There shall be in the Town of Woodbridge a Board
of Police Commissioners.
The Commission shall consist of five resident
electors of the Town of Woodbridge.
The Commissioners shall elect biennially a Chairperson
and Clerk from their number and shall be sworn to a faithful performance
of their duties. The Chairperson or a majority of the members of the
Board may call meetings of the Board. A majority shall constitute
a quorum. The Board shall hold regular meetings and keep records of
the same.
A.Â
Statutory. Said Board shall have all of the powers
given by the General Statutes to boards of police commissioners, shall
have general management and control of the Police Department of the
Town of Woodbridge and of the property and equipment used in connection
therewith, shall make all needful regulations for the government thereof
not contrary to law and may prescribe suitable penalties for the violation
of any such regulation, including suspension or removal from office
of any officer or member of the Police Department. Such Board shall
have the sole power of appointment, promotion and removal of the officers
and members of the Police Department, under such regulations as it
adopts for the purpose, and such appointees shall hold office during
good behavior and until removal for cause upon written charges and
after hearing. The Board shall annually prepare a budget and shall
appoint the officers and employees of the Police Department. The members
of the Police Department shall have all such authority with respect
to the service of criminal process and the enforcement of the criminal
laws as is fixed by the General Statutes in police officers and constables.
B.Â
Enforcement of laws. Said Board shall cause to be
faithfully enforced in said Town all the laws of the state and all
ordinances and laws of the Town of Woodbridge. Said Board shall have
jurisdiction within said Town of the parking of automobiles upon the
streets and highways of Woodbridge, and may make regulations concerning
the same and concerning the traffic by automobiles in Woodbridge,
so far as the same shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of
the General Statutes and shall act as the traffic authority of the
Town of Woodbridge.
C.Â
Rules and regulations.
(1)Â
Said Board may make rules concerning the regulation
of traffic and parking of automobiles in Woodbridge. No regulations
shall be enacted, amended or repealed by the Board until a public
hearing has been held thereon. The Board shall set such a public hearing,
and shall give notice thereof if it proposes to enact, amend or repeal
a regulation. Notice of the date, time and place of such a hearing,
together with a copy of the proposed regulation, amendment or regulation
to be repealed shall be filed by the Board with the Town Clerk, and
the Town Clerk shall cause the same to be published in a newspaper
of general circulation in the Town, not less than 10 days prior to
the date set for the hearing.
(2)Â
Within five days after passage, the Board shall file
with the Town Clerk a copy of its resolution enacting, amending or
repealing a regulation, and the Town Clerk, within 15 days thereafter,
shall cause the same to be published one time in a newspaper of general
circulation in the Town. The action of the Board in enacting, amending
or repealing a regulation shall become effective on a date to be specified
in such resolution which shall not be less than 30 days nor more than
90 days after date of passage.
D.Â
Safety Commission. The said Board shall assume the
duties of the former Safety Commission. The Board shall concern itself
with safety on streets and highways, recreational facilities, schools,
and all public facilities. The Board shall coordinate all safety programs
and efforts of Town officials and boards, shall conduct and promote
safety educational programs and campaigns, shall make recommendations
concerning safety to all Town officials and boards, shall assist in
implementing such safety programs and efforts as it determines necessary
and advisable, shall recommend action to the Board of Selectmen, Board
of Education, and other boards and officials, and shall inform the
Board of Selectmen of its actions on a continuing basis.
[Amended 10-14-2009, effective
11-13-2009]
The officers appointed by said Board shall be
known as "police officers," shall have all the powers and privileges
vested in police officers by the General Statutes, and shall be subject
to the rules and regulations and orders of the Board of Police Commissioners.
No person shall be appointed a police officer
in the Town of Woodbridge until such person shall have passed an examination
prescribed by said Board as to his education, physical and general
qualifications, including a test of his knowledge of the criminal
and motor vehicle laws of the state and the powers and duties of police
officers.
22 Special Laws of Connecticut, 1935-1937, No.
272, is hereby repealed.
