The primary responsibility for the keeping of peace and order in the Township shall be in the Police Chief who shall be appointed by the Board.
[Amended 5-19-1998 at referendum]
The Police Chief may be removed for cause, though he shall retain the same protection with regard to promotions and discharges as police officers of non-charter Second Class Townships.
It shall be the duty of the Police Department to preserve the public peace, prevent and detect crime, police the streets and highways, and enforce traffic statutes, ordinances and regulations relating thereto. The Police Department and its personnel shall at all times aid in the administration and enforcement within the Township of the laws of the United States of America and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the ordinances of the Township of West Deer. The Police Chief shall promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to the Police Department which shall include a system designed to assure appointment and promotion within the Department on the basis of merit and aptitude for police science as demonstrated by independent, professionally administered tests and by the favorable recommendation of an oral board composed of persons independent of the appointing authority. The Chief shall conduct background investigations of candidates for police department appointments and report the same to the Board of Supervisors, recommending whether or not an appointment should be made. New appointees shall serve a one-year probationary period during which time the Chief shall make an evaluation of the probationer every month. The Chief shall also make monthly evaluations of members of the department for potential promotion which shall also be considered when promotions are to be made.
Police officers shall have all the powers and protection conferred by statute upon members of the police force of non-charter Townships of the Second Class and upon constables of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. They shall have the power to make lawful searches, seizures and arrests for violations of any statute or ordinance in force in the Township, to serve subpoenas when ordered so to do by their superior officers, and to do such other acts as may be required of them by statute or ordinance.
All police officers shall continue to have the same protection with regard to promotion and discharge as police officers of non-charter Second Class Townships.