[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township
of Rochester 6-18-1985 by Ord. No. 309 as Art. 149 of the 1985
Codified Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
There is hereby established as a department of government of the
Township a Department of Police.
B.
Subject to the civil service laws of the commonwealth, the Board
of Commissioners of the Township shall appoint a Chief of Police and
other members of the Township police force. The number, rank and compensation
of the members of the Township police force shall be determined by
the Board of Commissioners from time to time.
A.
The Police Department shall be directly responsible to and under
the control and supervision of a member of the Board of Commissioners
who shall be designated by such Board as Director of Public Safety.
B.
The Chief of Police and other officers shall be subject to the direct
supervision of the Director of Public Safety and shall obey all orders
issued by such Director.
The Board of Commissioners may require the Chief of Police or
any other member of the force to undergo training in police work at
any training school for police officers established and made available
by the state or federal government, and the Commissioners may provide
for the payment by the Township of the expenses incurred in such training.
The Chief of Police and all police officers may without warrant
and view arrest and commit for hearing any and all persons guilty
of a breach of the peace, vagrancy, riotous or disorderly conduct
or drunkenness or who may be engaged in the conduct of any unlawful
act tending to endanger the personal security or the property of any
other person or violating any ordinance of the Township for the violation
of which a fine or penalty may be imposed. All police officers shall
have authority to serve and execute all criminal process for the violation
of Township ordinances which may be issued by a District Justice and
shall charge the fees and costs provided by law for constables for
similar services, but all fees and costs collected shall be paid to
the Township Treasurer for use of the Township.
All police officers when on duty shall wear a badge inscribed
with the words "Rochester Township Police."
The Township shall employ as many police officers as the Board
of Commissioners shall deem necessary for the proper operation of
the Police Department in the Township. Temporary police officers may
be employed when necessary without becoming subject to the provisions
of the civil service law.
The Chief of Police and all police officers shall be paid a
fixed or stipulated salary. Neither the Chief nor any police officer
shall charge or accept any fee or other compensation in addition to
his/her salary for any service rendered by him/her of any kind or
matter whatever pertaining to his/her duties as a police officer except
public rewards and reimbursement for expenses lawfully incurred in
the discharge of his/her duties.[1]
