This Part 1 shall be known and referred to as the "Gloucester Township Police Department Ordinance".
The purpose of this Part 1 is to provide for the establishment, maintenance, operation, regulation and control of a Police Department within the Township of Gloucester, Camden County, New Jersey, pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118.
B.
The Police Department shall consist of the Chief of Police, up to
two Deputy Chiefs of Police, three Captains and such superior officers,
officers of lesser rank, patrolmen and other personnel as may be,
from time to time, authorized and funded by Township Council. The
Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and
consent of Township Council in accordance with Civil Service Rules
and Regulations, and he or she shall receive such compensation as
shall be fixed, from time to time, by general salary ordinance.
A.
Township Council. The Township Council and individual members thereof
shall act in all matters relating to the police function in the municipality
as a body, or through the Mayor; however, nothing herein contained
shall prevent the appointment by the governing body of committees
or commissions to conduct investigations of the operation of the police
force, and the delegation to such committees or commissions of such
powers of inquiry as the governing body deems necessary or to conduct
such hearing or investigation authorized by law. The Township Council
may, from time to time, by ordinance and subject to law, prescribe
the powers, functions and duties of the Chief of Police and other
members of the Police Department as shall be deemed necessary for
the effective government of the force. The Township Council also shall
adopt general rules and regulations governing the Police Department
and the discipline of its members as may be approved by the Mayor.
B.
Mayor. Subject to state statute, the Mayor as chief executive officer
shall be the appropriate authority to direct and supervise the Chief
of Police who shall be responsible for the day-to-day operation of
all police functions of the municipal government. The Mayor, with
the approval of Township Council, shall establish policies relating
to the government, control, discipline and function of the Police
Department and shall approve, prior to adoption, the rules and regulations
for government of the police force and the discipline of its members
as hereinafter provided. The Mayor or other executive or administrative
officer charged with the general administrative responsibilities within
the Township may, at any time, examine the operations of the police
force or the performance of any officer or member thereof; and in
an emergency situation, the Mayor may act or provide for the health,
safety or welfare of the municipality through special emergency directives.
C.
Chief of Police.
(1)
The Chief of Police shall be head of the Police Department and shall
be responsible to the Mayor for the Police Department's efficiency
and day-to-day operations.
(2)
Pursuant to the policies established by the Mayor, the Chief of Police
shall:
(a)
Administer and enforce rules and regulations and special emergency
directives for the disposition and discipline of the force and its
officers and personnel;
(b)
Have, exercise, and discharge the functions, powers and duties
of the force;
(c)
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates and
other personnel;
(d)
Delegate such of his or her authority as he or she may deem
necessary for the efficient operation of the force to be exercised
under his or her direction and supervision;
(e)
Report at least monthly to the Mayor in such form as shall be
prescribed by the Mayor on the operation of the force during the preceding
month, and make such other reports as may be requested by the Mayor.
(3)
The Chief of Police shall be the chief administrator of the Police
Department and directly responsible to the Mayor for the enforcement
of the duties of all personnel in the Department, all policy and all
rules and regulations regarding the Department. He or she shall be
responsible for the keeping of a daily log of all activities of the
Department, including, but not limited to, assignments to duty of
all members and employees of the Department, arrests, investigations,
accidents, crimes, complaints, warrants and all important and pertinent
data related to the duties and activities of the Department.
D.
Deputy Chief(s) of Police.
E.
Captains. Captains shall be in charge of the Operations Division,
Administrative Services Division, and the Community Services Division.
Captains shall be responsible for both the operational and administrative
functions of the same and are subject to the supervision of the Chief
of Police. Captains may be assigned other duties as may be required,
at the discretion of the Chief of Police.
A.
Applicants seeking to obtain a position in the Township's Police
Department, who are residents of the Township, shall be given a preference
when the Township determines its factors and requirements for filling
a position. Notwithstanding, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122.1 and
N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122.1, residency is not a condition of employment,
but rather residency will be a factor when determining which individual(s)
will be offered employment to become a member of the Police Department.
B.
Classification of applicants.
(1)
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-123.1a, before any person shall be appointed
as a member of the paid Police Department, the appointing authority
shall classify all the duly qualified applicants for the available
position or positions in the following classes:
(2)
Within each such classification, duly qualified applicants who are
veterans shall be accorded all such veterans preferences as are provided
by law. Persons discharged from the service within six months prior
to making application to such municipality, who fulfill the requirements
of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-123.1a and who thereby are entitled to appointment
notwithstanding their failure to meet the New Jersey residency requirement
at the time of their initial application, shall be placed in Class
III.
C.
Order of appointments. In making such appointments, the appointing
authority shall first appoint all those in Class I and then those
in each succeeding class in the order above listed and 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.
D.
Certification of eligibles for positions. The classes of qualified
applicants defined by this section shall be considered as separate
and successive lists of eligibles, and the Civil Service Commission
shall, when requested to certify eligibles for positions specified
in this article, make such certifications from said classes separately
and successively and shall certify no person from any such class until
all persons in the class or classes have been appointed or have declined
offers of appointment.
E.
Applicability. This article shall apply only to initial appointments
as members of the Township's Police Department. This article shall
not apply to promotions of individuals who are already members of
the Township's Police Department.
F.
Temporary appointments. In making temporary appointments, the appointing
authority shall utilize the classifications set forth herein and shall
classify accordingly all duly qualified applicants for the position
or positions to be temporarily filled.
G.
Probation. Each person appointed as an officer to the Department
shall first serve a working test period of 12 months from the date
of receipt of written certification by a certified police training
academy within the state. During the working test period, he or she
shall be known as a "probationary officer." At the conclusion of the
working test period, the appointment as an officer shall become final
upon the recommendation of the Police Chief and the consent of the
Mayor.
A.
The Township Council may appoint from time-to-time special law enforcement
officers in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146 et seq., for terms
not exceeding one year. Such special law enforcement officers shall
possess and exercise all the powers and duties provided by these statutes
during their term in office, but shall not be members of the Police
Department and shall not be entitled to tenure. The Chief of Police
may authorize special law enforcement officers when on duty to exercise
the same powers and authority as regular members of the Police Department,
including the carrying of firearms (if permissible) and the power
of arrest. Any such appointment of special law enforcement officers
shall be revoked at any time without cause and without hearing, if
the original appointment was for four months or less, otherwise, pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.14, with cause and after a hearing.
B.
There shall be two classifications of special officers. The New Jersey
State Police Training Commission shall prescribe by rule or regulation
the training standards to be established for each classification.
The classifications shall be based on the duties to be performed by
the special law enforcement officer, as follows:
(1)
Class One. Officers of this class shall be authorized to perform
routine traffic detail, spectator control and similar duties. Class
One officers shall have the power to issue summonses for disorderly
persons and petty disorderly persons offenses, violations of Township
ordinances and violations of N.J.S.A. Title 39. The use of a firearm
by an officer of this class shall be strictly prohibited. No Class
One officer shall be assigned any duties which may require the carrying
or use of a firearm.
(2)
Class Two. Officers of this class shall be authorized to exercise
full powers and duties similar to those of a permanent, regularly
appointed full-time police officer. The use of a firearm by an officer
of this class may be authorized only after the officer has been fully
certified as successfully completing training as prescribed by the
New Jersey State Police Training Commission.
C.
No person may be appointed as a special law enforcement officer unless
the person:
(1)
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently
and has a high school diploma or its equivalent;
(2)
Is sound in body and of good health;
(3)
Is of good moral character;
(4)
Has not been convicted of any offense involving dishonesty or which
would make him or her unfit to perform the duties of his or her office;
and
(5)
Has successfully undergone the same psychological testing that is
required of all full-time police officers in the Township.
Each member of the Department, subject to the guidelines and
procedures set forth in the Police Operational Procedures of the Police
Manual, shall be granted annual vacation and sick time in accordance
with Civil Service Laws, rules and regulations and the contract between
the Township and the respective bargaining unit of the Police Department
of which he or she is a member.
Disciplinary action shall be taken against members of the Police Department in accordance with N.J.A.C. 4A:2 et seq. and the rules and regulations adopted by ordinance pursuant to § 15-9.
General rules and regulations for the government of the Police Department and for the discipline of its members shall be prepared and recommended by the Police Chief, approved by the Mayor and adopted by ordinance of the Township Council. Said general rules and regulations shall be in written form and distributed to all members of the Department, who shall sign for same. Standard operating procedures, orders and directives and supplemental rules and regulations involving daily departmental operations shall be issued, from time to time, by the Chief of Police, provided the same are not contrary to or inconsistent with the terms of this Part 1, established policy or the general rules and regulations, and are duly promulgated in writing. The basic areas for which rules may be made shall include but shall not be limited to: discipline, training, conduct and efficiency of members, use and care of equipment and uniforms, police procedures, day-to-day activities, relationships with fellow officers, public and municipal officers, appearance in uniform and the activities, behavior and conduct of officers on or off duty. General rules and regulations as well as standard professional procedures, orders and directives issued in writing and promulgated by the Chief of Police shall be binding upon the members and employees of the Police Department.
Leaves of absences may be granted in accordance with Civil Service
Laws and rules and regulations, and the Mayor, upon recommendation
of the Chief of Police, may grant a leave of absence with pay, not
exceeding one year, to any member of the Department who shall become
injured, ill, disabled or physically unfit for duty, providing that
an examining physician appointed by Township Council shall so certify
to such illness, injury or disability. No leave of absence with pay
shall exceed a period of one year.
Before entering upon the duties of his or her office and within
five days after appointment, each member of the Police Department
shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to faithfully and
impartially discharge the duties of his or her appointment as a member
of the Police Department and in accordance with the statutes of the
state relating to the oath to be taken.
A.
Each member of the Police Department shall devote his or her entire time and attention to the duties of the Department, subject to the laws of the state, the rules and regulations adopted by resolution pursuant to § 15-9 and the applicable employment contract then in force with the Township, with respect to the number of days per week and the number of hours per day such members shall be and remain on duty.
B.
No member of the Police Department shall work or render services
for any wage salary or other compensation, other than for the Police
Department, unless he or she first obtains written approval therefor
from the Chief, which approval shall be granted only when the Chief
is reasonably certain that such work or services shall not be hazardous
or hamper the proper and efficient performances of his or her official
police duties.
A.
The powers and duties of the officers and members of the Police Department
shall be as prescribed by the laws of the state, the ordinances and
resolutions of the Township and such rules and regulations as may
now or hereafter be adopted for the government and discipline of the
Department. All members of the Department shall have the power to
serve and execute all processes issued by the Municipal Judge of the
Township and in accordance with the laws of the state.
B.
The members of the Police Department shall have the power to serve
all summonses issued by any Township official pursuant to any provision
of the Township Code or any statute of the state.
