(A) Establishment. The office of Police Chief is hereby established.
(B) Appointment. The Police Chief shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council pursuant to KRS 83A.080, and may be removed by the Mayor at will.
(C) Qualifications. The Police Chief shall:
(1) (a) A bachelor’s degree in police science, criminal justice, management, business administration, public administration, or a related field from an accredited college or university is preferred with at least fifteen years as a police officer and five years at the supervisory level of Sergeant or above; or
(b) Have a combination of education, training, skill and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform effectively the duties of the position of Police Chief;
(2) Reside in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, must be at least 21 years of age, able to read and write the English language intelligibly, and must be sober, moral and sagacious, and not have been convicted of a felony; and
(3) Submit to and successfully pass a medical examination conducted by a licensed physician approved by the Mayor.
(D) Oath; bond. No person shall be appointed or act as the Police Chief unless the person has taken the oath required by Section 228 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and has provided a bond in conformance with § 31.01(B).
(E) Powers and duties. The Police Chief shall perform and be responsible for the following duties. He shall:
(1) Be in command of the Police Department, except that the Police Chief shall be second in command to the Mayor.
(2) Perform all duties required or imposed by state law for Chiefs of Police as same may be changed, amended or revised from time to time.
(3) Attend all sessions of the City Council and preserve order at its sessions.
(4) Report to the City Council at least quarterly, detailing the activities of the Police Department.
(5) Seek ways to improve the level of police service to the community.
(6) Be available for consultation with members of city government and citizens of the community to discuss particular police problems.
(7) Read police trade publications to keep abreast of new techniques.
(8) Supervise or perform tasks related to investigation of crimes and potential criminal activities in the city.
(9) Supervise or prepare various reports regarding crime incidence in the city.
(10) Explore and develop plans for acquisition of federal and state funds or programs to meet the needs of the Police Department.
(11) Assist in formulating the budget for the Police Department, justify it and maintain the Police Department’s operations within that budget as approved by the City Council.
(12) Attend police seminars and training programs as frequently as possible, with the prior consent of the Mayor.
(13) Institute training programs for members of the Police Department and supervise the training of its members.
(14) Become affiliated with professional police organizations and extract the maximum possible benefit from his exposure to the memberships.
(F) Compensation. The compensation of the Police Chief shall be in the amount as established by City Council in the pay and classification plan.
(Ord. 2013-11, passed 6-10-13; Am. Ord. 2016-03, passed 3-7-16)