Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2,
there is hereby created the title of housing police officer.
A.
The Public Safety Director is hereby authorized to
appoint any person who is eligible under the provisions of N.J.S.A.
40A:14-146.2 as a housing police officer.
B.
No person shall be appointed unless he:
(1)
Is a citizen of the United States.
(2)
Is a resident of the city.
(3)
Is able to read, write and speak the English language
well and intelligently.
(4)
Is sound in body and mind and of good physical and
mental health as evidenced by favorable results of medical and psychological
examinations. The provisions of this subsection relative to physical
and psychological examinations shall not be applicable to any housing
guard who shall have been appointed to the position of housing guard
from a civil service list upon adoption.
(5)
Is of good moral character.
(6)
Has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving
moral turpitude.
(7)
Has successfully completed a police training course
or program approved by the Police Training Commission.
(8)
Is a high school graduate or has received a high school
equivalency certificate or diploma.
[Added 11-12-1985 by Ord. No. 85-097; amended 5-19-1992 by Ord. No. 92-023; 8-11-1992 by Ord. No. 92-043; 1-23-1996 by Ord. No.
96-003]
The housing police shall consist of the following:
[Amended 12-19-1995 by Ord. No. 95-068]
Any person who may be appointed as a housing police officer who was not holding the position or employment of a housing guard or housing patrolman on August 16, 1975, must fulfill all eligibility requirements that may be established by the Civil Service Commission for appointment to the title of housing police officer and all of the requirements set forth in § 81-27B.
Housing police officers appointed in accordance
with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2 shall have all the powers
conferred by law upon police officers in the enforcement of the laws
of this state or municipal ordinances, including the power to apprehend
offenders.
Housing police officers shall perform the following
duties:
A.
Tour of duty which shall be limited to patrolling
the grounds, buildings and other areas and facilities of public housing
projects in the city in order to protect persons and designated buildings,
grounds and property from trespass, damage and theft.
B.
Maintain orderly conditions within the housing projects.
C.
Give first aid in case of accidents.
D.
When necessary, apprehend, warn and take into custody
violators of the law.
E.
Give testimony in court.
F.
Prepare reports.
G.
Do related work as required.
None of the housing police officers appointed
in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2 shall be considered to be
a member or officer of the Police Division.
All housing police officers appointed pursuant
to this Article shall be under the supervision of the Chief of Police
and shall comply with all the rules and regulations applicable to
the conduct and decorum of the regular police officers of the city.
[Added 6-26-1990 by Ord. No. 90-025]
A.
Whenever an officer of the Paterson housing police
force is a defendant in any action or legal proceeding arising out
of and directly related to the lawful exercise of police powers in
the furtherance of his/her official duties, said officer shall be
provided with the necessary means of the defense of such action or
proceeding, but not for the defense of said officer in any disciplinary
proceeding instituted against him/her by the city or in a criminal
proceeding instituted as a result of a complaint filed by the city.
If any such disciplinary or criminal proceeding instituted by or on
complaint of the city shall be dismissed or filing determined in favor
of the officer, he/she shall be reimbursed for the expense of his/her
defense in accordance with the terms and conditions of this chapter.
B.
Procedure.
(1)
A Paterson housing police officer who is named as
a defendant in an eligible criminal proceeding which is tried and
disposed of in the Municipal Court shall obtain the services of any
attorney to represent said officer in those proceedings, provided
that within ten (10) days of the time said officer is served with
a copy of the complaint, said officer provides the Corporation Counsel
with a copy of said complaint. The city will pay such attorney fees
as are authorized by the most current fee schedule promulgated by
the Municipal Council for representation of police officers in the
Municipal Court.
(2)
In all other eligible civil and/or criminal proceedings,
the housing police officer shall be permitted to select any attorney
to represent said officer in those proceedings unless the city has
previously arranged for representation. Prior to the housing police
officer entering into any agreement for representation with any attorney,
the attorney so designated must provide the Corporation Counsel, in
writing, with a fair estimate of the anticipated costs of services
and must further agree, in writing, to charge the city only those
fees which are authorized by the most recent fee schedule adopted
by the Municipal Council. No agreement between the housing police
officer, the attorney and the city shall be considered binding unless
and until a resolution adopted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5 has been
approved by the Municipal Council and a written contract has been
executed by the city and the attorney.
(3)
In the event that the housing police officer is subject
to disciplinary actions or criminal proceedings commenced by the municipality,
the housing police officer so charged shall select such attorney as
he/she deems appropriate without prior approval of the city. However,
if any such disciplinary or criminal proceeding instituted by or on
complaint of the city shall be dismissed or finally determined in
favor of the officer, the city shall pay only such fees as are set
forth in the most recent fee schedule adopted by the Municipal Council.
C.
This section shall apply to any and all eligible civil
or criminal cases pending against housing police officers as of December
1, 1989.
