Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-06-18
[BY AUTHORITY.
LAWS OF NEW JERSEY,
CHAPTER CXXVIII.


An Act respecting police departments of cities
and regulating the tenure and terms of office
of officers and men employed in said depart
mentS.
l. Be it enacted by the Senate and General
Assembly af the State of New jersey That in
the several cities of the state, the officers and
men employed by municipal authority in the
police department of any city, shall Severally
hold their respective offices and continue in
their respective employment as such municipal
o1hcerS and employees during good behavior
efficiency and residence in such city, except
where, by statute, the term of Office of any such
officer and employc is determined and fixed
and does not depend upon the pleasure of any
municipal officer, officers or board authorized to
make appointment or employment in said de
partments; and no person shall be removed
from office or employment in the police depart
ment of any city, or from the police force OF any
city, for political reasons or for any other
cause than incapacity, misconduct, non-resi-
dence or disobedence of just rules and regula-
tions established, or which may be established,
or the t police f9rGe ap or police Of
police force of any city who shall be absent
from duty, without Just cause for the term of
five days, SHALL at the expiration of said five
days, cease to he member of such police
force.
2. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful.
for the better government and discipline of the
police departments in the cities of this state for
the municipal authority or authorities i'm any
city, whose dntyit is or may become, to provide
for, regulate or manage police department in
such city, from time to time to prescribe and es-
tabilsh just rules and regulations respecting
such.
3. And be it enacted, That each member and
officer of the police force shall be citizen of the
United States and Il resident citizen for two
years of the city in which he is appointed, able
to read and write the English language under
standingly; he must be of good moral charac-
ter, of good health and sound body
4. And bet enacted, That no person shall be
appointed an officer or member Of the police
force in any city who has ever been convicted
of a crime who is less than twenty one wears
or over forty i've years of age at the time of his
appointment.
s. And be it enacted, That no person. whether
officer or employe, in the police department of
any city, shall not be removed from office or
employment therein, except for just cause as
provided in the first section of this act then
only after written charge or charges of the
cause or causes of complaint Shall have beon
preferred against any such officer or empIove
signed by the person or persons making such
chafge or charges. and filed in the Office of the
municipal ofhcer, officers Or board having
charge of the department in which tho COM
paint arises, and after the said charge or
| charges have been publicly examined into by
the appropriate municipal board officer or au-
tnorlty, upon such reasonable notice to the
person charged. and in such manner of eyami
nation as the rules and regulations goyerninp
the same may prescribe, it being the intent Of
tnls act 10 give every person against whom
chafgeS Tor any cause may be preferred under
rs acG iair trial upon said charges and every
any he has or chooses to make, and the officer
% %Doard or BODY having power to- try such charges
naNe power TO issue writs of subpoena to
Shail pc served in the same manner as subpusnas
ISSUED out or The court for the trial of small
| causes, and every person who neglects or re-
iuses to obey the command of such writ shall
pe haple TO penalty of twenty-five dollars. to
~, ne sued lor IN the corporate name of the city,
IN any court of competent jurisdiction. and the
penalty when collected shall be paid into tho
poor fund of such city. ~
Of o. And be it enacted That all acts and parts
OF acts inconsistent with the provisions of this
act &C, DC and the same are hereby repealed, and
th,t thls act shall take effect immediately
Approved March 25 1856