The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-14
CHAPTER CxxyTIr.

An Act respecting police departments of cities and
. regulating the tenure and terms of office of Off
GERS and men employed in said departments.
1. Be it enacted by the Senate and General AS
sembly of the State of New jersey That in the
several cities of the state, the officers and men
ployed by municipal authority in the police de-
partment of any city, shall severally hold their
respective offices and continue in their respective
employment as such municipal officers and en-
ployes during good behavior, efficiency and resi-
dence IN such city, except where, by statute the
term of Office of any such officer and employe is
determined and fixed, and does not depend upon
1 the pleasure of any municipal officer, officers or
board authorized to make appointment or employ
ment in said departments; and no person shall be
removed from office or employment in the police
department of any city, or from the police force of
any city. for political reasons or for any other
cause than incapacity, misconduct, non residence
or disobedenee of just rules and regulations estab
lished or which may be established for the police
force or police department of such city provided,
that any member of the 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 be member of such
police force o. -
q 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
nicipa authority or authorities in any city whose
duty it is or may become, to provide for regulate
OF manage police department, in such city, from
time to time to prescribe and establish just rules
and regulations respecting such.
8. And be it enacted, That each member and
officer of the police force shall be citizen of the
United States and resident citizen for two years
of the city in which he is appointed able to read
and write the English language Understandings;
he must be of good moral character, of good
health and sound body.
4. And be it enacted, That no person shall be
appointed an officer or member of the police force
in any city who has ever been convicted of crime
who is less than twenty-one years or over forty
five 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 be removed from Office or employment
therein, except for just cause as provided in the
first section of this act, then only after written
plant shall have been preferred against any such
officer or employe signed by the person or per-
sons making such charge or charges and filed in
the office of the municipal officer, officers or board
having charge of the department in which the
complaint arises, and after the said charge or
charges have been publicly examined into by the
appropriate municipal board, officer or authority,
tuponsuch reasonable notice to the person charged,
and in such manner of examination as the rules
and regulations governing the same may pre-
scribe 1t being the intent of this act to give every
person against whom charges for any cause may be
preferred under this act, fair trial upon said
Charges, and every reasonable opportunity to
make his defense if any he has chooses to make,
and the officer, board or body having power to
try such charges shall have power to issue wris
of subpoena to compel the attendance of witnesses,
which writs shall be served in the same manner as
Subpmnas issued out of the court for trial of
small causes. and every person who neglecs or re-
fuses to obey the command of such writ shall be
liable to- a penalty of twenty-five dollars, to be
sued for in the corporate name of the city, in any
court of competent Jurisdiction, and the penalty,
when collected, shall be paid into the poor fund
of such city.
acts inconsistent with the provisions of this act
be and the same are hereby repealed, and that
this act shall take effect Immediately.
Approved March 25 1885.