a Police Committee, which shall consist
of three members of the Borough Council who shall be appointed by
the Mayor. One of the three appointees selected shall be designated
by the Mayor as the Chair of the Police Committee. The Police Department
shall be under the general supervision of the Mayor and Council through
the Police Committee Chair, herein designated as the appropriate authority
required by N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118.
[1972 Code § 30-5]
The Police Chief shall report to the Chair of the Police Committee,
or other executive officer acting in his place, both of whom shall
be designated by the Mayor.
[1972 Code § 30-6; Ord. No. 06/11 § 3]
It shall be the duty of the Police Committee Chair to recommend
for approval to the Borough Council rules and regulations governing
the conduct of the Police Department and the members thereof; providing,
however, that such rules and regulations shall not be contrary to
the provisions of this chapter.
[1972 Code § 30-8; Ord. No. 06/11 § 3]
The Police Committee Chair may give direction and instructions
to the Chief of Police and, through the Chief, to all members of the
force in the name of the Committee Chair, and all such directions
and instructions shall be recognized and followed by the Chief of
Police and other members of the Police Department.
[1972 Code § 30-9; Ord. No. 06/11 § 3]
The Police Committee Chair shall submit to the Mayor its recommendations
for the appointment of all members and officers to the Police Department.
Appointment shall be made by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by
a majority of members of the Borough Council present and voting at
any meeting.
[1972 Code § 30-10]
Each member of the Police Department of the Borough of Watchung
shall be a citizen of the United States, sound in body, in good health,
able to read, write and speak the English language intelligently and
be of good moral character. No person shall be appointed who has been
convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude, which in the judgment
of the Borough Council should be prejudicial to the morals of the
Department. No person shall be appointed a member of the Police Department
who is less than 21 or more than 35 years of age. All persons appointed
to the position of police officer in the Borough of Watchung shall
be residents of the State of New Jersey.
[Ord. No. 96/17 § 13]
The Chief of the Police Department shall be the head of the
Department.
[Ord. No. 96/17 § 14]
The Chief of Police shall report, in writing, to the Mayor and
Council at its first regular meeting each month on all law enforcement
matters pertaining to the Department, giving a complete record of
all arrests and complaints, together with the dispositions of the
same, and such recommendations as, in his opinion, will increase the
efficiency of the Department. The Chief of Police shall report to
the Borough Administrator on all matters otherwise required to be
reported upon by a department head, including all policy, personnel
and budgetary matters, unless otherwise provided under the provisions
of the PBA contract or by law, and all liability claims for personal
or property damage, actual or potential, or acts that may give rise
to such claims.
[Ord. No. 96/21 § I]
Members of the Police Department shall be permitted to accept
employment as safety or security personnel for private employers only
during off-duty hours and at such times as will not interfere with
the efficient performance of regularly scheduled or emergency duty
for the Borough. The Borough's need for said police officer shall
always take priority over scheduled off-duty work for a private employer.
[Ord. No. 96/21 § I]
Private employers shall pay to the Borough of Watchung, prior
to the commencement of service pursuant to the executed Agreement
between the private employers and the Borough, such hourly rates as
set forth by resolution by the Borough Council. The Borough shall
remit to the member of the Police Department performing such private
service, a portion of said hourly rate and the balance shall be retained
by the Borough for administrative expenses all as established by resolution
of the Borough Council.
[Ord. No. 96/21 § I]
Any person or entity wishing to employ a member of the Police
Department for private service shall first obtain the approval of
the Chief of Police or his designee, which approval shall be granted
if, in the opinion of the Chief of Police or his designee, such employment
would not be inconsistent with the efficient functioning and good
reputation of the Police Department and would not unreasonably endanger
or threaten the safety of the officer or officers which perform the
work. After approval has been obtained the person or entity shall
enter into a written agreement with the Borough which is acceptable
to the Mayor and Council.
The private contractor shall supply a Certificate of Insurance
issued by an insurance company acceptable to the Mayor and Council,
disclosing a minimum of one million ($1,000,000.00) dollars in both
personal liability and comprehensive general liability coverages,
and $300,000 in property damage covering the Borough and the off-duty
police officer, and which coverage shall be broad enough in scope
to cover the activities to be undertaken by the off-duty police officer.
The Police Chief shall estimate the number of hours anticipated
to be worked and issue an invoice to the private employer. For longer
term assignments, the Police Chief shall estimate the number of hours
anticipated on a monthly basis. Payment for the estimated work shall
be paid to the Borough prior to the commencement of private services.
If additional work time is required due to unanticipated circumstances,
and such work is approved by the Police Chief, the private contractor
shall be liable for payment to the Borough for all such additional
hours worked. An invoice for any balance due will be issued by the
Borough and payment must be made by the private contractor within
five days of receipt of the invoice.
[1972 Code § 30-13]
a.
No person shall be suspended, removed, fined or reduced from office
or employment in the Police Department except for just cause, and
then only after written charge or charges of the cause or causes of
complaint shall have been preferred against such officer or employee
of the Department, signed by the person or persons making such charges
and filed with the Police Board and a copy thereof served upon such
person within 10 days of the filing thereof, and after the charge
or charges shall have been publicly examined by the Mayor and Council
upon reasonable notice to the person served, which examination shall
be commenced not less than 15 days nor more than 30 days after said
copy of said charge or charges shall have been so served.
b.
Provided, however, where the charge preferred pertains to violation
of the rules and regulations of the Department and does not involve
moral turpitude, the Chief of Police or, in his absence, the officer
designated to act in his place, shall have the authority to impose
a penalty of suspension without pay, which suspension shall not exceed
five days. Said suspension shall not take effect until 48 hours have
elapsed from receipt of notice of suspension, which notice shall be
in writing. Any member of the Police Department receiving notice of
suspension who desires to appeal shall, within said 48 hour period
after receipt of notice, file with the Police Board of the Borough
of Watchung a written notice of appeal and the proposed suspension
shall then be held in abeyance pending a final determination after
a hearing before the Police Board.
[1972 Code § 30-14]
Any member of the Department may be relieved from duty, pending
trial or hearing, by the Chief of Police or by the Police Board whenever
it shall consider such action to be necessary. Upon being relieved,
a member of the Department shall promptly surrender all property of
the Department which may be in his possession, which articles shall
be retained by the Chief of Police and returned to such member upon
his relief from suspension or restoration to duty. During the period
of such relief from duty, the relieved member shall not wear the police
uniform.
[1972 Code § 30-16]
Upon appointment, a trainee police officer shall receive a salary
as periodically determined by the Mayor and Council and shall attend
a police academy certified by the New Jersey State Police Training
Commission. Upon satisfactorily completing the training program, a
trainee police officer shall begin the required one year of probation
at a salary as set forth in any collective bargaining agreement.
