The police court now existing shall be continued and shall have criminal jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances and the criminal jurisdiction of a justice of the peace with respect to offenses committed within any territory within or beyond the city limits over which the city has police jurisdiction under provisions of general law. The sessions of the court shall be held at such times and places as the council by ordinance or resolution may direct.
The judge of the police court shall be a resident of Harrison County and a member in good standing of the Harrison County Bar. He shall be appointed by the city manager to serve for an indefinite term. In the event of the temporary absence or disability of the regular judge, the city manager shall appoint some other qualified person to serve as judge of the police court. During the period of such temporary service the salary of the regular judge shall be transferred and paid to the temporary judge, except that both shall be paid during the customary vacation period granted to the regular judge.
The judge shall issue warrants upon complaint under oath of any person or officer for the arrest of anyone charged with any offense within the jurisdiction of the police court. He shall try and determine all cases over which the court has jurisdiction, and within the limits prescribed by ordinance or by law shall punish by fine or imprisonment, or both, any person convicted of any offense. He shall have power to summon witnesses for the trial of any case before him, to compel the attendance of police officers of the city, to require of the chief of police the enforcement of all judgements or orders entered by him in the exercise of his powers as police judge, and to issue executions for all fines, penalties and costs imposed by him. The proceedings for the recovery of fines or for the enforcement of penalties fixed by any ordinance or law shall conform to the regulations, so far as they are applicable, prescribed by general law for civil proceedings before justices of the peace. The police judge, however, for good cause shown by affidavit, may order by an indorsement upon the summons that any defendant be arrested and brought before the court to be dealt with according to law.
All processes and orders of the police court shall be signed by the police judge and shall be directed to the chief of police, to be executed by him or by one of his subordinates. The police officer executing any such process or order shall have the same powers, be governed by the same rules of law and be subject to the same liabilities as sheriffs in the performance of like services. There may be charged for the services of such officer the same fees as the sheriff is entitled to charge for like services, but no such charge shall be made against the city. All such fees as well as all fines and penalties imposed by the court shall be collected by the chief of police, and accounted for and paid by him into the treasury of the city.
In the discharge of his duties and in the trial of cases the judge of the police court shall follow the rules prescribed by law for criminal proceedings before a justice of the peace, except that all cases shall be tried by the judge without a jury. The judge shall keep a record of all warrants issued by him, of all persons arrested and brought before him, and of all trials, fines or sentences imposed, or judgments entered by him, in a permanent book to be known as the police court docket. A record of all entries made in the docket each day shall be signed by the judge at the close of the day.
In cases where the evidence discloses such a violation of the laws of the state that in the opinion of the police judge the person accused should be committed to await action by the grand jury, the judge shall have the same jurisdiction and power as a justice of the peace in regard to the apprehension, commitment and admission to bail of the person so accused.
A person convicted in the police court shall have the same right to an appeal and a trial de novo as is provided by law for appeals from justice of the peace courts.