The Quakertown Fire Company may nominate not more than 12 volunteer
members of the Company to serve as fire police. Candidates nominated
to said office shall be confirmed by the Township Committee and shall
serve for a term of one year or until their successors are nominated
and confirmed. Fire police officers shall serve without compensation
from the Township.
The rights, privileges, powers, and duties of a fire police
officer shall be as follows:
A. Protect property and contents.
B. Establish and maintain fire lines.
C. Perform such traffic duties as necessary, from the fire station to
and at the vicinity of the fire, fire drill or other emergency call,
until the arrival of a duly authorized police officer or at any public
event where fire police services may be requested to protect the public,
subject to the approval of and supervision by the chief law enforcement
officer of the municipality in which the public event takes place.
D. In the absence of investigating authorities, fire police shall investigate
all causes of fires and preserve all evidence pertaining to questionable
fires and turn evidence over to proper investigating authorities.
E. Wear the authorized fire police badge on the left breast of the outermost
garment while on duty.
It shall be the duty of a member of the fire police to perform
his duties under the supervision of the fire officer in charge of
the fire or fire drill, until the arrival of a duly authorized police
officer, who shall assume responsibility for the supervision of the
performance of traffic duties, preservation of evidence and all other
law enforcement duties. Nothing in this section shall diminish the
powers of the chief or other superior officer of any volunteer fire
company in the exercise of his duties pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:8-54.1.
If any person shall unreasonably refuse to obey the orders of
the fire police, a fire police officer may arrest him and keep him
under arrest until the fire is extinguished or the drill completed.
If the offender is found guilty by a municipal court or Superior Court,
he shall be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding $200 and costs.