[Adopted 8-27-1997 by Ord. No. 13-97]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-156.1, there is
hereby established a mutual aid agreement between the Township of
Mansfield, Warren County, New Jersey and the Borough of Washington,
Warren County, New Jersey, upon its adoption of a reciprocal ordinance
to this article.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Mansfield,
Warren County, New Jersey or his designee is authorized to request
assistance from the Chief of Police, his designee or other head of
the police department of the Borough of Washington, Warren County,
New Jersey or any other municipality, which from time to time may
adopt a reciprocal ordinance to this article, to provide aid during
and after any emergency in order to protect life and property or to
assist in suppressing a riot or disorder. For purposes of this section, the term "emergency"
shall be broadly defined and shall include any situation in which
the number of available police officers in the Township of Mansfield
is insufficient to meet the public need in any particular situation.
A.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Mansfield,
Warren County, New Jersey or his designee shall provide assistance
to the Borough of Washington, Warren County, New Jersey or to any
other municipality that accepts the terms of this or similar mutual
aid agreement by reciprocal ordinance and which makes a valid request
to supply such personnel and equipment in the event of any emergency,
to the extent possible without endangering persons or property within
the Township of Mansfield, Warren County, New Jersey. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Township of Mansfield specifically reserves the
right to withdraw personnel and/or equipment if emergent conditions
in the Township of Mansfield so warrant. The decision of the Chief
of Police of the Township of Mansfield, or his designee, in his or
her absence, with respect to the extent and duration of aid to the
Township of Mansfield which can be afforded without endangering persons
or property within the Township of Mansfield, shall be binding. For
the purposes of this section, the term "emergency" shall be broadly
defined and shall include any situation in which the number of available
police officers in the Borough of Washington is insufficient to meet
the public need in any particular situation.
B.
The members of the Police Department of the Township
of Mansfield supplying such aid shall have the same powers, authority,
rights and immunities as the members of the Police Department of the
Borough of Washington, Warren County, New Jersey or any other municipality
to which assistance is rendered under this mutual aid agreement or
similar agreement. At any time as aid is being rendered in accordance
with this agreement, the highest ranking officer of the Borough of
Washington Police Department present at the scene shall assume command.
The Township of Mansfield shall, upon providing
assistance to the Borough of Washington, Warren County, New Jersey
or to any other municipality which has enacted a reciprocal mutual
aid ordinance, assume the cost and expense of providing its personnel
and equipment to the requesting municipality pursuant to this agreement
if the duration of aid is eight man hours or less, or in such instances
where the requesting municipality receives state or federal aid by
way of reimbursement. Under such circumstances, the costs incurred
by the Township of Mansfield shall be submitted to the Borough of
Washington or such other requesting municipality for reimbursement
out of the state or federal aid funds received or from the Borough
of Washington is the duration of aid exceeds eight man hours and no
state or federal aid is available.
Any member of the Police Department of the Township
of Mansfield suffering injury or their legal representatives if death
results while rendering assistance to another municipality, shall
be entitled to all such benefits they would have realized if injury
or death had occurred in the performance of their normal duties within
the Township of Mansfield, Warren County, New Jersey.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Mansfield
or his designee and the Chief of Police of the Borough of Washington,
Warren County, New Jersey, shall jointly prepare written standard
operating procedures which address the implementation of this mutual
aid agreement. A copy of the standard operating procedures and all
amendments and revisions thereto shall be filed with each participating
Police Department and the Clerk of the Township of Mansfield and the
Clerk of the Borough of Washington, Warren County, New Jersey, and
with the police dispatcher of each municipality or the 911 Emergency
Center for Warren County, whichever shall be applicable, for either
the Borough of Washington or the Township of Mansfield, Warren County,
New Jersey.
This mutual aid agreement shall have an initial
term of one year and shall be automatically renewed for additional
and successive one-year terms, unless and until one of the parties
hereto elects to terminate this agreement by providing 90 days' prior
written notice to the other party to this agreement.
A copy of this article shall be transmitted
to the Municipal Clerk of the Borough of Washington, Warren County,
New Jersey, no later than 10 business days following final adoption.
This article shall take effect upon final adoption
and publication as provided by law and or upon the effective date
of the reciprocal ordinance duly adopted by the Borough of Washington,
Warren County, New Jersey, whichever is later.
