(a) There is hereby created and established the Auxiliary Police Unit of the Police Department of the City of Galion, Ohio, to be known as the “Reserve Officers Unit,” the individual officers of which shall be known as “Reserve Officers.”
(b) The Safety-Service Director is appointed executive head of the Reserve Officers Unit. The appointment, refusal to appoint and removal from appointment of all Reserve Officers shall be at the sole discretion of the Safety-Service Director and all decisions as to the appointment, refusal to appoint, or removal, shall be final and without recourse or appeal.
(c) The members of the Reserve Officers Unit shall serve so long as the Safety-Service Director may direct, or until a resignation submitted by such member shall be accepted by the Safety-Service Director.
(d) The members of the Reserve Officers Unit may not be under the age of twenty-one years at the time of their appointment and shall comply with such other requirements as may be provided by the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(e) The Chief of Police shall be the commanding officer of the Reserve Officers Unit and shall have control of the assignment, training, stationing and direction of the work of such unit. The Reserve Unit will have all police powers, but shall perform only the police duties assigned by the Chief of Police and shall act only when in prescribed uniform or portion of uniform. The Chief of Police shall prescribe the time and place the uniform or portion thereof shall be worn. Reserve Unit members shall obey the chain of command of the Police Department and shall take orders from all regular appointed members thereof.
(f) The Chief of Police shall, with the approval of the Safety-Service Director, prescribe rules and regulations for the organization, administration, conduct and control of the Reserve Unit.
(g) All services performed by the Reserve Officers shall be on a voluntary basis within the corporate limits of the City of Galion. Reserve Officers shall serve without pay. Members of the Reserve Unit shall not be eligible for membership in the Police and Firemen’s Pension and Disability Fund and shall not be in the classified service of the City. While on assigned duty, the members of the Reserve Unit shall be covered by Workers’ Compensation in accordance with the Industrial Commission of Ohio rules and regulations pertaining to the volunteer policemen and firemen of public employers.
(h) The establishment and operation of the Reserve Unit is deemed to be an exercise by the City of its police powers for the protection of the public peace, health, property and general welfare and neither the City, nor any agent or representative of the City, nor any person, firm, partnership, corporation, receiver, trustee or any other agent thereof, who in good faith, executes any order, rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to this section shall be liable for injury, death or damage sustained by any person or property as a direct or proximate result of such action.
(Ord. 2000-14. Passed 2-22-00.)