[Amended 12-21-1993 by Ord. No. 1993-11]
There shall be a Police Department in and for the Township of Willingboro and which shall be composed of such officers, full-time police officers and special law enforcement officers as may be appointed by the Township Manager. The Township Manager shall be the appropriate authority as provided in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118 et seq.
[Amended 5-26-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-20]
The Director of Public Safety shall be the head of the Police Department and shall be responsible for the organizational and administrative control of the Police Department.
A. 
Appointment. The Director of Public Safety shall be appointed by the Township Manager for a term to be fixed by the Township Manager and to be set forth in an employment agreement between the Township and the Director of Public Safety. The Director of Public Safety may be reappointed for additional terms in a similar manner. The Township Manager may terminate the appointment, with or without cause, by giving the Director of Public Safety 90 days' written notice.
B. 
Qualifications. The Director of Public Safety shall be a citizen of the United States, shall be qualified by education, training and experience, including at least five years' supervisory or management law enforcement experience, and shall meet such other qualifications as may be established by the Township Manager.
C. 
Residency. The Director of Public Safety shall not be required to be a resident of the municipality during the first term of appointment, but shall be required to be a resident of the municipality upon any reappointment and to maintain residency thereafter.
D. 
Powers and duties. The Director of Public Safety shall, pursuant to policies established by the Township Manager:
(1) 
Be the executive head of the Police Department, subject to the direction and supervision of the Manager, and shall be responsible to the Township Manager for the efficiency and routine day-to-day operations of the Department and the supervision of its activities, including the performance of all functions assigned to the Director of Public Safety under any collective bargaining agreements applicable to employees within the Police Department;
(2) 
Be responsible for the observation and enforcement of all laws of the state and ordinances within the jurisdiction of the Police Department and shall perform such other duties as shall be prescribed by ordinance or by directive of the Township Manager;
(3) 
Administer and enforce rules and regulations and special emergency directives for the disposition and discipline of the Police Department and its officers and personnel;
(4) 
Have, exercise and discharge all of the administrative functions, powers and duties of the police force;
(5) 
Prescribe the duties and assignments of all subordinates and other personnel;
(6) 
Delegate any authority that the Director of Public Safety may deem necessary for the efficient operation of the force, to be exercised under the direction and supervision of the Director of Public Safety;
(7) 
See that all persons connected with the Department are properly instructed in their duties and shall give particular attention to the training and instruction of new members thereof;
(8) 
Have control of all records and property of the Police Department and designate any member of the Department to prepare reports and keep the records in the manner that the Director of Public Safety may prescribe, as well as to take charge of any property coming into the custody of the Department;
(9) 
Furnish to the Township Manager, in such form as shall be prescribed by the Township Manager, complete monthly and yearly reports on the operation of the Police Department and make such other reports as may be requested by the Township Manager.
The Township Manager may, but shall not be required to, appoint a Deputy Director of Public Safety, who shall perform all of the duties of the Director of Public Safety in the absence of the Director of Public Safety and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Director of Public Safety or the Township Manager.
A. 
Qualifications. The Deputy Director of Public Safety shall be a citizen of the United States, shall be qualified by education, training and experience, including at least three years' supervisory or management law enforcement experience, and shall meet such other qualifications as may be established by the Township Manager.
B. 
Residency. The Deputy Director of Public Safety shall not be required to be a resident of the municipality during the first term of appointment, but shall be required to be a resident of the municipality upon any reappointment and to maintain residency thereafter.
Except as provided herein, the Township Council and individual Council members shall act in all matters relating to the police function in the municipality as a body, or through the Township Manager.
Nothing herein contained shall prevent the appointment by the Township Council of committees or commissions to conduct investigations of the operation of the Police Department, and the delegation to those committees or commissions of those powers of inquiry as the Township Council deems necessary or to conduct any hearing or investigation authorized by law. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Township Manager from examining at any time the operations of the Police Department or the performance of any officer or member thereof. In addition, nothing herein contained shall infringe on or limit the power or duty of the Township Council or the Township Manager to act to provide for the health, safety or welfare of the municipality in an emergency situation through special emergency directive.
A. 
Each applicant for a position as an officer or member of the Police Department of the Township of Willingboro shall:
(1) 
Meet basic requirements for a position as an officer or member of the Police Department of the Township as set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122 and in other general statutes and applicable special legislation and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the State Department of Personnel with respect to the position and meet the additional qualifications hereinafter set forth in this subsection.
(2) 
Be more than 18 and less than 30 years of age.
(3) 
Be sound in body and of good health sufficient to satisfy the State Board of Trustees of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System that such person is eligible for membership in the retirement system.
(4) 
Be able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently.
(5) 
Be of good moral character and must not have been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.
(6) 
Satisfactorily serve a probationary period and successfully complete a police training course as provided by law.
B. 
All applicants for the position of police officer, who have qualified under Department of Personnel rules, shall make written application to the Director of Public Safety and at the same time submit such proof as shall be requested with respect to the above qualifications.
Each full-time police officer appointed to the Police Department of the Township of Willingboro may pursue other employment outside of the duty hours as prescribed by the Manager and subject to the approval of the Manager.
The rights, privileges, powers and duties of the members of the Police Department, including temporary officers and special law enforcement officers, shall be those prescribed by the laws of the state governing municipal police departments generally, by the Charter and ordinances and resolutions of the Township of Willingboro and such rules and regulations which may from time to time be established by the Director of Public Safety with the approval of the Township Manager. The Police Department members shall:
A. 
Preserve the public peace, protect life and liberty, prevent crimes, detect and arrest offenders against the penal laws and ordinances effective within the Township, 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 make and enforce rules and regulations not inconsistent with the ordinances of the Township for such purposes.
C. 
Remove or cause to be removed all nuisances in the public streets, parks, and other public places of the Township, inspect and observe all places of public amusement or assemblage and all places of business requiring any state or municipal license or permit and report thereon to the appropriate department.
D. 
Respond to all fire alarms and assist the Fire Company in the protection of life and property, in regulating traffic, maintaining order, and in enforcing observance of Chapter 170, Article I, Fire Prevention Code. The Chief of the Fire Company may request the Township Manager and/or the officer in charge at the time of any emergency to provide the assistance of the police reserves in emergencies.
E. 
Provide for the attendance of its members in court as 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 governments.
F. 
Operate a training program to maintain and improve the police efficiency of the members of the Department.
G. 
Subject to the approval of the Township Manager, make, administer, and enforce rules and regulations for the disposition, conduct and discipline of the Department.
Each member of the Police Department shall devote his or her whole time and services thereto, except as provided in § 3-62. Although certain hours will be allotted for the performance of regular tours of duty, officers are considered at all times available for duty and must act promptly at any time that their services are required, except when on authorized leave or in the event of disability.
No member of the Police Department shall be promoted to or hold any superior rank within the Police Department until the officer has served at least three years in the Police Department.
Upon appointment, there shall be furnished to each police officer a uniform, badge, club and other necessary equipment, at the expense of the Township, which shall remain the property of the Township and which shall be maintained by the officer in a clean and usable condition. In addition thereto, an inventory of the uniforms and equipment shall be taken by the Director of Public Safety at the end of each calendar year to determine the need for replacement or new equipment. If uniforms or equipment may be needed or replaced, the Director of Public Safety shall make a recommendation to the Manager, and the Manager shall authorize the purchase or replacement of uniforms and equipment as the Manager deems necessary and proper.
The Director of Public Safety shall have the power to relieve from duty any member of the Police Department for the violation of any provision of this article or any rule governing the Police Department until such time as complaint and charge against such member shall have been disposed of by formal hearing.
The Township Manager may, as provided in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.8 et seq., appoint special law enforcement officers for a term not exceeding one year and revoke those appointments without cause or hearing.
A. 
Creation of position. In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.8 et seq., there is hereby created the position of special law enforcement officers for the Township of Willingboro. Each special law enforcement officer appointed shall be subject to the requirements of this section and the additional requirements set forth in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.8 et seq.
B. 
Classification and powers. The classifications of the special law enforcement officers shall be based upon the duties to be performed by those officers and are established as follows:
(1) 
Class One. Officers of this class are authorized to perform routine traffic detail, spectator control and similar duties as may be assigned by the Director of Public Safety or, in the absence of the Director of Public Safety, another law enforcement officer in a supervisory capacity designated by the Director of Public Safety to act in his stead. The Class One officers are also authorized to issue summonses for disorderly persons and petty disorderly persons offenses, violations of municipal ordinances and violations of N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq. The use of firearms by the Class One officers is strictly prohibited, and no Class One officer shall be assigned any duties which may require the carrying or use of a firearm.
(2) 
Class Two. Officers of this class are herewith authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those of a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer. They shall be assigned such powers and duties by the Director of Public Safety or, in the absence of the Director of Public Safety, another law enforcement officer in a supervisory capacity designated by the Director of Public Safety to act in his stead. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class may be authorized only after the officer has been fully certified as successfully completing training as prescribed by the Police Training Commission established within the State Department of Law and Public Safety.
C. 
Rules and regulations. All duly appointed special law enforcement officers shall be subject to the ordinances of the Township of Willingboro and to the rules and regulations governing the Police Department of the Township of Willingboro, including, but not limited to, the Standard Operating Procedures Police Manual of the Township of Willingboro.
D. 
Term of appointment. Special law enforcement officers shall be appointed by the Township Manager for a term not to exceed one year. In no event shall any appointment carry a term beyond the end of the calendar year of the year in which the appointment is made.
E. 
Limitations on number of special law enforcement officers.
(1) 
The number of special law enforcement officers employed by the Township of Willingboro shall be limited as follows:
(a) 
Class One: not more than the number of regular police officers employed by the Township of Willingboro.
(b) 
Class Two: not more than 25% of the number of regular officers employed by the Township of Willingboro or a total of 27 special law enforcement officers, whichever number is greater.
(2) 
Guidelines of limitation. The establishment of the limitations herein shall serve to provide maximum numbers only and shall not be interpreted to require the appointment of any specific number of special law enforcement officers. The number of special law enforcement officers actually appointed shall be a management decision made by the Township Manager in accordance with the budgetary guidelines established by the Township Council.
F. 
Residency requirement. No special law enforcement officer shall be appointed to a position with the Township of Willingboro who is not a bona fide resident of the Township of Willingboro, except that the Township Manager may, but is not required to, waive the residency requirement on a year-to-year basis in specific cases where the Township Manager determines that it is in the best interest of the Township to grant such a waiver. Whenever a waiver has been granted by the Township Manager, the waiver may be subject to such conditions as the Township Manager may determine. The preferences established in § 66-4 shall be applicable to special law enforcement officers. The Township Manager shall annually report to the Township Council the number of waivers granted, the reasons for the waivers and the conditions, if any, imposed on the waivers.
The Township Manager may, as provided in N.J.S.A. 40A:9-154.1, appoint adult school crossing guards (who may also be known as "school traffic guards") for a term not exceeding one year and revoke those appointments for cause and after hearing before the Director of Public Safety. An adult school crossing guard shall not be a member of the Police Department and shall not have the power to arrest or the right to bear firearms. Every adult school crossing guard shall be under the supervision and direction of the Police Department and shall comply with the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of the regular police officers of the Township.