There is hereby established within the Town of Secaucus, County
of Hudson, a Department to be known as the "Police Department of the
Town of Secaucus."
The purpose of the Police Department shall be to cause the public
order to be preserved and to protect life, liberty and property within
the limits of the Town of Secaucus by the enforcement of all laws
and ordinances relating thereto.
[Amended 4-9-85 by Ord. No. 85-10; 8-22-06 by Ord. No. 2006-18; 2-9-10 by Ord. No. 2010-6; 3-13-12
by Ord. No. 2012-3; 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28; 3-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-9]
The Police Department of the Town of Secaucus shall consist
of no more than:
A.
One Chief of Police;
B.
One Deputy Chief of Police;
C.
Three Captains;
D.
Ten Lieutenants;
E.
Fourteen Sergeants; and
F.
Fifty-five Police Officers.
|
The Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, Captains, Lieutenants,
Sergeants, and Police Officers shall be appointed to these positions
by resolution of the Mayor and Council.
|
[Added 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
All necessary orders and directives for the management and regulation
of the Police Department shall be given through the chain of command.
The chain of command shall be as follows:
[Added 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
The Mayor and Council shall annually select a three-member committee,
which shall serve as the Appropriate Authority as provided in the
New Jersey Statutes. This committee shall also serve as the Appointing
Authority as defined in N.J.A.C. 4A:1-1.3. The Appropriate Authority
shall adopt and promulgate Rules and Regulations for the government
of the Police Department and for the discipline of its members. Nothing
in this section shall prevent the Chief of Police from proposing rules
and regulations to the Appropriate Authority, which shall be considered
by the Appropriate Authority, and the Appropriate Authority may approve
or reject such proposals.
[Added 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
Each member of the Police Department shall be furnished with
a copy of the Rules and Regulations adopted by the Appropriate Authority,
which shall be binding upon the member, and any neglect or failure
to carry out the same shall be grounds for imposition of penalties
as provided in this chapter and in the Rules and Regulations. All
Rules and Regulations currently in effect as of the date of this section
shall remain in full force until amended or replaced by the Appropriate
Authority.
[Amended 12-9-03 by Ord. No. 2003-26]
The members of the Police Department shall receive such salary
as is designated in the annual Salary Ordinance[1] or such separate ordinance as is periodically ordained
in accordance and in conformance with the labor agreements as may
be in effect from time to time for the various ranks covered thereby.
[Amended 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
The Chief of Police shall be the head of the Police Department
and shall be directly responsible to the Appropriate Authority for
its efficiency and day-to-day operations. Pursuant to policies established
by the Appropriate Authority, the Chief of Police shall:
A.
Administer and enforce the rules and regulations of the Police Department
established by the Appropriate Authority and any special emergency
directives for the disposition and discipline of the Department and
its members and officers;
B.
Have, exercise, and discharge the functions, powers and duties of
the Police Department;
C.
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates and other
personnel;
D.
Delegate such authority as may be deemed necessary for the efficient
operation of the Police Department to be exercised under the Chief's
direction and supervision; and
E.
Report at least monthly to the Appropriate Authority in such form
as shall be prescribed by such authority on the operation of the force
during the preceding month, and make such other reports as may be
requested by such authority.
[Added 8-22-06 by Ord. No. 2006-18; amended 2-9-10 by Ord. No. 2010-6; 3-13-12 by Ord. No. 2012-3; 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
The Deputy Chief, as the second in command of the Police Department,
shall:
A.
Rank next below the Chief of Police and assist the Chief to perform
the duties of the Chief.
B.
During the absence of the Chief of Police, assume the duties of the
Chief of Police and, during such period, exercise the same powers,
perform the same duties, and be subject to the same rules and regulations
as the Chief of Police.
C.
Have the supervision over all members of the Department, excepting
the Chief of Police.
D.
Make such personal inspection of the Town of Secaucus and the Police
Department at such irregular and unusual hours as will be sufficient
to be thoroughly informed of all the existing conditions and to determine
whether all members of the Department are efficiently performing their
duties.
E.
Cause a daily record to be kept in Police headquarters of all the
transactions of the Department.
F.
Report to the Chief of Police, in writing, all complaints against
subordinates in the Department made by citizens or other members of
the Department.
G.
Handle the scheduling of all Department personnel and provide such
scheduling details to the Chief of Police.
H.
Hold conferences with the superior officers and such other officers
or clerks as deemed necessary and proper for the purpose of discussing
efficiency and cooperation for the mutual help and better enforcement
of the law and the prevention of crime and report the results of same
to the Chief in writing.
I.
Prepare, each September, a complete report for the Chief of Police
as to the conduct and efficiency of all subordinate members of the
Department. Said report shall include such recommendations pertaining
to changes in the personnel of the command as may be deemed advisable
to the best interests of the Department.
J.
Be responsible for the conduct and efficiency of the members of the
Police Department; for the condition and discipline of the members;
for the care and proper use of all apparatus and equipment; and for
the proper carrying out of the rules and regulations governing the
Police Department.
K.
Take the lead in establishing and maintaining helpful, cooperative
relations with civic, recreation, and business organizations, school
and court officers, recreation and other groups, police authorities
in other jurisdictions, and other interests in maintenance of law
and order.
L.
Make provision for police assistance at the time and places where
traffic is heavy.
M.
Promptly and fully investigate all violations of the rules and regulations
of the Department or any neglect of duty that might occur and shall
make a prompt and full report thereon to the Chief of Police.
N.
Report to the Chief of Police and reason rendering the Deputy Chief
unable to perform duties of Deputy Chief.
O.
Be responsible to the Appropriate Authority and comply with its Rules
and Regulations issued under N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, paragraphs (a),
(b), (c), (d) and (e) thereof.
[Added 2-9-10 by Ord. No. 2010-6; repealed 3-13-12 by Ord. No. 2012-3]
[Amended 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
All police officers of every rank shall be responsible for the
performance of all duties assigned to them, including but not limited
to the protection of life and property, enforcement of criminal and
traffic laws, prevention of crime, preservation of public peace and
the apprehension and arrest of violators of the laws or ordinances
of the Town of Secaucus. These responsibilities are to be carried
out under the direction of officers of superior rank and as prescribed
by the Rules and Regulations of the Department established by the
Appropriate Authority.
[Added 9-24-13 by Ord. No. 2013-28]
All members of the Police Department shall dress in such uniforms
and apparel as shall be prescribed by the Appropriate Authority in
the Rules and Regulations. The members shall also be issued a badge
and identification card and other supplies and equipment as may be
required by the Town. The badge, identification card, and all other
equipment shall be returned to the Town at the termination of the
appointment. Failure to wear proper uniform, badge, or other required
insignia shall result in discipline under the Rules and Regulations
of the Department established by the Appropriate Authority.
[Amended 11-13-84 by Ord. No. 84-46; 4-24-90 by Ord. No. 90-11; 5-12-09 by Ord. No. 2009-6; 2-8-11
by Ord. No. 2011-2]
A.
All applicants to the police force must:
[Amended 9-25-90 by Ord. No. 90-25; 4-27-93 by Ord. No. 93-21; 12-9-03 by Ord. No. 2003-26;
7-28-15 by Ord. No. 2015-33]
(1)
Be able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently;
(2)
Be a citizen of the United States and resident of the State of New
Jersey, unless exempted from citizenship by law;
(3)
Have distant visual acuity of 20/30 or better in each eye without
corrective lenses, or visual acuity of 20/100 or better in each eye
which has been separately corrected to 20/30 and have the ability
to properly distinguish colors;
(4)
Must be sound in body and mind, in good health, in sound physical
condition and have no physical disorders, which shall be more particularly
evaluated by the physician during the applicant's physical examination;
(5)
Must be of good moral character, and never convicted of any crimes
or other offenses involving moral turpitude;
(6)
Be no less than 21 years of age at the time of entrance examination
or over 35 years of age at the time of appointment, and meet the maximum
age requirements to satisfy the Board of Trustees of the Police and
Firemen's Retirement System of New Jersey that such person is eligible
to membership in the retirement system;
(7)
Possess a high school diploma or equivalent and earned not less than
60 credits from an accredited college or university; or, alternatively,
the prospective applicant may substitute full-time service in the
United States Military with each year of military service being the
equivalent of 30 college credits; service in a Reserve Component or
National Guard of the United States military shall be equivalent to
2.5 college credits for every month served on "active duty" status
plus .25 college credits for every full day on "drill or annual training"
status.
(8)
Possess a valid driver's license with no more than four points in
the three years previous to the date of application if a New Jersey
license, or if the applicant holds a driver's license from a different
state than New Jersey, have no more than what would be the equivalent
of violations totaling four points in the State of New Jersey, during
the three years previous to the date of application, and must have
had no conviction for driving while under the influence of drugs or
alcohol within 10 years previous to the date of the application, or
more than one such conviction at any time.
B.
All applicants for appointment shall pay a $145 fee for the competitive
testing to defray the administrative costs of such examinations.
[Amended 8-23-94 by Ord. No. 94-24; 11-7-01 by Ord. No. 2001-26; 2-8-11 by Ord. No. 2011-2; 2-27-18
by Ord. No. 2018-9]
[Added 5-12-09 by Ord. No. 2009-6; amended 2-8-11 by Ord. No. 2011-2; 2-27-18 by Ord. No. 2018-9]
A.
All initial appointments to the position of police officer shall
be made in accordance with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-123.1a.
B.
Before any person shall be appointed
as a member of the Secaucus Police Department, the Town shall classify
all duly qualified applicants for the position or positions to be
filled in the following classes:
C.
Within each classification, qualified applicants who meet the minimum scoring requirement who are veterans in accordance with the definitions set forth in N.J.S.A. 11A:5-1 shall have five additional points added to their total score and shall be ranked accordingly. Aside from the purpose of defining veteran and disabled veteran, it is not the intention of this Chapter to incorporate any other provisions of Chapter 11A, unless specifically referenced herein.
D.
The classes of duly qualified applicants defined in this section
shall be considered separate and successive lists. The Mayor and Council
shall first appoint all those in Class I, and then those in each succeeding
class in the order above listed. The Mayor and Council shall appoint
a person or persons in any such class only to a vacancy or vacancies
remaining after all qualified applicants in the preceding class or
classes have been appointed or have declined an offer of appointment.
E.
For classification in Class I as a resident of the Town of Secaucus,
an applicant must reside within the Town of Secaucus as of the announced
test application closing date for the position and maintain such residency
continuously up to and including the date of appointment. Should an
applicant in Class I discontinue their residency, said applicant will
be subject to removal from that class of the eligibility list and
shall be placed in the appropriate class in order of their respective
scores.
F.
Should an applicant in Class II or III discontinue their residency
prior to or on the date of appointment, said applicant will be subject
to removal from that class of the eligibility list and shall be placed
in the appropriate class in order of their respective scores.
