1. There is hereby created a Police Department for the city, the head of which shall be the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police shall be appointed by the City Council, with a term of office of two years, running concurrent with City Council elections, or until such services are terminated by death, resignation, removal by the City Council or other legal manner. Law enforcement assistance may also be provided, as a municipal service, on a contractual basis.
2. One or more police officers may be appointed by the Chief of Police, subject to confirmation by the City Council; said police officers may be removed by the City Council, for cause, at a regular meeting, by a majority vote of all of said City Council members. The Chief of Police may suspend any police officer with pay, until the matter is brought before the City Council.
3. The Chief of Police and all police officers shall possess the powers, and be subject to the liabilities possessed and conferred by law upon Sheriffs, in executing the orders of the City Council, or enforcing the code of ordinances of the city. All police officers shall be considered officers of the city.
4. It shall be the duty of the Chief of Police and/or all police officers to bring to justice all violators of municipal ordinances and federal and state laws, and to turn such violators over to the proper authorities. The Chief of Police shall serve all warrants, writs, executions and other process, properly directed and delivered.
5. The Chief of Police and each police officer shall be paid such compensation as the City Council may prescribe by motion or resolution.
6. All personal property coming into the possession of any police officer, which has been found, stolen or taken off the person, or out of the possession of, any prisoner or person suspected of, or charged with being a criminal, and which is not known to belong to some person laying claim thereto, shall be delivered into the charge of the Chief of Police, who shall make a permanent, written record of said property, including the date and circumstances of the receipt thereof, the name of the person from whom it was taken (or the place where it was found), the subsequent disposal thereof, the date of sale, name and address of the purchaser, and the amount for which it was sold.
7. Any personal property (other than animals) which remains unclaimed and in the possession of the Chief of Police, or the ownership of which is not satisfactorily established for a period of 30 days, shall be sold and the proceeds of the sale paid over to the City Clerk, who shall issue a receipt therefor and deposit the same to the credit of the General Fund of the municipality, except for such personal property as in the opinion of the Mayor can be more advantageously used by some department or office of the municipal government. Ten days before a sale of such unclaimed property, the Chief of Police shall have posted in a conspicuous place in the City Hall, notice of the time, place and manner of such sale, including the general description of the property to be sold. If, in the opinion of the Mayor, all or any of the personal property may be more advantageously used in any municipal department or office, the Mayor shall so instruct the Chief of Police in writing and said Police Chief shall thereupon deliver the designated property to the department or office of municipal government and make a permanent record of its disposition.
8. Any personal property found by a person other than a public official or employee, which is delivered to any police officer for identification, if not claimed or identified within 30 days, shall, within ten additional days thereafter, if requested by the finder, be returned to said finder, and a record of such disposal made thereof. If the finder does not request return of the property within such additional ten days, then the Chief of Police shall sell the property as if it had been found by a public official or employee, or, on the instruction of the Mayor, deliver it to some municipal department for its use.
9. If any property is sold as herein provided, and the owner thereof takes and recovers possession of the same from the purchaser, the amount paid therefor shall be returned to the purchaser, upon verified claim being submitted and approved by the City Council.
10. The personal property of a deceased person shall be delivered only to the next of kin of such person or to the legally-appointed representative of the estate. If the personal property is claimed by the legally-appointed representative of the estate of the deceased, a certified copy of the order of the County Court appointing such person shall be deemed sufficient authority to support the claim. If the personal property is claimed by the next of kin, the claimant shall furnish an affidavit supporting entitlement to possession of said property; the affidavit shall be deemed sufficient authority to support the claim. If personal property of a deceased person remains unclaimed for a period of 90 days, it shall be disposed of in the appropriate manner provided in this section.
11. The Chief of Police, or a designated representative, is authorized to direct that any regularly-employed police officers of the city, may provide law enforcement assistance to another municipality, county government or the State Highway Patrol in an emergency; provided, that, a written request from an official representative of the other municipality has been received and approved by the city.
12. While serving in said capacity above, the city shall provide salaries, insurance and other regular benefits to these officers.
13. The Mayor or Police Chief of the city is also authorized to request law enforcement assistance from other municipalities, in emergency situations. In such cases, the assisting police officers of the other municipalities shall have all of the same powers and duties as fully as if employed by the city; however, salaries, insurance and other benefits shall not be paid by the city.
14. In all events, the police officers of the city shall return to their regular duties when directed to do so by the City Police Chief, or the Police Chief (or authorized representative) of the requesting municipality, whichever direction occurs first.
15. When the City Police Chief shall direct, the assisting police officers of the other municipalities shall return to their own regularly scheduled duties in their own municipalities, and those assisting police officers shall cease to have the powers and duties of police officers regularly employed by the city.
16. The Chief of Police and each police officer shall perform all other duties prescribed by law or ordinance.