The head of the police department shall be the chief of police,
who shall also be styled commissioner of public safety. He shall be
appointed and shall serve in accordance with the charter.
The chief of police shall have charge and control of the police
force and shall have and exercise the following powers and duties:
(a)
To enact, modify and repeal orders, rules and regulations for
the government and discipline of the police department.
(b)
To cause the ordinances to be at all times enforced.
(c)
With the approval of the common council to establish, furnish
and control a station house for the accommodation of the members of
the police force, and as a place for the temporary detention of persons
arrested, with such business accommodations, apparatus and articles
as shall be necessary, and to provide for the care thereof.
(d)
On written consent of the mayor to offer rewards to induce persons
to give information which shall lead to the detention, arrest and
conviction of persons guilty of homicide, arson or receiving stolen
goods, knowing them to be stolen, and such regards shall be audited
and a warrant issued by the chief of police to the persons who shall
have given such information, upon certificate of the city judge that
such person is entitled thereto.
(e)
To appoint special patrolmen for temporary and emergency services
on the written consent of the mayor, and to allow and pay such special
patrolmen compensation for their services not exceeding the rate fixed
for police officers; such special officers while acting as such, shall
possess the powers and be subject to the orders, rules and regulations
of the chief of police in the same manner as policemen.
(f)
To designate some person to take charge of all property alleged
to be stolen or embezzled and which may be brought into the police
office, and all property taken from the person of a prisoner, or which
shall be lost or abandoned, and which shall come into the possession
of any member of the police force or the city court; all such property
and money shall be registered in a book kept for that purpose, which
shall contain the name of the owner, if ascertained, the place where
found, the name of the person from whom taken, with the circumstances.
The chief of police shall procure through the commissioner of
finance and keep in repair through the commissioner of public works
the police apparatus and shall provide storage therefor and have control
thereof.
The chief of police shall arrange with the commissioner of finance
for the purchase of all supplies and all articles necessary for the
police department and shall have supervision of all automobiles, motorcycles
and traffic lights and signals and any other apparatus used by the
department, and all repairs made thereto, and shall keep himself informed
as to the condition of the same. When in his opinion it is expedient
that additions be made thereto, he shall estimate and certify to the
mayor, who may in his discretion transmit it to the common council
in his budget proposal for the ensuing year, the amount of money necessary
for such additions.
The trial board or any member thereof shall have power to issue
subpoenas, to compel the attendance of witnesses upon and proceedings
authorized by its rules and regulations and in all matters pertaining
tot he department. The trial board of any member thereof is hereby
authorized and empowered to administer affirmation and oaths to any
person summoned and appearing in any matter or proceeding authorized
as aforesaid and in all matters pertaining to the department, or the
duties of any officer, or to take any depositions necessary to be
made under the orders, rules and regulations of police department.
Any willful false swearing by any witness to any material fact in
any proceeding before the trial board shall be deemed perjury, and
punished in the same manner now prescribed by law for such offence.
Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of chief of police
and in the absence or disability of said chief of police, the city
administrator shall designate any other officer of the force to execute
and perform the duties of chief of police during the period of such
absence or disability.
In addition to the persons described in § 240.25 of
the Penal Law, the following persons within the city shall be deemed
disorderly persons, may be proceeded against as such, and punished
according to the provisions of this act:
(a)
Any person who, with the intent to disturb the public peace,
shall recklessly discharge firearms; or knowingly give a false alarm
of fire; or shall lounge or loiter about the approaches, passages,
entrance hall or stairway of any buildings used for public assemblages
to the annoyance of persons passing; or who shall without authority,
disturb or interrupt any public or private assemblage; or shall, being
a licensed taxi operator, owner or driver of any taxi or public bus
within the said city, violate any regulation of the common council
relating to such persons or property; or shall throw stones or other
missiles to the danger of persons or property; or shall wantonly or
maliciously injure any street or public electric light or wires, gas
lamp, lamp post, gas pipe or main, parking meters or apparatus for
the extinguishment of fire; or shall violate the provisions of any
ordinance of the city for which is no other punishment or penalty
is provided in such ordinance.
(b)
On conviction any disorderly persons may be punished by fine,
or imprisoned in the Dutchess County jail, or both such fine or imprisonment.
Such fine shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) nor such
imprisonment be for longer than fifteen days.
Notwithstanding any other section of state or local law, if any, which might otherwise limit or prohibit the city from imposing the penalty hereinafter set forth, or inconsistent herewith, and with the intent to supersede said inconsistent law, if any exists, in addition to all other penalties set forth in chapter
9 of the code of ordinances for violations of said chapter, a person found guilty of violating any section of said chapter may be required to perform community service for the city. Prior to imposing said penalty of community service, the city court judge shall obtain a report from the city administration containing the city administrators recommendations regarding the appropriateness of requiring community service, and the nature and extent of community service that should be performed for the city and the city court judge shall consider this report in reaching a determination as to the imposition of said penalty.
[L.L. No. 7-1999, § 1; L.L.
No. 5-2001, § 1; L.L.
No. 1-2018, 2-20-2018, §
3]
(a)
Pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Home Rule Law and § 150.10 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the Parking Office Administrator and Senior Parking Lot Attendants, who are civilian employees of the Department of Public Works of the city and public servants of the city, are hereby authorized to issue and serve appearance tickets for any violation of Articles
IX,
XV and
XXI of Chapter
13 of the city code of ordinances entitled "Motor Vehicles and Traffic," to be returnable in the city court of the city.
(b)
Pursuant to the provisions of Municipal Home Rule Law and § 150.10 of the Criminal Procedure Law, the Parking Office Administrator, Senior Parking Lot Attendants and Parking Control Officers, who are civilian employees of the Parking Department of the City of Poughkeepsie and public servants of the City of Poughkeepsie, are hereby authorized to issue and serve appearance tickets for any parking violation of Chapter
13 of the City of Poughkeepsie Code of Ordinances entitled "Motor Vehicles and Traffic," to be returnable in the city court of the city.
Pursuant to § 1224 of the State Vehicle and Traffic
Law, subdivision 6(a), as amended, the common council of the city
does hereby authorize and empower the city police department to convert
to its own use, in any calendar year, up to one percent of its unclaimed
abandoned vehicles, not affected by subdivision 2 of that section,
or two (2) such vehicles, whichever is greater.