[1]
Editor's Note: See Section 2-58 for Board of Police Commissioners.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 1; Ord. No. 13-17]
There is created and established in and for the Borough of Tenafly a Police Force which shall consist of the following ranking: Chief of Police, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Officer, and Civilian Employee, as shall be deemed necessary by the Mayor and Borough Council which shall, from time to time, determine the number of persons to be appointed to these positions together with their compensation.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 2]
The Police Force shall be responsible for the proper and efficient conduct of all police and public safety functions of the Borough. The force shall preserve the public peace, protect life and property, and enforce within the Borough all applicable laws and ordinances pertaining to police matters. The force shall provide such police assistance as may be necessary to any Borough Department for its proper functioning.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 3]
The Police Force shall have such powers and duties as prescribed in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 et seq.; and the following powers and duties not inconsistent with law:
a. 
Administer and enforce laws and ordinances to regulate, direct, control and restrict the movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and the use of streets by vehicles and persons, and to make rules and regulations not inconsistent with the ordinances and general law for such purpose.
b. 
Remove all nuisances in the public streets, parks and other public places; inspect and observe all places of public amusement or assemblage; and all places of business requiring State or Municipal licenses or permits.
c. 
Preservation of the public peace and the prevention of crime and the detection and arrest of offenders against the penal laws and ordinances effective within the Borough.
d. 
The operation of a training program to maintain and improve the efficiency of members of the department.
e. 
Provide proper police attendance and protection at fires.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 4]
The Chief of Police shall be the head of the Police Force and shall organize and administer the work of the Police Department through divisions and bureaus. The Chief shall be directly responsible to the Appropriate Authority for the efficiency and routine day-to-day operations thereof and, pursuant to policies established by the Appropriate Authority, the Chief shall:
a. 
Administer and enforce rules and regulations and special emergency directives for the disposition and discipline of the Police Force and its officers and personnel;
b. 
Have, exercise, discharge the functions, powers and duties of the Police Force;
c. 
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates and other personnel;
d. 
Delegate such of his authority as he may deem necessary for the efficient operation of the Police Force to be exercised under his 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 Police Force during the preceding month, and make such other reports as may be requested by such Authority.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 5; Ord. No. 14-03]
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118, the Borough Administrator is hereby designated as the appropriate authority.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 6]
Subject to the approval of the Borough Administrator, the Chief of Police shall promulgate and, from time to time, revise and enforce a manual of department rules and regulations, practices and procedures, and discipline for the better administration of the work of the department, a copy of which shall be filed with the Borough Clerk.
[Ord. No. 00-13 § 7]
No permanent member or officer of the Police Department shall be removed from his office, employment or position for any cause other than incapacity, misconduct, or disobedience of the rules and regulations established for the government of the department, nor shall such member or officer be suspended, removed, fined or reduced in rank except for just cause and then only upon a written complaint setting forth the charge or charges against such member or officer. The Borough Administrator shall hear and determine any charge or charges filed against a member of the department pursuant to law.
[Ord. No. 2014-20; Ord. No. 2015-03; Ord. No. 2017-11]
a. 
Purpose. Police Officers of the Borough of Tenafly may perform work within the Borough of Tenafly for private entities, persons, public utilities, not-for-profit entities, or the Tenafly Board of Education (hereinafter "contractors") during their off-duty hours with the approval of and provided the Chief of Police or his/her designee determines that there are sufficient police personnel available, that the outside employment assignment will not interfere with the needs of the Borough, and that sufficient funds have been deposited into the escrow account established by the Borough's Chief Financial Officer to cover the anticipated costs of such off-duty assignments.
b. 
Compensation. Police Officers employed to render services to contractors under this subsection shall be compensated at the applicable rate set forth below and shall be treated as employees of the Borough; provided, however, that the wages earned for such outside employment shall not be applied toward the pension benefits of the Police Officers so employed.
c. 
Application/escrow requirement. The Borough has established an escrow account dedicated to the payment of off-duty Police Officers for outside employment by a contractor. Any prospective contractor must apply to the Chief of Police or his/her designee, requesting off-duty police services. The written application shall include the following information:
1. 
The dates that off-duty police services and police vehicle(s) will be needed;
2. 
An estimate of the number of hours the contractor anticipates using the off-duty Police Officer(s) and, if appropriate, police vehicles;
3. 
A check to cover the cost of off-duty police services and use of any Borough vehicles based on the estimated number of hours shall be submitted before the start of off-duty employment in accordance with state and Division of Local Government services regulations.
d. 
Application timing. Except in the case of an emergency situation where an application for off-duty police services cannot be made prior to the date such services are needed, all applications for such services shall comply with the following:
1. 
Applications requesting services for a period of one week or longer shall be made at least seven days before such services are required.
2. 
Applications requesting the services for a period of less than one week shall be made as soon as practicable, but in no event less than 24 hours before such services are required, except in emergency situations.
e. 
Emergency situations. In event of an emergency situation, where the application for off-duty police services cannot be made prior to the date such service is required, the contractor's request may be granted or denied in the sole discretion of the Chief of Police or his/her designee. "Emergency situation" shall mean any construction, maintenance or repair required to be performed as a result of an unforeseen event or act of God, whereby the contractor had no prior notice of the condition, and off-duty police services are required for the public safety and welfare. If the application is approved, payment for such service must be made to the Borough within 24 hours after the emergency situation has been resolved or concluded.
f. 
Frequent/continuous requests. Contractors who frequently or who continuously request off-duty police service, or who anticipate a need for periodic or long-term off-duty police services, may request to deposit monies with the Borough on an ongoing basis to be depleted as such work is performed. Funds on deposit shall not earn interest.
g. 
Escrow depletion. If the contractor's needs exceed the estimated sum in the escrow account, the Chief of Police, or his/her designee, shall immediately notify the contractor that the funds in the escrow account are insufficient to pay for continued off-duty police services. The contractor shall then either replenish the escrow account with a check sufficient to pay for continued services or the Chief of Police shall immediately terminate provision of the off-duty police services to the contractor.
h. 
Escrow surplus. If the contractor's estimated costs exceed the actual costs incurred, then the Borough shall, upon proper notice to the Borough Chief Financial Officer, refund the remainder of the escrow account.
i. 
Applicable rates. Rates of contracting for the services of off-duty police officers, administrative fees, and police vehicle charges are established as follows:
1. 
For services to the Tenafly Board of Education:
$85 per hour, per law enforcement officer (3 hours minimum per day), except for wrestling and girls' soccer events, for which the rate is a flat fee of $200 per law enforcement officer; to take effect as of the 2018-2019 school year.
No administrative fee is to be charged.
2. 
For services to not-for-profit organizations:
$60 per hour, per law enforcement officer (7 hours minimum per day), for any assignment continuing for five or more days during a single week;
$95 per hour, per law enforcement officer (4 hours minimum per day); should an officer work from between four hours to eight hours, the contractor will be billed for eight hours of work. For an officer working more than eight hours, the contractor will be billed hourly, rounded up to the nearest hour.
No administrative fee is to be charged.
3. 
For all public and private utilities:
$95 per hour, per law enforcement officer (4 hours minimum per day); should an officer work from between four hours to eight hours, the contractor will be billed for eight hours of work. For an officer working more than eight hours, the contractor will be billed hourly, rounded up to the nearest hour.
Plus $5 administrative charge per hour, per law enforcement officer.
4. 
For all other entities and persons:
$95 per hour, per law enforcement officer (4 hours minimum per day); should an officer work from between four hours to eight hours, the contractor will be billed for eight hours of work. For an officer working more than eight hours, the contractor will be billed hourly, rounded up to the nearest hour.
Plus $5 administrative charge per hour, per law enforcement officer.
j. 
Traffic control devices. The contractor shall be responsible for providing adequate traffic control devices (signs, cones, etc.) in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (work zone safety). Failure to provide adequate traffic control devices will result in cancellation of the off-duty services.
k. 
Use of police vehicles. When a Borough police vehicle is available and being utilized as an active traffic control device, the fee charged for such use is a flat fee of $125 per day or any portion thereof. The Tenafly Board of Education and not-for-profit organizations located in the Borough of Tenafly are exempt from the fee charged for use of police vehicles.
[Amended 4-9-2019 by Ord. No. 19-06]
l. 
Exemption from escrow requirement. The Tenafly Board of Education and all public and private utilities under the jurisdiction of and regulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities are exempt from the provisions set forth in this subsection 2-45.8 requiring advance payment to the escrow account; providing, however, that there are no amounts previously due that are outstanding for a period in excess of 30 days. Any such delinquent balances shall require advance payment of the amount outstanding prior to any officer engaging in any further off-duty assignments.
m. 
Indemnification/insurance. The contractor shall hold the Borough harmless from any and all claims that may arise as the result of activities or actions of the off-duty Police Officers hired pursuant to this subsection. Prior to commencement of any work by the off-duty Police Officer(s), the contractor shall provide the Police Chief or his/her designee, with a certificate of insurance from an insurance company authorized to conduct business within the State of New Jersey evidencing not less than a minimum of $1,000,000 in comprehensive general liability, including personal injury, and $300,000 in property damage, which coverage shall be maintained while any off-duty Police Officer of the Borough of Tenafly is rendering services under this subsection.
n. 
Cancellations. In the event that the contractor requesting the services of the off-duty Police Officer(s) fails to contact the Tenafly Police Department at least two hours prior to the scheduled start time to cancel the detail, the Borough shall be entitled to be paid for a minimum of four hours at the applicable hourly rate set forth above.
o. 
Public emergencies. The Chief of Police or his/her designee shall have the authority to order any Police Officer engaged in off-duty assignments within the Borough to respond to a public emergency within the Borough of Tenafly. In any such situation where an off-duty Police Officer is called from off-duty work to respond to a public emergency, responsibility for the Officer's hourly rate and administrative fee shall not continue to accrue to the contractor until such time as said Police Officer resumes work with the contractor.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 1; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
There is hereby established in the Borough a Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The Volunteer Ambulance Corps shall consist of the qualified members in good standing of the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Association, Inc. The Corps shall be considered as a separate division of the Borough government and shall be under the supervision of the Police Commission.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 2]
This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Ambulance Corps Ordinance" of Tenafly.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 2; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
As used in this section:
COMMISSIONERS
Shall mean the Police Commissioners of the Borough of Tenafly.
CORPS
Shall mean the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
MEMBERS
Shall mean the members of the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 3; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
The purpose of the Corps is to provide emergency medical services and transportation for sick and injured persons in the community without regard to race, religion, ethnic origin, nationality, age, disease or ability, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or social or economic standing. Further, it shall concern itself with promotion within the community at large, of safety in all areas and encouragement of first aid training. Finally, the Corps shall assist other agencies in the community and participate in such other projects as are appropriate to its area of activity and are legally permissible and as may be requested by the Borough.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 4; Ord. No. 09-16 § 1; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
The members of the Corps shall promulgate and may amend and supplement By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, which shall provide for the administration and operation of the Corps, and prescribe the duties and rules of conduct of the members thereof, and shall contain such other matters as are necessary for the proper functioning of the Corps. Any alterations to the By-Laws, Rules and Regulations promulgated by the Corps, whether by amendment or supplementation, shall not take effect until such alterations are approved by resolution of the Borough Council. Any duly adopted and approved By-Laws, Rules and Regulations shall be filed with the Borough Clerk.
Any member of the Corps may be suspended or expelled by the Mayor and Council, or by the members of the Corps with the approval of the Mayor and Council, for failure to adhere to the Corps By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, Borough policies or for other improper conduct.
Notice of such suspension or expulsion shall be transmitted in writing to the Borough Administrator and Council by the President of the Corps.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 5; Ord. No. 09-16 § 2; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
There shall be three classes of membership in the Corps: active, probationary and Medical Director.
Active and probationary members shall be persons in good physical condition who have been elected to membership by the active members in accordance with the By-Laws and whose membership has been confirmed by resolution of the Mayor and Council.
a. 
Active members shall be those members:
1. 
Who satisfactorily completed the probationary period;
2. 
Who hold a current New Jersey EMT rating or appropriate emergency vehicle operator rating;
3. 
Who have passed the requisite testing as outlined in the Corps Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
4. 
Who have been elected to active membership by the active members; and
5. 
Whose membership shall have been confirmed by the Mayor and Council.
b. 
Probationary members shall be those members:
1. 
Who have been elected to probationary membership by the active members;
2. 
Whose probationary membership has been approved by the Mayor and Council;
3. 
Who have not completed the initial probationary training period;
4. 
Who do not have an EMT certification and are not drivers; or
5. 
Who have an EMT certification but have not passed department testing as outlined in the Corps Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS).
c. 
A Medical Director shall be a physician who has been appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of Council. The role of the Medical Director shall be as defined by the Corps By-Laws, and shall be consistent with State regulations.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 6; Ord. No. 09-16 § 3; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
The elected leadership of the Corps shall consist of the positions described by the Corps By-Laws. These positions shall be filled by active members in good standing of the Corps who shall be elected annually by ballot of the active members in good standing of the Corps in the manner prescribed by the By-Laws. No officer shall enter upon the duties of his office until the person shall be confirmed for that purpose by resolution of the Mayor and Council. Following their election by the members and confirmation by the Mayor and Council, officers will assume the powers and responsibilities of their respective positions starting on the first of January and hold office for a term of one year or until their successors have been elected and confirmed by resolution of the Mayor and Council. The power and duties of the officers include the powers and duties set forth in the By-Laws.
[Ord. No. 92-14 § 7; Ord. No. 09-16 § 4; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
All apparatus and equipment of the Corps shall be and remain the property of the Borough and the costs of operation, maintenance, repair and replacement shall be provided for in the Borough budget.
The apparatus and equipment assigned to the Corps shall be used only for the purposes for which the Corps is established, including training purposes and further including participation in parades and official ceremonies when authorized by the Borough Administrator.
The active and probationary members of the Corps shall be responsible for the care and operation of the apparatus and equipment entrusted to them by the Borough and shall observe all Corps rules and regulations regarding such operation and care.
Only a member of the Corps duly licensed under the laws of the State of New Jersey to operate a motor vehicle, and are approved by the Mayor and Council as a driver thereof, shall operate any of the ambulance apparatus of the Borough.
[Former Subsection 2-46.9, Loss Compensation; Budget, was repealed 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23. Prior history includes Ord. No. 92-14 and Ord. No. 09-16.]
[Ord. No. 06-10 § 1; amended 11-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-23]
Members of the Volunteer Ambulance Corps shall be eligible to earn a performance-based stipend in the amount of $2,000 or any greater amount as may be authorized by resolution of the Mayor and Borough Council in accordance with annual budgetary appropriations, which sum will be paid annually to such members as shall be entitled thereto during the month of December. To receive the performance stipend, a member shall be an active member in good standing. In order to qualify for said payment, a member must perform minimum service requirements as follows:
a. 
Point System. The award of the performance stipend shall be based on a point system established herein below. A total of 500 points are required for a member to qualify for the maximum stipend amount. The total amount of the stipend for each member shall be pro-rated for those members who do not earn 500 points to a minimum of 125 points. Members not earning at least 125 points shall not be eligible to receive the performance stipend.
Category One — 25 points awarded for a minimum of six hours a week on an assigned duty crew for an entire quarter and shall include regular Saturday rotations. A member who misses four or more shifts in a quarter without making them up by covering other shifts shall not receive points in this category.
Category Two — 10 points awarded each additional six-hour duty crew, above the first mandatory duty crew, for an entire quarter.
Category Three — 25 points awarded for members unable to complete a six-hour duty crew for an entire quarter, provided the following criteria are met.
The member volunteers a total of at least 60 hours time to any given crew assignment day or night as approved by and scheduled with the Captain.
Category Four — 50 points awarded for holding an elected position, or the position of Medical Director for an entire calendar year.
Category Five — 10 points awarded for holding the position of Crew Chief for one quarter.
Category Six — 10 points awarded for active participation in one or more committees for an entire quarter. These points may only be earned once per quarter regardless of how many committees a member serves on.
Category Seven — 5 points awarded for participating in a standby or holiday shift.
Category Eight — Additional points may be awarded for the following:
5 points awarded for each meeting or mandatory function attended related to operations as determined by the Captain.
2 points awarded for every assigned shift a member covers for another member which is not otherwise a makeup for a missed shift.
2 points awarded for each general call response as outlined in the Corps SOPs.
1 point awarded for each duty call response as outlined in the Corps SOPs.
10 point awarded for each additional event approved by the Captain.
b. 
Probationary Members. Probationary members shall not be eligible for the performance stipend during their probationary period. When qualified, a member's performance stipend shall be pro-rated for the probabtionary period.
c. 
Signing of Waiver Required. No member of the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps shall be entitled to any performance stipend until the member shall first have executed a waiver to be prepared under the direction of the Office of the Borough Administrator, waiving any claim to pension or employment status of any kind whatsoever as a result of receiving payment under this section.
[Ord. No. 489 § 1; Ord. No. 1000 § 1; Ord. No. 1136 § 2; Ord. No. 90-16 § 1]
The Tenafly Fire Department shall be an Association known as the Tenafly Fire Department and shall consist of two hose companies, two ladder companies, two rescue companies, and two reserve companies consisting of a hose company and a foam company as established by Resolution adopted at a regular meeting of the Mayor and Borough Council.
In addition to the Fire Department as provided for herein, there is hereby established the Bureau of Fire Prevention[1] which, in addition to the terms set forth herein, shall be governed and regulated and operate in accordance with the separate Ordinance of the Borough adopting the Fire Prevention Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional reference to the Bureau of Fire Prevention, see Chapter 11, Fire Prevention, Section 11-1.
[Ord. No. 489 § 2; Ord. No. 1103 § 1; Ord. No. 1136 § 3; Ord. No. 89-3 § 1]
The membership of the Fire Department shall not be less than 45 nor more than 60 active able-bodied persons. Any increase in membership, above the minimum membership herein provided for, shall be made only after the Mayor and Borough Council shall have adopted a Resolution providing for such increase in membership.
An active member of the Fire Department attaining the age of 65 years, or an active member who is injured in the line of duty and can no longer perform the regular duties of an active fireman because of physical disabilities suffered in the line of duty, regardless of age, or an active member who has served a minimum of 25 years, who is no longer capable of fully performing all of the required duties of an active fireman, may request membership as a Life Member. If the member so desires, the President of the Tenafly Fire Department shall appoint the member as a Life Member.
If qualified as a Fire Inspector, an active or Life Member may be appointed as Inspector in the Bureau of Fire Prevention by the Fire Marshal or head of the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
The limitation set forth in this section as to the number of active members shall not be applicable to the number of Life Members or Inspectors in the Bureau of Fire Prevention. Notwithstanding the aforesaid, any member of the Fire Department may be approved by the Borough Council should such action be required to satisfy the requirements for membership in the New Jersey Firemen's Association.
[Ord. No. 489 § 3; Ord. No. 501 § 1; Ord. No. 807 § 1; Ord. No. 817 § 1; Ord. No. 1000 § 2; Ord. No. 1103 § 2; Ord. No. 88-16 § 1; Ord. No. 89-3 § 2; Ord. No. 10-30]
No person shall become a member of the Fire Department of the Borough unless, at the time of his appointment, as set forth herein, he shall have been a resident of either Tenafly, Alpine, Bergenfield, Cresskill, Dumont, Englewood, or Englewood Cliffs, or an employee of the Borough of Tenafly, for a period of not less than six months, a citizen of the United States of good moral character, at least 18 years of age, and shall have submitted to a physical examination by a reputable doctor and presented to the Fire Department of the Borough a certificate from the doctor certifying as to his physical fitness. In addition, such persons shall conform with the objective qualifications for membership established by the Fire Department and shall have the technical ability required to perform such vocational duties.
[Ord. No. 489 § 4]
A schedule giving the name, date of admission and place of residence of each member, signed by the Chief of the Fire Department, shall be filed with the Borough Clerk and entered by him upon the register to be kept as directed by the following subsection of this section.
[Ord. No. 489 § 5; Ord. No. 1103 § 3]
Every person seeking to join the Fire Department shall obtain an application form from the Borough Clerk and shall, upon completion, file the application either personally or by mail with the Fire Department of the Borough. The appropriate officer of the Department shall acknowledge, in writing, the filing of the application and the application shall be turned over to the Membership Committee of the Fire Department. The Membership Committee, consisting of not more than 15 members, shall report to the Fire Department within 60 days whether or not the applicant qualifies for membership. The decision of the Membership Committee shall be binding. Members shall be admitted in the order in which applications are received when vacancies exist and, if vacancies do not exist, a waiting list shall be established according to the Bylaws of the Tenafly Fire Department and in furtherance of Section 13:12-1.1 of the Administrative Code of the State of New Jersey. In this connection, if an applicant is rejected, he shall be advised in writing of the rejection and the reasons therefore and shall have the right of appeal of the decision according to the Bylaws of the Tenafly Fire Department. Appointments made shall be for a probationary period not to exceed one year, during which time officers of the Fire Department shall determine in accordance with the criteria set forth in the Administrative Code of the State of New Jersey whether permanent membership shall be granted.
[Ord. No. 489 § 6; Ord. No. 1103 § 4]
Whenever any body of citizens organizes a Company for fire service as in this section provided and makes application in writing to the Mayor and Borough Council to be admitted to membership in the Fire Department, they shall file with the Borough Clerk a list giving the names of the proposed officers and members of the Company with the age, place of residence and date of admission of each member, certified by the Secretary thereof. The Mayor and Borough Council may, by resolution, approve of the application and accept the services of the Company. If the Mayor and Borough Council approve the application and accept the services of the Company, then the officers and members of the Company shall become members of the Fire Department and shall have their names entered upon the register to be kept as directed in subsection 2-47.5, and a certificate shall be issued to each such person so registered, as provided in subsection 2-47.5 when either a probationary appointment or a permanent appointment is made to the Fire Department, the Membership Committee or the Fire Department shall certify in writing to the Mayor and Council giving the name and address and other biographical information as may be required concerning such member.
[Ord. No. 489 § 7; Ord. No. 88-16 § 2]
Any member of the Fire Department who shall be absent from the Borough or eligible community of residence for a period of three months consecutively shall thereupon automatically cease to be a member of the Fire Department. This section shall not apply to those members who are serving in the United States Armed Forces during a national emergency.
[Ord. No. 489 § 8; Ord. No. 1000 § 3; Ord. No. 1136 §§ 4, 5; Ord. No. 89-3 § 3; Ord. No. 90-16 § 2; Ord. No. 91-18 §§ 1 — 4]
The members of the Fire Department shall receive a loss reimbursement in the minimum annual sum of $900 and a clothing allowance in the minimum annual sum of $600 or any greater amount or amounts as may be authorized by resolution of the Mayor and Borough Council in accordance with annual budgetary appropriations, which sums will be paid to such members as shall be entitled thereto. To receive either the loss reimbursement or the clothing allowance, a member shall be an active member in good standing for nine months prior to the date of payment of either loss reimbursement or clothing allowance. In order to qualify for either payment, a member of the Fire department must perform minimum service requirements as follows:
a. 
Clothing Allowance. To receive the clothing allowance which is paid on December 1 of each year, a member must perform during the pay year 35% of Category One duties and 60% of Category Two duties as follows:
Category One — Fires, Drills.
Category Two — Meetings, Special Meetings, Special Firematic Duties, Full Cleanings, Monday Night Cleanings.
Each category shall be calculated separately. The service requirements of this section shall not apply to those members who are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during a national emergency of required military obligation. Such members are to receive the compensation while serving their country.
b. 
Loss Reimbursement.
1. 
To receive loss reimbursement, a member must complete, during the periods specified hereinbelow, 35% of Category One duties and 60% of Category Two duties (see paragraph a above) and, upon completion of the duties and submission of the required vouchers and supporting materials in a timely manner to the Chief Financial Officer, shall receive 25% of the annual loss reimbursement set aside for each member as follows:
Period
Payment Month
Period #1
December 1 through February 28
March
Period #2
March 1 through May 31
June
Period #3
June 1 through August 31
September
Period #4
September 1 through November 30
December
2. 
Members of the Fire Department who are full-time employees of the Borough of Tenafly and who, by virtue of their specific jobs either are permitted to respond to alarms or calls while on duty in such employment, must respond to 40% of Category One duties and 65% of Category Two duties to be eligible for loss reimbursement under this section.
3. 
Probationary members shall not be eligible for loss reimbursement during their probationary period. When qualified, a member's loss reimbursement shall be pro-rated for the six month period in which a member completes probation.
4. 
Effective Date. Members of the Tenafly Fire Department who qualify for payment under this section shall receive reimbursement effective January 1, 1991.
5. 
Signing of Waiver Required. No member of the Fire Department shall be entitled to any loss reimbursement until he/she shall first have executed a waiver to be prepared under the direction of the office of the Borough Administrator, waiving any claim to pension or civil service status of any kind whatsoever as a result of receiving payment under the provisions of this section.
The working officers shall be the Chief of the Department and Assistant Chief of the Department, three Captains and three Lieutenants, each responsible for a Company and they shall be elected for a term of one year. The officers are to be recognized in the following order: Chief of the Department, Assistant Chief of the Department, Captain of Hose Company 1, Captain of Ladder Company 1, Captain of Rescue Company 1, Lieutenant of Hose Company 2, Lieutenant of Ladder Company 2 and Lieutenant of Rescue Company 2.
The Fire Marshal provided for herein and in subsection 11-1.7 of Chapter 11, Section 11-1, adopting the Fire Code, shall be considered a staff officer and not a working officer; and the Fire Marshal, along with members assigned to the Bureau of Fire Prevention, shall not participate in fire fighting duties.
[Ord. No. 489 § 9; Ord. No. 1136 §§ 6 — 9; Ord. No. 90-16 § 3]
a. 
Nomination. The following officers shall be nominated at the regular meeting in November: Chief of the Department, Assistant Chief of the Department, Captain of Hose Company 1, Captain of Ladder Company 1, Captain of Rescue Company 1, Lieutenant of Hose Company 2, Lieutenant of Ladder Company 2, and Lieutenant of Rescue Company 2; President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, one Department Trustee, one Representative to the Relief from the Hose Companies, one Representative to the Relief from the Ladder Companies, and one Representative to the Relief from the Rescue Companies.
b. 
The Chief and Assistant Chief of the Fire Department shall be elected by the members, in good standing, of the entire Fire Department at an election to be held in a fire house to be designated by the Fire Committee and occupied by one of the Companies or units, on the first Tuesday of December annually, but the Chief and Assistant Chief shall not be qualified to act unless approved by the Mayor and the Borough Council. No person shall be eligible or serve as Chief or Assistant Chief unless he/she has served as a line officer in this Borough for at least two years. The Chief and Assistant Chief shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected and qualified. Should the Mayor and Council refuse to confirm, if authorized by law, the election of any Chief or Assistant Chief, then in that event, the current Chief and Assistant Chief shall continue to hold office until a new election can be held and the results thereof confirmed by the Mayor and Council.
c. 
A Captain and Lieutenant shall be elected by the members in good standing of each Company or Unit, at an election to be held at its headquarters at their regular meeting in December annually. These officers shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected and qualified.
[Ord. No. 489 § 10]
The polls shall remain open at all elections authorized by this section from 8:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. The Fire Committee shall appoint a Judge and Clerk to conduct the election. The Judge and Clerk shall be qualified voters, but shall not be eligible to hold office at any election at which they act, or the Fire Committee may delegate one or more of its members to act as Judge or Clerk, or both, at any of such election in lieu of appointing Firefighters as such Officers.
[Ord. No. 489 § 11]
Each Company shall have power to adopt such Constitution and Bylaws for its government and management as shall not be inconsistent with the Laws of the State of New Jersey and with this section or any supplement thereto, or the rules and regulations hereafter adopted by the Mayor and Borough Council and the Fire Committee; provided that the Constitution and Bylaws of each Company shall be uniform with those of every other Company of the Fire Department so far as they relate to fines for nonattendance at fires and drills and for any failure to obey any special order made by the Chief of the Fire Department within the scope of this authority. The Constitution and Bylaws of any Company or Unit shall not be adopted until after they have been submitted to and approved by the Mayor and Borough Council.
[Ord. No. 489 § 12; Ord. No. 713 § 1; Ord. No. 1103 § 5]
It shall be the duty of every member to attend and, under the direction of his superior officers, endeavor to save life and property at every fire in the Borough limits or outside the Borough when ordered by his superiors; to answer in person all alarms of fire and to convey their respective apparatus to each and every fire immediately upon the alarm thereof and work and manage the same under the orders of the Chief or Acting Chief; to report for duty for practice or parade whenever ordered. No apparatus belonging to the Fire Department shall be taken out of the Borough limits without permission of the Mayor or upon the order of the Fire Committee, except in case of conflagration, when ordered by the highest officer in command, and shall be returned at once, in case of an alarm or fire within the Borough limits, and in all other cases immediately after the occasion for its absence shall have ended.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to abrogate the terms of any mutual aid agreement in force between the Borough and any other municipal corporation.
[Ord. No. 489 § 13; Ord. No. 713 § 2; Ord. No. 1136 § 10]
For any neglect in attending fires or for leaving a fire without the permission of the Chief, Acting Chief, Captain or Lieutenant, or neglect of duty upon any occasion without reasonable excuse, disobeying any lawful order of any Chief or Acting Chief, or for any conduct unbecoming to a member of the Fire Department of the Borough, a member of the Department may be fined, expelled, suspended, or dealt with as may be determined by the Fire Committee of the Borough after the filing with such Committee of a complaint against such member made by the working officers of the Fire Department and hearing before the Fire Committee, provided, however, that expulsion from the Department shall be made only upon the approval of the Mayor and Council. The working officers shall be those defined as such by the appropriate Bylaws of each Company or Unit of the Fire Department. The right to rejection of membership or expulsion from membership shall be in accordance with the procedure set forth in subsection 2-46.5 or in accordance with applicable procedures under the Administrative Code of the State of New Jersey, according members the necessary due process and negating, where applicable, the need for Mayor and Council approval. Furthermore, in administering the terms of this section, any use of nouns or pronouns specifying gender shall be inapplicable.
[Ord. No. 489 § 14; Ord. No. 713 § 3]
It shall be the duty of the Chief to submit a report to the Mayor and Council at its first regular meeting each month, showing the condition of the Fire Department and of the apparatus and any other matters concerning the Fire Department which he, or the Fire Committee, may deem necessary.
[Ord. No. 10-06 § 1]
There shall be one liaison to the Fire Department, who shall be appointed annually by the Mayor from among the members of the Council. The appointment shall be made at the annual reorganization meeting in January of each year. The liaison shall serve as an interface and conduit between the Fire Department and the Governing Body, reporting to the Governing Body, as necessary, any developments and matters of importance relating to the Fire Department.
[Ord. No. 14-01]
There is hereby established within the Borough of Tenafly, a Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-95, et seq.
[Ord. No. 14-01; Ord. No. 2016-13 § 1]
In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-95, no person shall be eligible for membership in the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary who is less than 14 or more than 18 years of age. Persons between the ages of 14 and 16 shall be considered "Cadets" and persons between the ages of 16 and 18 shall be considered "Junior Firefighters". All persons between the ages of 14 and 18 shall be required to obtain permission to join the Auxiliary from their parents or legal guardians, which permission shall be obtained in writing and acknowledged or provided in the manner required by law for deeds to real estate to be recorded.
[Ord. No. 14-01; Ord. No. 2018-05; Ord. No. 2018-08; amended 12-19-2023 by Ord. No. 23-31]
All applicants for membership in the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary shall either: (1) reside within the Borough of Tenafly; (2) be related by blood, marriage, or adoption to an active member of either the Tenafly Fire Department or the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corp; or (3) be sponsored by a Tenafly Fire Department member. Any Tenafly Fire Department member, in good standing, may sponsor an applicant for the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary that resides within Tenafly or one of the Tenafly Fire Department's contiguous coverage areas: Alpine, Bergenfield, Cresskill, Dumont, Englewood, and Englewood Cliffs. All applicants shall be examined by and certified to be in good health by a duly licensed physician in the State of New Jersey who shall certify, in writing, as to the applicant's good health. All Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary Cadets shall follow the standard operating procedures of the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary and shall adhere to the Tenafly Fire Department's rules and regulations.
[Ord. No. 14-01]
The members of the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary shall be provided with insurance coverage to the maximum extent possible (with the exception of life insurance, which is provided unless and until the members become full members of the Fire Department), by rider to the policy provided for the regular volunteer firemen of the Borough of Tenafly, and pursuant to statutes made and provided for in such cases.
[Ord. No. 14-01]
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-98, the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Tenafly, with the cooperation of the Fire Commission, and upon the recommendation of the Fire Chief of the Borough, has formulated rules and regulations which will govern the activities of the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary, and regulations regarding training of the auxiliary members for eventual full membership in the Volunteer Fire Department of Tenafly. Such rules and regulations shall be periodically reviewed by the Fire Chief and recommendations for additions or changes shall be submitted by the Fire Chief to the Mayor and Council for consideration not less frequently than on an annual basis.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Fire Committee established in Section 2-60.
[Ord. No. 14-01; Ord. No. 2016-13 § 2]
(a) 
No member of the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary, whether considered a "Cadet" or "Junior Firefighter" shall be required or allowed to perform duties which would expose him or her to the same degree of hazard as a regular member of the Tenafly Volunteer Fire Department.
(b) 
A Junior Firefighter 16 years of age or older may be allowed to perform non-hazardous support duties at a fire site; provided: (1) the Junior Firefighter has been appropriately and adequately trained to perform the support duties; (2) the Junior Firefighter is appropriately and adequately supervised in performing those support duties at the fire site; and (3) the Junior Firefighter's parent or guardian has provided written permission allowing the Junior Firefighter to perform those support duties.
(c) 
The activities of Cadet under 16 years of age shall be limited to: (1) attending meetings of the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary; (2) receiving instruction; (3) participating in training that does not involve fire, smoke, toxic or noxious gas, or hazardous materials or substances; and (4) observing firefighting activities, while under supervision.
[Ord. No. 14-01]
The Fire Chief of the Borough of Tenafly shall have the authority and discretion to review all applications for admission into the Junior Firefighter's Auxiliary upon such rules and regulations as may be established by the Mayor and Council with the cooperation of Fire Department.
[Ord. No. 99-38, Preamble]
The Borough of Tenafly deems it appropriate and necessary to act to ensure retention of existing members and to provide incentive for recruiting new volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps members; and the Borough of Tenafly has determined that the creation of a Length of Service Awards Program will enhance the ability of the Tenafly Volunteer Fire Department and the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps to retain and recruit volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps members.
[Ord. No. 99-28; Ord. No. 08-18 §§ 1, 2; Ord. No. 06-09 § 1]
a. 
Creation. A Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) is herewith created in accordance with Chapter 388 of the Laws of 1997, to reward members of the Tenafly Volunteer Fire Department and the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps for their loyal, diligent, and devoted services to the residents of the Borough.
b. 
Annual Contributions. The LOSAP shall provide for fixed annual contributions to a deferred income account for each volunteer member that meets the criteria set forth below; that such contributions shall be made in accordance with a plan that shall be established by the Borough of Tenafly pursuant to P.L. 1997, c.388; and that such plan shall be administered in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and this section.
c. 
Criteria. The LOSAP shall provide for annual contributions to each member that meets the criteria as follows:
1. 
Any volunteer who accumulates 100 points in a calendar year will be considered an active volunteer for that year and therefore be eligible for the full benefit amount.
2. 
The annual contributions shall be $1,150 per eligible member. Said amount shall be increased automatically in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) Adjustment calculated annually by the Division of Local Government Services.
3. 
Five years of service are required for vesting.
d. 
Credit for Prior Service. The LOSAP shall provide for contributions as credit for no more than 10 years of prior years service for each eligible volunteer in accordance with the following schedule:
Number of Years Prior Service
Contribution
1
$600
2
$1,200
3
$1,800
4
$2,400
5
$3,000
6
$3,600
7
$4,200
8
$4,800
9
$5,400
10
$6,000
e. 
Estimated Cost. The estimated cost of the program has been calculated as follows:
1. 
For regular annual services: $51,000 per year; and
2. 
For contributions for prior years service: $37,900 per year for an estimated seven years.
f. 
Schedule of Credits. Each active volunteer member shall be credited with points for volunteer services provided to the Tenafly Volunteer Fire Department and the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps in accordance with the following schedule:
1. 
Volunteer Fire Department — Schedule A[1].
2. 
Volunteer Ambulance Corps — Schedule B[2].
g. 
Approval on Ballot Required. This section shall not take effect unless it is approved by voters as a public question at the General Election on November 2, 1999.
Ballot Question
Shall the Borough of Tenafly be authorized to establish a Length of Service Awards Program for volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps members that serve the Borough of Tenafly, pursuant to the following terms and conditions:
1.
The program shall provide for annual contributions to a deferred income account for each active volunteer member that meets the eligibility criteria and in accordance with the schedule adopted by the Borough of Tenafly.
2.
The program shall provide for contributions as credit for no more than 10 years of prior years services for each eligible volunteer.
3.
The proposed contribution for an active volunteer member is $600.
4.
The estimated cost of the program has been calculated as follows:
a.
For regular annual services: $51,000 per year.
b.
For contributions for prior years service: $37,900 per year for an estimated seven years.
[ ] YES
[ ] NO
Explanatory Statement
The Borough of Tenafly has decided to create a Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) for the members of the Tenafly Volunteer Fire Department and the Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps that serve the citizens of the Borough of Tenafly. The general requirements for a LOSAP are set forth in State law (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-183 et seq.).
Each volunteer firefighter or ambulance corps member that performs the minimum of service will have an amount between $600 and $1,150, depending on how many years the volunteer has served, deposited into a tax deferred income account that will earn interest for the volunteer.
The cost will be budgeted annually in the budget of the Borough of Tenafly and is anticipated to be $51,000 per year. The plan adopted by the Borough of Tenafly provides a volunteer may earn up to 10 years of previous volunteer service. The estimated annual cost of prior years service is $37,900 for seven years.
Additional details on the program may be found in the ordinance, adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Tenafly, which is available for public inspection, along with a copy of the State enabling law at the Office of the Borough Clerk, Borough Hall, 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ during regular business hours.