(A) The Police Department may consist of a Chief of Police and at least one regular and one back-up police officer.
(B) The Office of Police Chief is hereby established.
(C) The Police Chief, if any, and all police officers shall be appointed by the City Commission and may be removed by the City Commission, except as tenure and terms of employment are protected by statute, ordinance, or contract.
(D) No person shall be appointed or act as the Police Chief, unless such person has taken the oath required by § 228 of the Constitution of the commonwealth, and has provided a bond, if required, with corporate surety authorized to transact business in the commonwealth, and conditioned upon the performance of the duties specified herein and with the qualifications set forth below.
(E) Training and experience shall consist of any combination of education, training, and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform effectively the duties of the position.
(F) Subject to the authority of the City Commission, the Chief of Police, if any, shall be a peace officer and shall be responsible for the organization and operation of the Police Department of the city, and he or she shall supervise, direct, and control the equipment and personnel thereof as peace officers of the city and state in the enforcement of all statutes, laws, and ordinances thereof.
(G) (1) In the absence of a Police Chief, the Commissioner designated to have superintendence over the Police Department shall supervise, direct, and control the equipment and personnel thereof as peace officers of the city and state in the enforcement of all statutes, laws, and ordinances thereof.
(2) He or she shall not be a peace officer, and shall have primarily administrative authority.
(H) The compensation of the Police Chief and all police officers shall be in an amount to be established by City Commission by ordinance.
(Prior Code, § 35.26) (Ord. 8, Series 1997, passed 12-11-1997; Ord. 3, Series 1999, passed 6-10-1999)