Except as otherwise provided by law, the members
of the Police Department shall be appointed and promoted from an eligible
civil service list. Except as otherwise provided by law, no person
shall be appointed a member of the Police Department, nor continue
as a member thereof, who shall not be a citizen of the United States,
who has been convicted of a felony, who shall be unable to read and
write understandably the English language or who shall not have resided
within the State of New York one year and in the County of Suffolk
for six months next preceding his appointment; provided, however,
that at the time of the organization of such Police Department, appointments
thereto shall be made first from among constables and/or police officers
then employed by the Town of Southold if such persons possess all
of the qualifications hereinbefore in this section set forth. Each
member of the Police Department shall hold office during good behavior.
The Town Board may employ temporary police officers
from time to time as the Town Board may determine their services necessary.
Such police officers shall be known as "special policemen" and shall
have all the powers and authority conferred upon constables by the
general laws of the state and such additional powers, not inconsistent
with law, as shall be conferred upon them by the Town Board. They
shall be subject to the general authority and direction of the Town
Board and to such orders and regulations as the Town Board may prescribe,
not inconsistent with law. Such special policemen shall serve at the
pleasure of the Town Board, and the Town Board shall fix their compensation
and may purchase uniforms and equipment therefor within the budget
appropriation therefor. Such special police shall not be eligible
for appointment unless they shall have passed an examination held
by the appropriate civil service commission at the time of their appointment;
provided, however, and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of
this section, the Town Board may, when in its judgment it deems it
necessary for the preservation of the public peace during any emergency
period of 60 days or less, appoint and at pleasure remove within such
period additional special policemen, not exceeding five in number,
without examination.
The Town Board may, from time to time, make,
adopt and enforce rules, orders and regulations for the government,
discipline, administration and disposition of the Police Department
and the members thereof. Any such rules and regulation or any amendments
thereto shall be in written form and a copy of the same shall be distributed
to each member of the Department and posted in a conspicuous place
in the headquarters of the Police Department.