There shall be established and maintained a department of police
to preserve order within the city and to secure the residents of said
city from violence and the property therein from injury or loss.
(a) Chief
of Police.
The chief of police shall be the chief administrative
officer of the department of police. He/she shall, with the approval
of the city manager, appoint and remove the employees of said department
and shall perform such duties as may be required of him/her by the
city council. The chief of police shall be appointed by the city manager
with the approval of the city council, for an indefinite term. The
chief of police shall be responsible to the city manager for the administration
of his/her department and the carrying out of the directives of the
city council. He/she may be removed from office by the city manager
with the approval of the city council.
(b) Special
Police.
No persons except as otherwise provided by general
law or the charter or the ordinances passed pursuant thereto shall
act as special police or special detective.
The city manager shall appoint the city secretary and such assistant
city secretaries as the city council shall deem advisable. The city
secretary, or an assistant city secretary, shall give notice of council
meetings, shall keep the minutes of the proceedings of such meetings,
shall authenticate by his/her signature all ordinances and resolutions
and record all ordinances and resolutions as required by law, and
shall perform such other duties as the city manager shall assign to
him/her, and those elsewhere provided for in this charter.
The city council shall appoint a competent and duly licensed
attorney, who is determined to be the most qualified, to be the city
attorney. He/she shall receive for his/her services such compensation
as may be fixed by the city council and shall hold his/her office
at the pleasure of the city council. The city attorney, or such other
attorneys selected by the city council, shall represent the city in
all litigation. He/she shall be the legal advisor of and attorney
and counsel for, the city and all officers and departments thereof.
(May 4, 2019, measure 11; May 1, 2021, measure E)