There shall be a Police Commission of three members who shall
be electors of the Town. The members shall serve without compensation
and shall hold no other office of trust or emolument in the Town government.
Service on committees of the Town government is not prohibited by
this section, provided that such service does not create a conflict
of interest as defined in the Town Code of Ethics.
The Selectmen shall annually on or promptly after the first
day of December appoint one member of the Police Commission who, after
qualification, shall hold office for a term of three years from the
first day of December and until a successor has been appointed and
shall have qualified. There shall be minority representation on the
Commission in accordance with § 9-167a of the General Statutes.
On or promptly after the first day of December in each year,
the Police Commission shall meet at the call of the First Selectman
to choose one of its members to be Chairman and one of its members
to be Secretary. The Chairman shall, when present, preside at all
meetings of the Commission and shall have a vote as a member thereof.
The Secretary shall file in the office of the Town Clerk a record
of all proceedings, acts and resolutions of the Commission, including
the votes of each member on all actions taken, and such record shall
be a public record. Two members shall be a quorum for the transaction
of business at any meeting.
The Police Commission shall manage and supervise the police
force of the Town and shall exercise powers and perform duties with
respect thereto as follows:
A.
Employ and appoint a Chief of Police, subordinate police officers
and other persons as regular or special members of the police force
as may be necessary for the adequate protection of the Town.
B.
Recommend to the Selectmen changes in the classification and compensation
of police officers and members of the police force.
C.
Make rules and regulations, after consultation with the Selectmen,
for the proper government of the police force, copies of which shall
be delivered to each officer and member of the force.
D.
Remove, suspend or fine any officer or member of the police force
for violation of any such rules and regulations or for conduct found
by the Commission to be detrimental to the public welfare but only
after a hearing by the Commission upon written charges delivered to
the accused person a reasonable time before such hearing, at which
hearing such person may be represented by counsel.
The Police Commission may make and from time to time change
rules for the regulation of traffic on streets, highways and other
public places under the jurisdiction of the Police Commission, not
inconsistent with the ordinances of the Town or the law, and may fix
a penalty for violation thereof. Upon adoption by the Police Commission,
such rules shall not be effective until 10 days after their publication.
Such rules may be altered, amended, suspended or repealed in the same
manner as they may be adopted. All existing traffic regulations shall
remain in effect until altered, amended, suspended or repealed in
accordance with the provisions hereof. In formulating any such rules,
the Police Commission shall consider recommendations from the Parking
Commission, the Board of Selectmen, and the Town Council.
