[Adopted 11-8-1978 as Secs. 3-24.1
through 3-24.5 of the Revised General Ordinances]
Every person seeking to join a volunteer fire
company or first aid squad within the Township shall make application
to the fire company or first aid squad which he or she desires to
join and shall complete an application, in duplicate, the form of
which may be prescribed by the company or squad, which application
shall contain the following information about the applicant:
A.
Name;
B.
Home address;
C.
Birth date;
D.
Social security number;
E.
Driver's license number;
F.
Any conviction of a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1,
including aggravated arson, arson, failure to control or report a
dangerous fire, or directly or indirectly pay or accept any form of
consideration for the purpose of starting a fire or explosion;
G.
Any conviction of a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:33-3
regarding false public alarms;
H.
Any conviction of a crime or disorderly persons violation;
and
I.
Any such other information as the fire company or
first aid squad deems relevant to the application, provided that no
such information shall be requested which is prohibited by law.
Following the filing of such application, the
fire company or first aid squad shall transmit a copy of the application
to the Chief of Police who shall conduct an investigation to ascertain
the truth of the statements made by the applicant upon his or her
application and any such other investigation of the applicant's background
as he deems necessary for the protection of the public good. If as
a result of such investigation the applicant is found to have been
convicted of a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:17-1 or N.J.S.A. 2C:33-3,
or any other crime or disorderly person violation; or the investigation
reveals any other information that would indicate that the applicant
may be a threat to the health, safety or welfare of the community,
the Chief of Police shall report such information and the particulars
thereof to the fire company or first aid squad.
In connection with such investigation, the applicant
shall submit to fingerprinting, and the Chief of Police is authorized
to submit the applicant's fingerprint card and receive state criminal
history record information from the Division of State Police/State
Bureau of Identification for use in considering the suitability of
an applicant covered under this chapter. The Chief of Police shall
endeavor to complete any such investigation within 60 days of his
receipt of the application.[1]
It is intended that the three existing fire
companies, and the two existing first aid squads in the Township shall
be deemed to be authorized agencies as defined by N.J.A.C. 13:59-1.1
for the purposes of requesting information from the Division of State
Police/State Bureau of Identification.
This chapter is enacted pursuant to N.J.S.A.
40:42-1 et seq., the Home Rule Act, which directs municipalities to
act for the health, welfare and safety of its citizens, and to implement
the provisions of N.J.S.A. 15:8-1.1.
