(A) The general duties of police officers shall be as follows:
(1) Charges will be preferred against any member who shall, through neglect of duty, fail to discover, report, and take appropriate action in the cases of homicide, burglary, accident, fire, serious breach of the peace, or other act or condition while on duty requiring police attention during his tour of duty, or who shall neglect to take proper measures to arrest any person or persons guilty of such offenses. Failure to discover, report, and take appropriate action in any of such cases within a reasonable time after arriving on duty shall be regarded as neglect of duty.
(2) While on duty each police officer shall be constantly alert, observing everything that takes place within his sight or hearing. He should not hold long conversations with anyone except in the discharge of his duty. He shall immediately report to the Chief of Police anything of a dangerous character or likely to occasion public inconvenience or anything irregular or offensive.
(3) While on duty at night a patrol officer shall patrol the business districts and residential area; learn the time of closing of business places; where lights are ordinarily left burning and the location of safes and valuable merchandise in such premises; be particular to note the time of all persons of known bad character; investigate all suspicious circumstances that may present themselves to him, such as automobiles parked with motor running, or passing over the town streets without headlights lighted, persons passing late at night with bundles, or persons loitering about or acting in a suspicious manner.
(4) Members of the Police Department shall immediately notify the Town Clerk's office of any street lamps not burning or burning dimly and the time at which such lamps are observed. They will also report any street markers or traffic lights or signs needing attention.
(5) Radio car patrol officers shall be required to signal police headquarters by radio at the times and manner prescribed by the Chief of Police.
(6) The records shall be under the immediate supervision of the Chief of Police and shall consist of such personnel as may be deemed necessary for the proper functioning thereof.
(7) All personnel while on detective duty shall be subject to and governed by the rules and regulations of the Department and the orders of the Chief of Police.
(8) All grievances or differences shall be handled first by the Chief of Police, second by the Town Manager, and third by the Board of Commissioners. In no case shall a member of the Police Department go to a member of the Board of Commissioners or the Mayor.
(B) The following rules of conduct shall govern all Police officers:
(1) Each officer and member in his conduct and department must be quiet, civil, and orderly. In the performance of his duties he must maintain decorum, command of temper, patience, and discretion. He must at all times refrain from harsh, coarse, profane, or insolent language yet be firm, resolute, and energetic. He must not use unnecessary force or violence. He must be punctual in attendance to all the calls and requirements of duty and at all times yield prompt obedience to the orders of the Chief of Police or other superior officers.
(2) Any officer or member of the Department while on duty shall not take drink of any kind of intoxicating liquor. If proven guilty of drinking on duty or of being under the influence of intoxicants or narcotics whether on duty or not, he shall be dismissed from the Department. Any officer or member of the Department who reports for duty showing evidence of having consumed intoxicants shall be subject to similar disciplinary measures.
(3) No officer or member shall make a false official report, make a false statement, or gossip about any officer or member of the Department or the business of the Department to the discredit or to the detriment of any such officer or member of the Department or the Department as a whole.
(4) No officer or member of the Department shall upon the street, in any business house, or other place whatever, to any officer or member of the Department, or to any citizen make any remark in regard to any officer or member thereof in disrepute of, or subject it or them to any ridicule. Any such matter should be brought to the attention of the Chief of Police and then to the Town Manager.
(5) All officers and members of the Department, whether on duty or not, who shall in any way disturb the peace by being engaged in any brawl or who shall be seen intoxicated shall upon conviction be subject to suspension or dismissal.
(6) No officer or member may leave his assigned duty unless authorized to do so by the Chief of Police except in case of emergency. This reason must be furnished to the Chief of Police upon return.
(7) No officer or member of the Police Department shall receive any present, fee, or regard for his services as a police officer other than regular salary.
(8) The fact of an arrest is, in itself, of very little importance. Officers and members of the Department shall bear in mind the important fact that prisoners cannot be convicted without evidence. Criminals, especially old offenders, do not usually tell all they know about themselves; therefore, during the arrest and while on the way to the police station with an important prisoner, police officers will note carefully the conversation and action of the prisoner and get all admissions possible relative to the case; but police officers must not make promises of immunity to a prisoner to get information as information so obtained is not evidence.
(9) Loyalty to duty, government (national, state, and city), and to your officers and brother officers is required and must be rendered by all members of the Department. Prompt and energetic assistance and support must be rendered to one another.
(10) Officers and members of the Department are prohibited from recommending or suggesting to prisoners any attorney or bondsman nor shall they recommend or suggest any attorney to any person interested in criminal or civil proceeding. A list can be kept of all attorneys and bondsmen available from which the prisoner may select one of his choice.
(11) Any member of the Department failing to make any report to the Chief of Police when ordered to do so in a specified time shall be subject to disciplinary action. All official reports and communications shall be sent through the regular channels, which shall be the Chief of Police and then the Town Manager.
(12) Officers and members of the Department, when appearing in court officially, shall appear promptly when court convenes and remain present as long as their presence is required. When testifying they will give their testimony in a quiet, unassuming manner but in a tone of voice sufficiently loud to be heard by the court. They shall be explicit in their testimony, confining themselves strictly and solely to the facts in the case, avoiding any exaggeration or the appearance of prejudice and vindictiveness, always bearing in mind that in bringing a case before the court, they are performing an official function and that in no event should personal feeling enter into the case. In preparing a case for court they will see that all pertinent witnesses as may be necessary are summoned to appear. All officers and members of the Department appearing officially in court will be attired in uniform prevailing at the time or in full civilian dress. In either event, their appearance shall be neat and their clothing properly worn.
(13) Officers of the Department shall willingly carry out all lawful orders and instructions of the Chief of Police as quickly as possible and shall not quibble or argue about the soundness of such orders or instructions.
(14) Officers and members of the Department shall not publicly criticize the actions of any judge, justice, or officer of any court of justice by word or deed.
(15) Officers and members of the Department shall not engage in political or religious discussions to the detriment of discipline and shall not utter statements in public which would in any way slight the race, color, creed, ancestry, nationality, or religious or political views of any person.
(16) At any time it becomes necessary for any officer to discharge firearms in performance of his official duty, he will complete a detailed report of the circumstances surrounding such use immediately to the Chief of Police.
(17) Loitering during working hours will not be tolerated. Officers are expected to work and produce during the period of duty.
(C) The foregoing set of rules and regulations shall not be held to alter or change any duties vested upon any police officer by virtue of general law, or to limit his rights, privileges, and duties as they are defined and established. The general purpose of the present rules and regulations are to create a more efficient and cooperative Police Department.
(D) Any officer or member of the Department shall be subject to reprimand, forfeiture of furlough, deduction of pay, suspension from duty, reduction in rank, dismissal from the Department, or any one or more of the foregoing penalties according to the nature and aggravation of his offense for any of the following causes or for any violation of the regulations governing the Department:
(1) Conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman.
(2) Conduct subversive to the good order and discipline of the Department.
(3) Violation of any criminal law.
(4) Making known the proposed action or movement of the Department or the provisions of any orders to persons outside of the Department.
(5) Immorality, indecency, or lewdness.
(6) Indecent, profane, or harsh language.
(7) Willful disobedience of order.
(8) Absence without leave.
(9) Imcompetence, lack of energy, and incapacity mentally or physically.
(10) Neglect in paying just debts.
(11) Disrespect to superior officers.
(12) Intoxication or under the influence of intoxicants.
(13) Sleeping on duty.
(14) Neglect of duty.
(15) Unnecessary violence to prisoners.
(16) Commenting on the official actions of superior officers.
(E) No officer or member shall secure papers from any Justice of the Peace Court or any other court or act as a collecting agency from any firm or individual on or off duty.
(F) All officers and members shall study the laws and ordinances under which arrest should be made. They should have full knowledge of forms of warrants.
(G) The Chief of Police preferring formal disciplinary charges against members of the Department alleged to be guilty of infractions of the rules and regulations of the Department; of Department orders and instructions; or of conduct to the prejudice of good order, efficiency, or discipline of the Department shall immediately file same with the Town Manager. The Town Manager on behalf of the Board of Commissioners will render action within three days.
('70 Code, Ch. B, Art. V § l)