[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Mount Vernon 7-14-1982, approved 7-15-1982. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to create a group of interested
citizens and to provide for them an opportunity to make their views
and the community's views known to the Department through a democratic
process. The Committee shall serve in an advisory capacity, attempting
to identify community hazards, add input to the Police Commissioner's
field of information, review police procedures for discipline, planning
and training, and thus provide assistance in managerial decisions.
In order to achieve these goals, the Board, through its regular meetings,
will strive to assist, advise and aid the Police Commissioner in matters
relating to public relations, discipline, planning, training and in
the establishment of priorities of services to be rendered to the
public.
The Board shall consist of seven members and five associate
members to be appointed by the Mayor. In addition, the Second Deputy
Commissioner of the Department shall be a member of the Board. Members
shall be residents of the City for a period of not less than three
years. Neither a member nor an associate member shall be an employee
of the Municipal Government of the City of Mount Vernon.
A member's term shall commence upon appointment and shall
continue at the pleasure of the Mayor.
Any member absent without just cause from three meetings during
one calendar year may be removed from the Board.
Members shall each have one vote on matters before the Board
for consideration. Associate members shall not have voting privileges,
but shall otherwise participate in all matters and discussions of
the Board.
A.
The
Committee shall have three officers, a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson
and a Secretary.
B.
The
Chairperson presides at all meetings. The Chairperson or his/her representative
shall be responsible for meeting with the Police Commissioner following
each meeting to advise him as to the Board's recommendations
and discussion. The Chairperson shall meet with any group or individual
expressing a grievance concerning police policy, action or procedure,
in order that the Board may adequately discuss and make recommendations
concerning said grievance.
C.
The
Vice Chairperson shall preside in the absence of the Chairperson.
D.
The
Secretary shall be responsible for the keeping of all minutes of meetings
and records pertaining to the work of this Board.
The Chairperson shall be the Second Deputy Police Commissioner.
The Vice Chairperson and the Secretary shall be elected by a majority
of the members present at the first meeting in January in each calendar
year. The Vice Chairperson and Secretary may serve no more than two
consecutive years in their respective offices.
The members of this Advisory Board shall serve without compensation.
This Board may provide by its bylaws for such standing committees
as it may deem necessary. At any meeting, when the Board deems it
necessary to establish a temporary committee to oversee certain tasks,
such a committee may be formed without further authorization of the
bylaws.
A.
This Board shall meet regularly on the first Wednesday of each month
at a time and place designated by the Chairperson. In the event of
a holiday, the Chairperson shall schedule a meeting on the evening
when a quorum of the Board can be gathered.
B.
Board meetings, in addition to those regularly scheduled, may be
called by the Chairperson or upon the request of the Mayor or the
Police Commissioner.
C.
The presence of the Chairperson or Cochairperson and four members
of the Board shall constitute a quorum necessary to transact the business
of the Board.
A.
The Chairperson shall issue a written notice of call for all meetings.
The notice shall be mailed to each member of the Board at least seven
days prior to the date of the meeting. Copies of the notice of call
shall also be placed in the mailbox of the Police Commissioner. The
notice of call shall contain the date, time and place of the meeting
and an agenda for the meeting. The Chairperson of the Board may assign
the responsibility to prepare and distribute the notice of call.
B.
In the event of an emergency, some or all of the provisions of call
may be waived only with the permission of the Police Commissioner.
The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised,
shall govern this Board in all cases to which they are applicable
and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
