(A) Reserve Police Officer Program established. There is hereby established for the Town Police Department a Reserve Police Officer Program, which allows the appointment of police reserve officers to aid the Marshal in carrying out the duties of the Town Police Department pursuant to and consistent with the provisions of I.C. 36-8-3-20, 36-8-9-4, and 5-2-1-9, as amended from time to time.
(B) Purpose and duties. The Reserve Police Officer Program is specifically established and police reserve officers shall be appointed in order to assist and augment the regular sworn police personnel in the performance of the duties and responsibilities of the Town Police Department. The program is established as a result of the ever-increasing demand placed upon the Town Police Department for the wide range of services requested, and in order to aid the Marshal in continuing to provide the best protective services to the residents of the town. Reserve police officers shall supplement the regular sworn police officers in the fulfillment of the duties of the Town Police Department, and will act to assist the Town Police Department in serving the residents of the town and promoting the public health, safety, comfort, morals, convenience and general well-being and welfare of the residents of the town.
(C) Appointment. Reserve police officers shall be appointed by the same authority that permits the regular members of the Town Police Department in accordance with I.C. 36-8-9-4, as amended from time to time, and in accordance with all state and Town Police Department regulations and at no time hereafter shall the number of reserve police officers exceed 15 members. Any reserve police officers so appointed shall govern themselves by the rules, regulations, and operating procedures adopted by the Town Police Department. Additionally, all reserve police officers shall be selected and appointed as prescribed by, and consistent with, the rules and regulations of the Town Police Department for the hiring of regular sworn police personnel and consistent with I.C. 36-8-3-20 and all other applicable law.
(D) Training requirements.
(1) Reserve police officer candidates must successfully complete the following training requirements and specifically comply with all requirements of I.C. 5-2-1-9, as applicable, namely:
(a) Tier I Basic, Tier II Basic, or Pre-basic academy course, as prescribed and certified by the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board (hereafter known as “ILETB”);
(b) The field training and evaluation program, as prescribed by the Town Police Department and/or the Marshal; and
(c) Twenty-four hours of annual training consistent with the requirements of the ILETB and complete any training requirements as set forth in I.C. 5-2-1-9.
(2) All necessary and required training expenses shall be paid by the town. The successful completion of the training requirements described herein and otherwise required by applicable law are a condition precedent to a reserve police officer being permitted to engage in reserve police officer duties and responsibilities as described herein.
(E) Uniforms and equipment. In lieu of a uniform allowance, necessary uniforms and equipment shall be provided by the Town Police Department to the reserve police officer. All uniforms shall conform to the necessary and required Department standards. Reserve police officers shall be provided with the proper Town Police Department insignia and badge. Said uniforms, Town Police Department insignia, and badge shall remain the property of the Town Police Department and shall be returned to the Town Police Department upon discharge of the reserve police officer, for any reason.
(F) Titles. The police reserve members shall be given and recognized by titles set forth by the Marshal. Reserve police officers shall be recognized as Reserve Police Officer, Reserve Deputy Marshal, or Special Deputy, and may gain or lose an additional title of rank as set forth by the Marshal.
(G) Insurance. The personnel of the reserve police officer program shall be covered under the liability insurance of the town, and will further be provided worker’s compensation coverage pursuant to I.C. 5-2-1-9 or as may be allowed by law. The town shall provide the coverage specified under I.C. 36-8-3-22 and shall pay the amounts specified in I.C. 36-8-3-23 for a reserve police officer who is injured or contracts an illness in the course of or as the result of the performance of duties as a reserve police officer. The town’s legislative body may at its discretion, by appropriate legislation and appropriation, obtain policies of group insurance to insure each reserve police officer for life, accident and sickness coverage and to meet its obligations under I.C. 36-8-3-22 and I.C. 36-8-3-23.
(H) Probationary period and discharge. All reserve police officers serve at the pleasure of the Marshal and/or the Town Police Department and the legislative body of the town and shall serve a probationary period of six months. Reserve police officers may be discharged at any time, for any cause, by the Town Marshal and/or Town Police Department or legislative body of the town. Completion of the probationary period described herein is a condition precedent to a reserve police officer being permitted to engage in reserve police officer duties and responsibilities as described herein.
(I) Authority. Reserve police officers, upon completion of their initial training, may be granted full authority to act in the capacity of a sworn police officer for the town. The authority granted to and provided a reserve police officer may be granted by and limited as deemed necessary by properly adopted rules of the Town Police Department, as permitted by applicable state law. Reserve police officers shall not be permitted to engage in off-duty security work until completion of all required training and, thereafter, may be eligible for such off-duty employment at the discretion of the Marshal and pursuant to the properly adopted rules of the Town Police Department and in accordance with applicable state law. Reserve police officers are not members of the regular Town Police Department.
(J) Allowances, compensation. Reserve police officers shall be limited in allowances and compensation as hereinafter set forth.
(1) Reserve police officers shall not be compensated for their volunteer service to the Town Police Department, except as otherwise provided herein, and may not participate in any pension program provided for the regular members of the Town Police Department, or receive any other form of compensation.
(2) The town’s legislative body may, by appropriate legislation and appropriation, compensate reserve police officers for time lost from other employment because of court appearances.
(Ord. 2024-635, passed 2-12-2024)