[Derived from Ch. IV of the 1969 Revised General Ordinances]
[Amended 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13; 10-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-13; 4-20-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-02]
The Police Department of the Borough is hereby established and
shall consist of a Chief of Police, a Captain of Police, a Lieutenant
of Police, no more than five Sergeants, no more than 18 patrol officers
and such other civilian employees as deemed appropriate.
All members of the Police Department shall be appointed by the
Director of the Department of Public Safety.
[Amended 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13; 10-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-13]
A.
Designation of appropriate authority. The Director of Public Safety
shall be designated as the appropriate authority as provided in the
New Jersey statutes. The appropriate authority shall be responsible
for the overall performance of the Police Department. The appropriate
authority shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the
governing of the Police Department and for the discipline of its members.
B.
Chief of Police.
(1)
The head of the Police Department shall be the Chief of Police, who
shall be appointed pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 et seq. by nomination
of the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Borough Council.
(2)
The Chief of Police shall be head of the police force, and shall
be directly responsible to the appropriate authority for the efficient
and routine day-to-day operations thereof. The Chief of Police shall,
pursuant to the policies established by the appropriate authority:
(a)
Administer and enforce rules and regulations and special emergency
directives for the disposition and discipline of the Police Department
and its officers and personnel;
(b)
Have, exercise, and discharge the functions, powers and duties
of the force;
(c)
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates and
other personnel;
(d)
Delegate such of his/her authority as he/she may deem necessary
for the efficient operation of the Police Department to be exercised
under his/her direction, supervision and control;
(e)
Report at least monthly to the appropriate authority in such
form as shall be prescribed by the appropriate authority on the operation
of the Police Department during the preceding month, and make such
other reports as may be requested by the appropriate authority.
[Amended 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13]
A.
The Chief
of Police shall be the chief executive of the Police Department and
he and all other police officers of the Borough shall severally perform
the duties imposed upon them by this article and by such orders, rules
and regulations as may from time to time be adopted by the Appropriate
Authority for the government and control of the Police Department.
B.
It shall
be the duty of the Captain of Police, in the absence of the Chief
of Police, to perform the duties of the Chief. In the absence of the
Chief of Police and the Captain of Police, the Lieutenant of Police
shall perform the duties of the Chief. In the absence of the Chief
of Police, Captain of Police and Lieutenant of Police, the Sergeants
of Police, in the order of their seniority within that rank, shall
perform the duties of Chief of Police. In the absence of the Chief
of Police, Captain of Police, Lieutenant of Police and Sergeants of
Police, a police officer shall be designated by the Appropriate Authority
to act as Chief of Police.
[Amended 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13]
The Appropriate Authority shall from time to time adopt rules
and regulations of the government of the Police Department and fix
and enforce penalties for the violation of such rules and regulations.
No person shall be appointed to the Police Department unless
he shall, at the time of making application, be between the ages of
21 and 35, except as provided for veterans. The applicant shall be
a citizen of the United States and shall comply with all the laws
of the State of New Jersey pertaining thereto.
Before entering upon the performance of his duties, each member
of the Police Department shall take and subscribe an oath, which shall
be filed with the Borough Clerk, to bear true faith and allegiance
to the government established in this state, to support the Constitutions
of the United States of America and the State of New Jersey, and to
faithfully, impartially and justly discharge and perform all the duties
of his office.
The Police Department, through its Chief, shall:
A.
Preserve the public peace, protect life and property, prevent crime,
detect and arrest offenders against the penal laws and ordinances
effective within the Borough, suppress riots, mobs and insurrections,
disperse unlawful or dangerous assemblages, and preserve order at
all elections and public meetings and assemblages.
B.
Administer and enforce laws and ordinances to regulate, direct, control
and restrict the movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and
the use of the streets by vehicles and persons; to protect the safety
and facilitate the convenience of motorists and pedestrians; and to
make and enforce rules and regulations consistent with the ordinances
and resolutions of the Borough for such purposes.
C.
Remove or cause to be removed all nuisances in the public streets,
parks and other public places of the Borough, inspect and observe
all places of public amusement or assemblage and all places of business
requiring any state or Borough license or permit and report thereon
to the appropriate department.
D.
Provide proper police attendance and protection at fires.
E.
Provide for the attendance of its members in court when necessary
for the prosecution and trial of persons charged with crimes and offenses
and cooperate fully with the law enforcement and prosecuting authorities
of federal, state and county government.
[Amended 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13]
A.
Each police officer shall hold office and continue in his/her employment
during good behavior and efficiency, and no person shall be removed
from office or employment for any cause other than incapacity, misconduct,
neglect of duty, conduct unbecoming a police officer, disobedience
of the rules and regulations of the Department or absence from duty
without just cause for five days or more.
[Amended 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13]
B.
Any member of the Department may be suspended, removed, fined or
reduced from his/her office or employment therein for just cause upon
due notice and service of written charges and a hearing before the
heads of the Department as provided by law.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 28-11, Vacations, was repealed
10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 28-12, Additional compensation,
was repealed 10-5-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13.
