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Town of Woodstock, NY
Ulster County
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Code
New Laws (9) Index
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Woodstock 9-15-1987 by L.L. No. 5-1987. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The authority for this chapter is derived from Article 10, § 150 of the Town Law of the State of New York. The need is based upon the ever-increasing population of the Town of Woodstock and the inherent law enforcement problems faced by the Town in the absence of a full-time Police Department.
Pursuant to Article 10, § 150 of the Town Law of the State of New York, the Town hereby establishes a Police Department. This Police Department shall henceforth be known as the "Town of Woodstock Police Department."
An individual shall have the following qualifications to be appointed Chief of Police of the Woodstock Police Department. He/she shall:
A. 
[1]Be a graduate of the New York State Municipal Police Training School or an equivalent institution.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A, which stated that the Chief of Police must be a resident of the Town of Woodstock, was repealed 3-23-2010 by L.L. No. 1-2010. This local law also provided for the redesignation of former Subsections B, C and D, as Subsections A, B and C, respectively.
B. 
Have at least five years of full-time law enforcement experience.
C. 
Be trained in the use of firearms.
The Chief of Police shall:
A. 
Be chief of operational activities of the Town Police Department.
B. 
Be a resident of the Town of Woodstock.
C. 
Receive such compensation as provided by the Town Board.
D. 
Be responsible for the planning and implementation of all law enforcement responsibility conferred upon the members of the Police Department.
[Amended 11-18-2008 by L.L. No. 2-2008]
E. 
Maintain the records of the operations of the Police Department and shall report at least semiannually to the Town Board.
F. 
Be the chief financial officer of the Police Department; all expenditures made by said Department shall have his/her written approval upon a voucher stating the nature of the expense to be undertaken.
G. 
Prepare an annual budget to be submitted to the Town Board in the month of September of each year and, upon approval of the budget, shall be responsible for the operation of the Police Department within the limits of that budget.
H. 
If extraordinary or unanticipated circumstances require supplemental funds, advise the Town Board of the same and shall appear before said Board.
I. 
Be the custodian of all property belonging to the Police Department and shall take all necessary steps to maintain and preserve the same.
A. 
There shall be the office of patrolman, which patrolman shall have the full power of a policeman. Said patrolman shall be subject to the direction of the Chief of Police. Said patrolman shall be appointed by the Town Board in accordance with this chapter, Town Law and other appropriate provisions of the law as required. Said patrolman shall be paid on an hourly basis as approved by the Town Board.
B. 
No individual shall be appointed to 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 is less than 21 years of age.
Upon taking office, the Chief of Police and all patrolmen shall be given and shall sign the oath of office, to be filed with the Town Clerk.
Members of the Police Department shall act as police officers of the Town of Woodstock. They shall enforce all federal, state and local laws and shall be responsible for the control of traffic within the municipality.
The Town will fund the Police Department on an annual budget basis beginning in January of each year. To effectuate this, the Chief of Police must recommend, and the Town Board must approve, the proposed police budget in time to be included in the next year's Town budget. The Town shall, from time to time, pay salaries and other fixed expenses. Other expenses shall be paid by the Town only after the voucher is approved by the Chief of Police.
All equipment purchased by the Police Department will be the property of the Woodstock Police Department and the Town of Woodstock. The Chief of Police and members of the force shall have custody of vehicles and equipment and shall be responsible for maintaining the same and keeping an accurate inventory thereof. Such inventory shall be available upon request of the Town Board.
A. 
The Town Board, at any time by resolution, may establish a Police Commission for the Town and may appoint one Police Commissioner who shall at the time of his/her appointment and throughout his/her term of office be an owner of record of real property in and an elector of the Town and who shall serve without compensation and at the pleasure of the Town Board. In addition, the Town Board shall designate one member of the Town Board, and another person who is not a member of the Town Board, to serve as members of such Police Commission.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
The Town Board may, by resolution, at any time, abolish such Police Commission, and thereupon the Town Board only shall exercise the power conferred upon it.
The position of Constable of the Town of Woodstock is hereby abolished. The Town Board shall employ temporary police officers to be known as "special policemen" in accordance with Article 10, § 158 of the Town Law of the State of New York when in the public interest such are determined to be necessary or desirable.
This chapter shall be effective on September 16, 1987, or upon filing pursuant to the Municipal Home Rule Law, whichever is later. The Town Clerk shall notify the Commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services of establishment of the Town of Woodstock Police Department within 30 days of the effective date of this chapter.