The police department, after approval by the town council, shall be composed of the chief of police and such other positions including, but not limited to, officers, patrolmen and/or other employees as may be from time-to-time authorized and funded by the town council. The chief of police shall have the authority to appoint or offer employment with the advice and consent of the town council. In the event a position in the department becomes vacant within the fiscal year, the position may be filled, upon approval by the town administrator, provided for the salary and benefits for such replacement or additional personnel shall not exceed the current fiscal year budget appropriation unless otherwise authorized by the town council.
No position in a general fund department which becomes vacant shall be replaced.
(Ordinance 23-004 adopted 7/10/2023)
The chief of police shall be authorized to establish reasonable rules and regulations governing the policies and personnel of the police department and the operation of the same.
(Ordinance 23-004 adopted 7/10/2023)
It shall be the duty of the police department to enforce the ordinances of the town and the laws of the state and such other laws as are properly enforced by a local police department under state law.
Members of the police reserve force shall be appointed by the police chief, and such appointment shall be approved by the town council. Members of the police reserve force shall serve as peace officers during the actual discharge of official duties. Members of the police reserve force serve at the police chief's authority and discretion.
Qualifications, standards of training, and size of police reserve force.
The qualifications and standards of training for members of the police reserve force shall be the same as for the town's regular police officers. The size of the police reserve force shall not exceed two times the number of the town's regular police officers.
No person appointed to the police reserve force of the town may carry a weapon or otherwise act as a peace officer unless and until that person has been approved to do so by the town council. After a person so appointed to the police reserve force has been approved by the town council to carry weapons, that person may carry a weapon only when authorized to do so by the police chief, and only when discharging official duties as a peace officer.
Members of the police reserve force may be called into service at any time the police chief considers it necessary to have additional officers to preserve the peace and enforce the law.
Hospital and medical assistance will be provided to a member of the police reserve force who sustains injury in the course of performing official duties in the same manner as provided by the governing body for a regular police officer employee; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to authorize or permit a member of the police reserve force to become eligible for participation in any pension fund created by state statute to which regular town police officers may become a member by payroll deductions or otherwise.
Reserve police officers shall act only in a supplementary capacity to the town's regular police officers and shall in no case assume the full-time duties of the town's regular police officers without first complying with all the requirements for regular police officers.