There is hereby created in and for the City of Atlantic City,
a Police Division (Division) within the Department of Public Safety.
The Division shall consist of a Chief of Police (Chief) and shall
include such members and officers as shall be deemed necessary by
the appropriate authority. The appropriate authority shall, from time
to time, determine the number of persons, including temporary officers
and members in an emergency, to be appointed to these positions, together
with their compensation. See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118.
The Division shall preserve the public peace; protect life and
property; prevent crime; detect, arrest and prosecute offenders of
the laws of the State of New Jersey and the ordinances of the City
of Atlantic City; direct and control vehicular and pedestrian traffic;
provide attendance and protection during emergencies; suppress riots,
mobs and insurrections; disperse unlawful or dangerous assemblies;
preserve order at all elections, public meetings and assemblages;
provide appearances in court; cooperate with other law enforcement
agencies; and provide training for the efficiency of its members and
officers. See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-152.
[Amended 8-4-1999 by Ord. No. 37-1999; 7-8-2015 by Ord. No. 54-2015]
Rank in the Division shall descend in the following order:
G. Special Law Enforcement Officer.
The Chief shall be the head of the Division. The Chief shall
be directly responsible to the appropriate authority for the efficiency
and routine day-to-day operations of the Division. The Chief's powers
include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Administer and enforce the Rules and Regulations of the Division
and any special emergency directives for the disposition and discipline
of the Division and its officers and personnel.
B. Have, exercise and discharge the functions, powers and duties of
the Division.
C. Prescribe the duties and assignments of all members and officers.
D. Delegate such authority as deemed necessary for the efficient operation
of the Division to be exercised under the Chief's direction, supervision
and control.
E. Report at least monthly to the appropriate authority, in such form
as shall be prescribed in the Rules and Regulations, on the operation
of the Division during the preceding month, and make such other reports
as may be requested by the appropriate authority. See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118.
The Mayor or his/her designee shall be designated as the appropriate
authority. The appropriate authority shall be responsible for the
overall performance of the Division. The appropriate authority shall
adopt and promulgate Rules and Regulations for the government of the
Division and for the discipline of its members. See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118.
No person shall be appointed to the Division who is not qualified
as provided in the New Jersey statutes. The appropriate authority
may also require that an applicant for appointment to the Division
shall successfully complete a physical, mental and psychological examination.
See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122 and N.J.S.A. 40A:14-127.
No member or officer of the Division shall be suspended, removed,
fined, reduced in rank or disciplined in any other manner, for any
cause other than for incapacity, misconduct or disobedience as provided
in the New Jersey statutes, New Jersey Administrative Code and the
Division's Rules and Regulations. See N.J.S.A. 40A:14-147.
[Amended 9-22-2021 by Ord. No. 42-2021]
A. Appointments
of special law enforcement officers. The appropriate authority may
appoint from time to time special law enforcement officers in accordance
with New Jersey statutes for terms not exceeding one year. They shall
possess and exercise all the powers and duties provided by said statutes
during their term in office but shall not be continued as regular
members of the Division and shall not be entitled to tenure. The Chief
may authorize special law enforcement officers when on duty to exercise
the same powers and authority as regular members of the Division,
including the carrying of firearms and the power of arrest. See N.J.S.A.
40A:14-146.8 et seq.
B. Appointments
to Department. Except as otherwise set forth herein, appointments
to the Department, by the appropriate authority, shall be made in
accordance with applicable law from lists of eligible candidates provided
to the City of Atlantic by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission.
[Amended 3-22-2023 by Ord. No. 07-2023]
(1) Appointments
of the entry level police officers may, in the sole discretion of
the appropriate authority, be made in accordance with the provisions
of N.J.S.A. 11A-4-1.3 (as amended).
(2) In appropriate
circumstances, all applicants for appointment shall be required to
complete a physical and psychological examination.
(3) All appointments will be subject to the City's residency requirements as codified in Atlantic City Code Chapter
56, Article
II, where appropriate.