[Adopted 9-14-1994 by Ord. No. 11-94]
Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-156.1, there is
hereby established a mutual aid agreement with the Townships of Washington,
Oxford, Independence, Lebanon and the Town of Hackettstown (hereinafter
referred to as "adjoining municipalities"), which shall become effective
as to each adjoining municipality upon the adoption by that adjoining
municipality of a reciprocal ordinance to provide mutual police aid
in case of emergency. This agreement shall apply whenever the Township
of Mansfield (hereinafter referred to as "Township") may have an emergency
within its boundaries requiring additional police assistance to protect
life and property and whenever an adjoining municipality may experience
a similar emergency.
For purposes of this article, the term "emergency" shall be
broadly defined and shall include situations in which the number of
available police officers in the Township or in any participating
adjoining municipality in insufficient to meet the public need in
a particular situation. The Chief or head of the Township Police Department
and each adjoining participating municipality's police departments
shall jointly prepare written standard operating procedures (hereinafter
referred to as "SOP"), which shall address procedures for the day-to-day
implementation of mutual police aid. A copy of the SOP and all amendments
and revisions thereto shall be filed with the police departments and
the respective municipal clerks of each municipality and with the
police dispatcher for each municipality and, when applicable, Warren
County 911.
The Chief or the head of the Police Department of the Township,
or in his her absence, the highest ranking officer in the chain of
command, is hereby authorized to request assistance from the Chief
or other head of any participating adjoining municipality's police
department to provide aid in accordance with this agreement and the
SOP.
The Township Police Department shall provide assistance to any participating
adjoining municipality when a valid request, in accordance with this
agreement and the SOP to supply personnel, is made to the extent possible
without endangering persons or property within the confines of the
Township. The Township specifically reserves the right to withdraw
personnel or equipment if emergent conditions in the Township so warrant.
The decision of the Chief of Police, or in his or her absence, the
highest officer in the chain of command, with respect to the extent
and duration of aid to any participating adjoining municipality which
can be afforded without endangering persons or property within the
Township, shall be binding.
The members of the Township's Police Department
supplying aid shall have the same powers, authority, rights and immunities
as the members of the police force of the participating adjoining
municipality's department when aid is being rendered therein; however,
the highest ranking office of the participating adjoining municipality's
department presented at the scene shall assume command.
The members of the participating adjoining municipality's
department supplying aid shall have the same powers, authority, rights
and immunities as the same powers, authority, rights and immunities
as the members of the police force of the Township when aid is being
rendered therein; however, the highest ranking officer of the Township
present at the scene shall assume command.
The Township shall assume the cost and expense
for providing its personnel and equipment to participating adjoining
municipalities pursuant to this agreement if the duration of aid is
eight man hours or less, or in instances in which the Township received
state or federal aid by way of reimbursement. In circumstances in
which the duration of aid exceeds eight man hours and where no state
or federal aid is available, the cost incurred shall be submitted
to the participating adjoining municipality for reimbursement.
Members of the police force of the Township
suffering injury, or their legal representatives, if death results,
while rendering assistance in a participating adjoining municipality,
shall be entitled to all such benefits they would have realized if
injury or death had incurred in the performance of normal duties in
the Township, such benefits to be provided by the Township.
So long as this agreement is in full force and
effect, all participating municipalities shall maintain general liability
insurance in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 for personal injury
and $500,000 for property damage and liability insurance for police
enforcement activities in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 and shall
annually provide the Township with Certificates of insurance showing
said insurance is in full force and effect.
This article shall take effect upon final passage
and publication according to law and, as to each adjoining municipality,
upon that respective municipality's adoption and publication of a
reciprocal ordinance.
