Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2, there is hereby created the title of housing police officer.
A. 
The Public Safety Director is hereby authorized to appoint any person who is eligible under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2 as a housing police officer.
B. 
No person shall be appointed unless he:
(1) 
Is a citizen of the United States.
(2) 
Is a resident of the city.
(3) 
Is able to read, write and speak the English language well and intelligently.
(4) 
Is sound in body and mind and of good physical and mental health as evidenced by favorable results of medical and psychological examinations. The provisions of this subsection relative to physical and psychological examinations shall not be applicable to any housing guard who shall have been appointed to the position of housing guard from a civil service list upon adoption.
(5) 
Is of good moral character.
(6) 
Has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude.
(7) 
Has successfully completed a police training course or program approved by the Police Training Commission.
(8) 
Is a high school graduate or has received a high school equivalency certificate or diploma.
[Added 11-12-1985 by Ord. No. 85-097; amended 5-19-1992 by Ord. No. 92-023; 8-11-1992 by Ord. No. 92-043; 1-23-1996 by Ord. No. 96-003]
The housing police shall consist of the following:
A. 
Two (2) Captains of Housing Police.
B. 
Five (5) Lieutenants of Housing Police.
C. 
Five (5) Sergeants of Housing Police.
D. 
Thirty-five (35) housing police officers.
[Amended 12-19-1995 by Ord. No. 95-068]
Any person who may be appointed as a housing police officer who was not holding the position or employment of a housing guard or housing patrolman on August 16, 1975, must fulfill all eligibility requirements that may be established by the Civil Service Commission for appointment to the title of housing police officer and all of the requirements set forth in § 81-27B.
Housing police officers appointed in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2 shall have all the powers conferred by law upon police officers in the enforcement of the laws of this state or municipal ordinances, including the power to apprehend offenders.
Housing police officers shall perform the following duties:
A. 
Tour of duty which shall be limited to patrolling the grounds, buildings and other areas and facilities of public housing projects in the city in order to protect persons and designated buildings, grounds and property from trespass, damage and theft.
B. 
Maintain orderly conditions within the housing projects.
C. 
Give first aid in case of accidents.
D. 
When necessary, apprehend, warn and take into custody violators of the law.
E. 
Give testimony in court.
F. 
Prepare reports.
G. 
Do related work as required.
None of the housing police officers appointed in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.2 shall be considered to be a member or officer of the Police Division.
All housing police officers appointed pursuant to this Article shall be under the supervision of the Chief of Police and shall comply with all the rules and regulations applicable to the conduct and decorum of the regular police officers of the city.
[Added 6-26-1990 by Ord. No. 90-025]
A. 
Whenever an officer of the Paterson housing police force is a defendant in any action or legal proceeding arising out of and directly related to the lawful exercise of police powers in the furtherance of his/her official duties, said officer shall be provided with the necessary means of the defense of such action or proceeding, but not for the defense of said officer in any disciplinary proceeding instituted against him/her by the city or in a criminal proceeding instituted as a result of a complaint filed by the city. If any such disciplinary or criminal proceeding instituted by or on complaint of the city shall be dismissed or filing determined in favor of the officer, he/she shall be reimbursed for the expense of his/her defense in accordance with the terms and conditions of this chapter.
B. 
Procedure.
(1) 
A Paterson housing police officer who is named as a defendant in an eligible criminal proceeding which is tried and disposed of in the Municipal Court shall obtain the services of any attorney to represent said officer in those proceedings, provided that within ten (10) days of the time said officer is served with a copy of the complaint, said officer provides the Corporation Counsel with a copy of said complaint. The city will pay such attorney fees as are authorized by the most current fee schedule promulgated by the Municipal Council for representation of police officers in the Municipal Court.
(2) 
In all other eligible civil and/or criminal proceedings, the housing police officer shall be permitted to select any attorney to represent said officer in those proceedings unless the city has previously arranged for representation. Prior to the housing police officer entering into any agreement for representation with any attorney, the attorney so designated must provide the Corporation Counsel, in writing, with a fair estimate of the anticipated costs of services and must further agree, in writing, to charge the city only those fees which are authorized by the most recent fee schedule adopted by the Municipal Council. No agreement between the housing police officer, the attorney and the city shall be considered binding unless and until a resolution adopted pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5 has been approved by the Municipal Council and a written contract has been executed by the city and the attorney.
(3) 
In the event that the housing police officer is subject to disciplinary actions or criminal proceedings commenced by the municipality, the housing police officer so charged shall select such attorney as he/she deems appropriate without prior approval of the city. However, if any such disciplinary or criminal proceeding instituted by or on complaint of the city shall be dismissed or finally determined in favor of the officer, the city shall pay only such fees as are set forth in the most recent fee schedule adopted by the Municipal Council.
C. 
This section shall apply to any and all eligible civil or criminal cases pending against housing police officers as of December 1, 1989.