Source: https://www.ecode360.com/6696725
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 03:00:43+00:00

Document:
§ 65-4 Term of appointment.
§ 65-5 Department created; organization.
§ 65-6 Public Safety Committee.
§ 65-7 Qualification of Department members.
§ 65-8 Powers and duties of Department.
§ 65-9 Powers and duties of Chief of Police.
§ 65-10 Removal of Department members.
§ 65-11 Special law enforcement officers.
§ 65-13 Rules and regulations.
§ 65-14 Promotions to Chief of Police, Lieutenant and/or Sergeant.
The position of Police Chaplain is created in the Borough of Rockaway's Police Department.
Said Police Chaplain shall be appointed by the Mayor with consent of Council upon written recommendation of the Police Chief.
This appointment shall be without salary, rank or employment benefits.
The term of appointment shall be undefined and shall be terminated upon written recommendation of the Police Chief.
Editor's Note: Original Sec. V, which immediately followed this section and stated that this legislation amended and superseded Ord. No. 13-85, was repealed 11-14-1991 by Ord. No. 22-91.
The roles of Detective and Juvenile Detective/School Resource Officer will be assigned from within the organizational position of Sergeant and/or patrolman.
The members of the Public Safety Committee shall be designated as the appropriate authority as provided in N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118. They shall be responsible for the overall performance of the Police Department and shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the government of the Police Department and for the discipline of its members.
No person shall be appointed to the Police Department who is not qualified as provided in the New Jersey Statutes. The Public Safety Committee may also require that an applicant for appointment to the Police Department successfully complete a physical, mental and psychological examination.
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B, regarding the fee to be paid by an applicant, added 5-13-2010 by Ord. No. 08-10, was repealed 4-14-2016 by Ord. No. 07-16.
Preserve the public peace and protect life and property.
Detect, arrest and prosecute offenders of the law of New Jersey and the ordinances of the Borough of Rockaway.
Provide attendance and protection during emergencies.
Cooperate with all other law enforcement agencies.
Delegate such authority as may be deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the Police Department to be exercised under the Chief's direction and control.
Report at least once monthly to the Council, in such form as shall be prescribed, on the operation of the Police Department during the preceding month and make such other reports as may be requested by the Council.
No member or officer of the Police Department shall be suspended, removed, fined or reduced in rank for any cause other than incapacity, misconduct or disobedience as provided in the New Jersey Statutes and the Police Department's rules and regulations.
The Mayor and Council may appoint from time to time special law enforcement officers in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.10 et seq. for terms not exceeding one year. They shall possess and exercise all powers and duties provided by said statutes during their terms in office, but shall not be continued as regular members of the Police Department and shall not be entitled to tenure. The Chief of Police may authorize special law enforcement officers, when on duty, to exercise the same powers and authority as regular members of the Police Department, including the carrying of firearms and the power of arrest.
There is hereby created a bureau of the Police Department to be known as the "Detective Bureau," which shall be under the supervision of the Chief of Police. The number of men assigned to the Detective Bureau shall be determined by the Chief of Police with the consent of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Rockaway.
Any regular duly appointed and qualified member of the Police Department of the Borough of Rockaway may be assigned to and reassigned from the Detective Bureau at the discretion of the Chief of Police without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Rockaway. Any assignment to and reassignment from the Detective Bureau shall in no way affect the status of, title of or seniority rights of the regular members of the Police Department so assigned or reassigned to the Detective Bureau.
In the event that a regular member of the Police Department of the Borough of Rockaway, due to reassignment or for any other cause, does not serve a full term as a detective, as may be prescribed by the appropriate salary ordinance of the Borough of Rockaway, the pay which said detective shall receive in addition to his regular salary as a member of the Police Department shall be prorated for the period of time said member of the Police Department serves within the Detective Bureau.
The creation of the Detective Bureau and the assignment of members of the Police Department of the Borough of Rockaway thereto shall not constitute the creation of a new office or rank within the Police Department for said member.
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, concerning governance of the Bureau by rules and regulations and their promulgation, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 4-10-2014 by Ord. No. 04-14. See now § 65-13.
The Department shall be governed by such rules and regulations as may from time to time be promulgated by the Mayor and Council or by the Chief of Police, subject to approval by the Mayor and Council.
The rules and regulations of the Police Department will be kept on file in the office of the Borough Clerk, in the office of the Police Chief, and in the office of the Police Department.
These rules and regulations are applicable to all police officers of the Department and to all civilian employees of the Department, where appropriate.
One copy of these rules and regulations shall be electronically distributed to each employee of the Department.
General requirements; eligibility. The Borough of Rockaway governing body desires to promote the most qualified candidates to the position of Chief of Police, Lieutenant and/or Sergeant. This subsection establishes the eligibility requirements and the process for promotion to the Chief of Police, Lieutenant and/or Sergeant. The promotion process shall be on the basis of merit, education, demonstrated ability, record review, interview and vision statement. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129, promotion of any officer shall be made from the membership of the Department. To be considered for the position of Chief of Police, the candidates must have previously been serving the Borough in the rank of Sergeant or higher. Candidates must have served in the title of Sergeant or higher for a minimum of three years. To be considered for the position of Lieutenant, the candidates must have previously been serving the Borough in the rank of Sergeant. Candidates must have served in the title of Sergeant for a minimum of two years. To be considered for the position of Sergeant, the candidates must have previously been serving the Borough in the rank of Patrolman. Candidates must have served in the title of Patrolman for a minimum of three years.
Promotional process. Candidates for the position of Chief of Police, Lieutenant, and/or Sergeant shall participate in a promotional process administered by the Public Safety Committee. The Chief of Police shall announce the promotional process to members of the Police Department by posting the announcement in the common area of the Police Department and/or the Police Department bulletin board. The posting announcement shall contain, at a minimum, the rank to be filled, years of experience required in subsequent rank, and prospective date for the interview and the details for the required written statement. Candidates who qualify shall notify the Chief of Police of his or her interest in the promotion by submitting a letter of interest no later than 10 calendar days after the promotion announcement. Failure to do so shall render the officer ineligible to participate in the promotional process.
Promotion testing procedure. The promotion testing procedure for the Rockaway Borough Police Department shall consist of an oral interview, record review and written statement.
The interview shall be conducted by the Public Safety Committee. The interview shall focus on but not be limited to the candidates' knowledge of the Borough of Rockaway's form of government, police administration, leadership and management abilities, Borough ordinances, Police Department budget, Attorney General guidelines, staffing, community service, and N.J.S.A. 40A:14-118.
All candidates shall be given the same identical questions and the Public Safety Committee shall administer the questions.
Each candidate shall be graded on a sixty-point scale.
The candidates' personnel records shall be reviewed, which shall include evaluation records, education, commendations, special training, military service, leadership and discipline. The review of the personnel records shall be conducted by the Public Safety Committee.
5 points total for any "Exceeds"
3 points total for all "Meets"
0 point total for any "Does Not Meet"
Each major sustained discipline (suspension of more than 5 days) will result in a deduction of 2 points.
Each minor sustained discipline (five-day suspension or less, including written reprimands) will result in a deduction of 1 point.
All previous sustained disciplinary actions shall be considered and reviewed to achieve the broadest scope of review for the given candidate by his/her supervisors.
Written statement: Each candidate shall provide a written statement of no more than 10 pages, along with their letter of interest in the promotion. The written statement shall explain what the candidate's vision is for the Police Department over the next five years. Each candidate's statement shall be graded on a fifteen-point scale.
Each candidate shall be ranked based on the total score as outlined above. The candidates shall then be ranked from the highest to lowest based on score. The list shall include the candidates' names and final scores and shall be afforded to the Mayor and Borough Council. Thereafter, the Mayor shall make his final determination and appointment in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:60-5(g).
Where two or more candidates are ranked equally pursuant to the promotional procedure set forth herein, preference shall be given to the candidate with the most seniority in service pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-129, or a resident over a nonresident pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-122.6. Residency shall prevail over seniority in the case of candidates that are ranked equally.
Lieutenant and/or Sergeant appeal of process. Within 10 days of the decision of the Public Safety Committee on a promotion, a candidate may file a written letter of appeal. Said letter must contain the reason(s) or justification(s) for an appeal and must be submitted to the Chief of Police. The Public Safety Committee and the Chief of Police will assess the request and make a determination of how the request will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

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