There shall be a Department of Public Safety and Welfare, the
head of which shall be the Town Manager or someone appointed by the
manager.
The Department of Public Safety and Welfare shall be responsible
for:
(a)
The preservation of the public peace, prevention of crime, apprehension
of criminals, protection of persons and property, and enforcement
of the laws of the state and the ordinances of the town;
(b)
The welfare of the poor, needy, dependent and defective persons of
the town; and
(c)
Control of the town activities relating to fire fighting, fire prevention
and other public safety functions that the town may engage in and
such other rescue and safety programs that the town may be engaged
in.
[Amended 11-2-2010]
The Police Department, Department of Human Services, Department
of Emergency Management, and any other department which the Town Council
may hereafter create to be concerned with the safety and welfare of
persons and property shall be under the jurisdiction of the Town Manager.
There shall be a Police Department, which shall consist of the
Chief of Police, and of such other officers and employees, of such
rank and grades, as may be prescribed by the Town Council.
The Police Department, and each of its officers and employees,
in the performance of police duties, shall have and exercise all the
powers heretofore or hereafter conferred on police officers by the
laws of the state and the ordinances of the town.
The Chief of Police and all other regular permanent officers
and employees of the department shall be appointed and removed by
the Town Manager, subject to the provisions of any general law, and
any ordinance hereafter enacted by the Town Council.
The department shall be divided into such organizational units
as the Town Council, upon the recommendation of the Town Manager,
shall from time to time prescribe.
The Town Council may provide for the appointment by the Chief
of Police, with the approval of the Town Manager, of special policemen,
regular and special constables, police volunteers, and reserves.
Subject to the supervision and control of the Town Manager,
the Chief of Police shall be in direct command of the Police Department.
The Chief of Police shall assign the officers and employees
to their respective posts, shifts, details and duties. The chief shall
be responsible for the efficiency, discipline and good conduct of
the department, and for the care and custody of all property assigned
to it. The chief shall make and amend, subject to the approval of
the Town Manager, rules and regulations concerning the operation of
the department and the training and conduct of its officers and employees,
including reserves, volunteers and special policemen.
The Town Council may impose other and further obligations upon
the Town Manager, the Director of Public Safety and Welfare, and the
Chief of Police, in connection with the operation of the Police Department.
In accordance with the provisions of G.L. 1956, § 30-15,
and with the approval of the Governor, the Town Council is hereby
authorized to establish an Office of Emergency Management. The Office
of Emergency Management shall have such duties and perform such functions
as may be prescribed by the laws of the state or by the resolutions
or ordinances of the Council.
There shall be a Department of Human Services, the head of which
shall be the Director of Human Services, who shall be the Town Manager
or a person appointed by the manager.
The Director of Human Services, if the director be other than
the Town Manager, shall have at least a master's degree in an area
of human services, such as social services, counseling, family relations,
psychology, etc., from an accredited college or university, and five
(5) years of demonstrated experience in supervising professionals
and para-professionals, managing social programs and services, and
administering budgets and grants.
The Department of Human Services shall be responsible for the
functions and services of the town relating to case management for
all residents needing assistance in the following:
The Department of Human Services shall cooperate with other
departments, offices, or agencies of the town by furnishing services
to residents of the town provided that the cost of such cooperative
effort be charged to the appropriation of the agencies thus served.
There shall be a Friends of Human Services which shall act in
an advisory capacity to the Director of Human Services, the Town Manager,
and the Town Council in all matters concerning the Department of Human
Services and the safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the town.
The Friends of Human Services shall consist of nine (9) members
who shall be appointed by the Town Council. The members of the Friends
of Human Services, in office when this Charter shall take effect,
shall continue in office until their terms shall expire. All new appointments
shall be for the term of three (3) years. The Town Council may fill
any vacancy in the commission for the unexpired term.
No member of the Friends of Human Services shall be an elected
or appointed official or an employee of the town or of any department,
office or agency of the town, except that the Director of Human Services
shall be ex-officio member of the Friends of Human Services without
the right to vote.
The Town Council may grant further powers and duties to the
Director of Safety and Welfare, including, but not limited to, the
coordination of health and related programs with agencies of the State
of Rhode Island or of the United States.
