The Police Department of this City is hereby created.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
BAILIFF
Includes the Chief of Police, commissioned officers, noncommissioned
officers, and all sworn police officers as certified by the Maryland Police
Training Commission who, by authority of the governing body, are designated
as "bailiffs."
The Police Department shall have general charge and control of the peace
and good order of the City. The bailiffs of the Department shall enforce the
laws of the state, this Code and other ordinances and perform all such duties
appertaining to the office of bailiff as may now or hereinafter be prescribed
or may be prescribed by departmental regulations and orders.
[Amended 4-26-2006 by Ord. No. 750]
A. The bailiff in charge of the Police Department shall be the Chief of Police, who shall be appointed as provided in §
29-3 for an indefinite term. The Chief of Police shall be chosen on the basis of his or her professional standing as a police officer and ability as a police administrator.
B. The Mayor and Common Council may call upon the services of the
state police or other such agencies for advice and for testing of candidates
for the position of the Chief of Police. At the time of appointment the Chief
need not be a resident of the City or the state, except as may be provided
otherwise by state law, the City Charter, this Code or other guidance.
C. The Chief of Police may be removed or temporarily suspended from his or her position or not reappointed to his or her position as provided in §
29-4 of the City Code.
D. The Chief of Police shall be the commanding officer of the Police
Department, and the Chief shall have such powers and perform such duties as
are prescribed for the Chief by this Code and other ordinances and as may
at any time be prescribed for the Chief by the legislative body and department
rules and regulations. Among other duties, the Chief of Police shall:
(1) Make periodic reports on matters affecting or reflecting upon
the Police Department to the legislative body.
(2) Prepare a budget request for the Police Department and submit
it to the City Administrator for review and correlation with budget requests
of other departments.
(3) Attend meetings of the legislative body when requested to do
so by it.
The Police Department may be organized into shifts, squads, bureaus,
divisions and offices, which organization shall be determined by the Chief
of Police. The total salaries for such positions shall be consistent with
the budget approved by resolution of the legislative body.
The Police Department may employ civilian staff who are not bailiffs as approved in the annual operating budget. These employees shall perform such duties as the Chief of Police may from time to time assign or prescribe, including, but not limited to, the issuance of citations for violations of Chapter
155, Vehicles and Traffic, of the Westminster City Code.
The Chief of Police may authorize certified police officers of law enforcement agencies sharing concurrent jurisdiction with the Westminster Police Department to enforce specific provisions of Chapter
155, entitled "Vehicles and Traffic," of the Westminster City Code, as well as to issue citations for violations of that chapter. The Chief of Police may also authorize properly trained safety/security representatives of private and public entities within the City to enforce specific provisions of Chapter
155, Vehicles and Traffic, of the Westminster City Code, as well as to issue citations for violations of that chapter.
The Chief of Police, bailiffs and employees of the Police Department
shall receive the compensation provided in the approved City budget for their
respective offices, grades or positions.