[Adopted 6-23-1994 as Ord. No. 94-35 (Ch. 32A of the 1974 Code); amended 6-14-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-17]
Whenever any words and phrases are used in this article, the meanings respectively ascribed to them in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.9 shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used herein.
There is hereby established the position of special police officer in and for the Township of Lacey.
Before any special law enforcement officer is appointed, the Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other chief law enforcement official of the Township shall ascertain the eligibility and qualifications of the applicant and report these determinations, in writing, to the Mayor and Committee.
Special law enforcement officers may be appointed for terms not to exceed one year, and the appointments may be revoked by the Mayor and Committee for cause, after adequate hearing, unless the appointment is for four months or less, in which event the appointment may be revoked without cause or hearing. Nothing herein shall be construed to require reappointment upon the expiration of the term. The special law enforcement officers so appointed shall not be members of the police force of the Township, and their powers and duties shall cease at the expiration of the term for which appointed.
A. 
No person may be appointed as a special law enforcement officer unless the person:
(1) 
Is a resident of this state during the term of appointment;
(2) 
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently and has a high school diploma or its equivalent;
(3) 
Is sound in body and of good health;
(4) 
Is of good moral character;
(5) 
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
(6) 
Has successfully undergone the same psychological testing that is required of all full-time police officers in the Township or, with regard to a special law enforcement officer hired for a seasonal period which required psychological testing of its full-time police officers, has successfully undergone a program of psychological testing approved by the Police Training Commission established in the Department of Law and Public Safety, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-70.
B. 
Every applicant for the position of special law enforcement officer shall have fingerprints taken, which fingerprints shall be filed with the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
C. 
No person shall be appointed to serve as a special law enforcement officer if that person serves as a special law enforcement officer in another municipality; nor shall any permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer of any other municipality in this state be appointed as a special law enforcement officer. No public official with responsibility for setting law enforcement policy or exercising authority over the budget of any municipality in this state or supervision of the Police Department of a municipality in this state shall be appointed as a special law enforcement officer.
D. 
Any person who at any time prior to his appointment had served as a duly qualified, fully trained, full-time officer in any municipality in this state, and who is separated from that prior service in good standing, shall be eligible to serve as a special law enforcement officer consistent with the guidelines promulgated by the Police Training Commission. If the Police Training Commission waives the training requirements which are required by statute, the Mayor and Committee, if it chooses, may appoint such person as a special law enforcement officer.
E. 
Any person to be appointed to the position of a Special Law Enforcement Officer, Class Three, must be a retired police officer who has previously served as a duly qualified, fully trained, full-time officer in any municipality or county of this state, or as a member of the New Jersey State Police.
(1) 
Must be living in New Jersey.
(2) 
Must be retired from an agency in good standing.
(3) 
Must be less than 65 years of age at the time of appointment.
(4) 
Limited break in service: During the first year of the program (July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018), a new Class Three's break in service may not exceed five years. Starting July 1, 2018, a Class Three's break in service may not exceed three years.
A. 
No person may commence his or her duties as a special law enforcement officer unless he or she has successfully completed the training course and certification requirements of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.11, unless such training requirements have been waived by the Police Training Commission.
B. 
All special law enforcement officers appointed in service on the effective date of this article may continue in service if within 24 months of the effective date of this article they will have completed all training and certification requirements of this article.
C. 
All special law enforcement officers, Class Three, shall complete the SRO training within 12 months of being appointed.
There are hereby established three classifications of special law enforcement officers. The 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:
A. 
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 municipal ordinances and violations of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class shall be strictly prohibited and no Class One officer shall be assigned any duties which may require the carrying or use of a firearm.
B. 
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 Police Training Commission.
C. 
Class Three. 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 while providing security at a public or nonpublic school on the school premises during hours when the public or nonpublic school is normally in session or when it is occupied by the public or nonpublic schools students or its teachers. While on duty in the jurisdiction of employment, an officer may respond to offenses or emergencies off school property if they occur in the officer's presence while travelling to a school facility, but an officer shall not otherwise be dispatched or dedicated to any assignment off school property. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class shall be authorized pursuant to the provisions of Subsection b. of Section 7 of P.L. 1985, c. 39 (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.14). An officer of this class shall not be authorized to carry a firearm while off duty unless the officer complies with the requirements set forth in Subsection I. of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6, authorizing a retired law enforcement officer to carry a handgun.
Every special law enforcement officer prior to the commencement of his duties shall be furnished with a uniform which shall identify the officer's function. The uniform shall include, but not be limited to, a hat and appropriate badges which shall bear an identification number or name tag and the name of the Township of Lacey. The uniform shall also include an insignia issued by the Police Training Commission which clearly indicates the officer's status as a special law enforcement officer and the type of certification issued by the Commission. All special law enforcement officers prior to the commencement of duties shall be in uniform properly displaying the appropriate insignia.
Whenever a special law enforcement officer's appointment is revoked or a special law enforcement officer is not reappointed upon the expiration of the term, the special law enforcement officer shall return to the officer in charge of the station house all Lacey Township issued uniforms, badges and equipment within 15 days of the revocation or expiration of term.
The special law enforcement officers shall carry and return firearms pursuant to the guidelines established in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.14b.
Special law enforcement officers shall comply with the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of the permanent, regularly appointed police officers of the Township, as well as any rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of special law enforcement officers.
A. 
A special law enforcement officer shall be under the supervision and direction of the Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other chief law enforcement officer of the Township and shall perform his duties only in the Township unless in fresh pursuit of any person pursuant to Chapter 156 of Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.
B. 
The Chief of Police or, in the absence of the Chief, other chief law enforcement officer of the Township may authorize special law enforcement officers when on duty to exercise the same powers and authority as permanent, regularly appointed police officers of the Township, including, but not limited to, the carrying of firearms and the power to arrest subject to rules and regulations; any such authorization shall not be inconsistent with the certification requirements of § 93-22 herein.
A. 
The provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.16a and c regarding the maximum hours of employment of special law enforcement officers is hereby incorporated as if stated in full herein.
B. 
For the purposes of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.16a and c, Lacey Township is a resort community.
Special law enforcement officers may be employed only to assist the Township law enforcement unit but may not be employed to replace or substitute for full-time regular police officers or in any way diminish the number of full-time officers employed by the Township.
A. 
There are hereby created 12 positions as special law enforcement officers designated as Class One members.
B. 
There are hereby created 10 positions as special law enforcement officers designated as Class Two members.
C. 
There are hereby created 10 positions as special law enforcement officers designated as Class Three members.