(A) Every patrol officer shall hold himself in readiness at all times to perform the duties of his office. A patrol officer shall:
(1) Patrol his beat and perform such other duties as shall from time to time be ordered by the Police Chief.
(2) Conform to the rules and regulations of the Police Department, observe all laws and city ordinances, assist in all traffic matters, and render his services to the city with zeal, courage, discretion, and fidelity.
(3) Be present at daily ro11-call and attend at the station house at the time appointed. If an officer is absent without leave, he shall be reported to the Chief of Police.
(4) Immediately after ro11-call proceed to his beat and relieve the patrol officer whose tour of duty has expired. The patrol officer going off duty shall communicate to his relieving associate everything he knows relating to police business on their beat, so that they both may act in concert for the public good.
(5) Confine his patrol within the limits of his beat, except with permission of his superior officer, or in cases of fire, arrest of any person, or other necessary absence on duty, until the time assigned for the expiration of his tour of duty and he is regularly relieved. He shall, if obliged to leave his beat for any purpose, notify the station when he leaves and when he returns, stating the cause.
(6) Continuously and carefully patrol and inspect every part of his beat when on a tour of duty.
(7) Be diligent, courteous, and active in patrolling his beat, neither neglecting friendliness nor wasting time in unnecessary conversation.
(8) Assume a military bearing and avoid careless loungings or undignified attitude when on patrol duty.
(9) In dealing with the public, be kind and courteous, but firm and decided. He shall carefully and continuously patrol his beat, note obstructions and dangerous places caused by excavations, building materials, and the like on the streets, sidewalks, and other thoroughfares, and see that a safe passage is made for public travel. Where the street has become blocked with vehicles, an officer shall assist the drivers in disentangling them and open the way for pedestrians. When necessary, an officer shall assist persons in crossing the street.
(10) Give assistance for the protection of persons and property near his own beat if called for in any case requiring immediate attention. Having performed that duty, he shall return as soon as possible to his own beat.
(11) Upon hearing the cry of "help" or other call for assistance from anyone, whether on or off his beat, promptly proceed to render aid with all possible dispatch.
(12) When stopped or delayed upon his regular patrol by any special cause requiring him to remain at any particular place, notify his commanding officer that there was proper cause for so remaining.
(13) Pay particular attention to all accidents coming under his observation, using every means in his power, regardless of time and cost, to relieve any person that may be injured, strictly following the rules prescribed in the manual.
(14) Whenever he finds any person in distress or any person is so reported, make an investigation, and if found correct, take those measures as are urgently required and at once report to the officer in charge at the station, giving the name and address of the person. The commanding officer, in receipt of this report, shall forward the same to the Chief of Police, giving the name of persons, number of children (if any), place of residence, name of the reporting patrol officer, number of district, and beat. The Chief of Police shall forward the report to the Department of Public Welfare.
(15) Note all cases of fast or reckless driving, brutality to animals, vehicles left unattended, and be vigilant in seeing that the rules, regulations, and ordinances governing traffic on the streets and sidewalks are enforced and obeyed.
(16) When a disturbance occurs, instantly proceed to the spot and use his best efforts to restore quiet. If any person has committed a felonious assault or any other felonious crime, or by loud outcries or otherwise persists in disturbing the peace, the person offending shall be taken into custody and conveyed to the station house. If the patrol officer is opposed in the performance of his duty and no other police officer is within call, he may, in the name of the state, demand the aid of a citizen present.
(17) Preserve the quiet of the Sabbath, observing and reporting all infractions of the laws governing Sunday. All churches being public places and necessarily under police supervision, he shall arrest any person who willfully disturbs or disquiets a congregation or assembly met for religious worship, whether in a building or open air, by making any noise, or by rude and indecent behavior, or profane discourse, either in a place of worship, or so near the same as to disturb the order and solemnity of the meeting.
(18) Prevent at all times all unnecessary noise, especially at night.
(19) When any person begs on the street or goes from door to door soliciting alms, inquire the name and abode of that person.
(20) Take note of all cases of contagious disease or sudden death where there is reasonable ground to suspect criminality. An officer shall render immediate aid in case of accident or illness in the streets, ascertaining the important particulars connected therewith, and promptly make report thereof.
(21) Where buildings are in the course of construction, see that the necessary building and street permits are obtained, and that the requisite number of safety lights are placed on obstructions on the public thoroughfares.
(22) See that obscene and offensive words written on fences or walls that can be seen from the streets are effaced.
(23) Examine, as soon after dark as possible, all doors, windows, or other accessible entrances to stores, warehouses, factories, or other business houses and vacant dwellings to see that they are secure. If found otherwise, he shall notify the occupant, if present; if the occupant is not present, the officer shall secure the place and notify his superior officer.
(24) See that the street lamps are in order and lighted at proper times, and make immediate report of any outage.
(25) See that all forms of crime are prevented or the offenders arrested, and that all other matters affecting the health, safety, or convenience of the citizens and interests of the city receive careful attention.
(26) Be vigilant in preventing fire and waste of water; call the attention of citizens to the state of their sidewalks where, by snow, ice, or other cause they are rendered dangerous or impassable, or when used for exhibiting articles or goods, or have signs in violation of the city ordinance. The police are the center of the emergency/natural gas plan and are responsible for knowledge of it.
(27) See that the sidewalks or streets are not littered by sweepings or papers from buildings or stores. Where the laws and ordinances, orders, rules, and regulations for the government of such cases, upon notice given, are not promptly obeyed, the patrol officer shall do what he can to make the way safe and convenient, ascertain the names of the persons offending, and report the same for complaint and prosecution.
(28) See that all receptacles for garbage, ashes, and rubbish are of proper type and are kept securely covered and advise if they need emptying.
(29) Without intruding on the privacy of individuals, note all removals from or into the limits of his beat, and acquire such a knowledge of the inhabitants as will enable him to recognize them. It is absolutely necessary that he become thoroughly conversant with the streets and houses within the limits of his beat.
(30) Closely watch the conduct of all persons of known bad character, fixing in his mind such impression as will enable him to recognize them when he meets them at night in the streets. He shall note their movements and the premises they enter, learn their names, residences, occupations, and associates.
(31) Furnish such information and render such aid to all persons when requested as is consistent with his duty.
(32) Note particularly all persons and vehicles which in any manner excite suspicion. He shall note the license numbers of automobiles that pass through his beat if under suspicious circumstances and make a memorandum of same. He shall note all junk shops, secondhand shops, pawnshops, places of amusement, and all licensed persons.
(33) Suppress all illegal sales of intoxicating liquor, and see that the laws and ordinances involving the sale and possession of intoxicating liquor are enforced.
(34) Note all suspected gambling houses, prizefighting places, fake auction rooms, vendors of lottery and policy tickets, and houses of assignation and i11-fame. The officer shall keep a list thereof in his book for reference, shall suppress them and report the same to the officer in charge of his district, and shall make periodic reports thereafter.
(35) Cause all children who have strayed or infants who have been abandoned to be taken to the residence of their parents, if known and within the bounds of his beat, or if not, to the station house.
(36) Exert every effort within his ability and power to assist the Police Chief in curbing juvenile delinquency and carrying out the program of crime prevention as promulgated by the Police Chief.
(37) Not enter any house or office, or enclosures of any kind except in the line of duty, and when so doing he shall satisfy his superior officer with sufficient cause for such apparent dereliction.
(38) Direct strangers and others, when requested, the nearest and safest way to their place of destination, and when necessary, cause them to be accompanied there by one of the police officers. He shall not leave his beat for that purpose, but shall pass such person from his beat to the next.
(39) Be held responsible for the condition of his beat. Any failure to detect crime committed during his turn of patrol duty, or the frequent occurrence of disorder on his beat, without prompt arrest or grounds for attributing negligence to him, and it shall be the duty of the commanding officer to prefer charges unless the police officer shall be able to prove that such a state of affairs has arisen from causes beyond his control.
(40) By his diligence render it extremely difficult for anyone to commit a crime on his beat, remembering that the patrol officer who keeps his beat free from crime and disorder deserves more credit than an officer who counts the number of arrests and convictions he has obtained for offenses committed within it.
(41) When crimes or incidents occur on his beat that require police attention, make a report in writing to his superior officer as soon as practicable. All reports shall be made on the proper forms containing all the information therein requested and whatever other information the patrol officer may deem advisable in the investigation of the crime or incident.
(a) The police officer shall obtain for the reports an accurate and complete description of the crime, incident, property stolen or recovered, persons wanted, and so forth. He shall use as a guide the form prescribed by state statutes and by the Commonwealth for the reporting of crimes.
(b) All accident reports, whenever possible, shall be completed at the scene of the accident before leaving.
(42) Before leaving his beat or district to come to the police station, ask for and receive the permission of his supervisor. Any Police Department employee, when going off duty, shall impart all information pertaining to police business to his relieving partner, so that a perfect understanding shall be had in regard to the management of the several units.
(43) Obey his superior officers, direct his subordinate officers in a reasonable manner, and report to the City Manager any failure to perform duties and orders on the part of any Police Department employee. He shall implicitly obey and respect his superiors in all matters pertaining to police business.
(44) Be courteous and considerate of his associates, guarding himself against envy, jealousy, or other unfriendly feeling, and refraining from all communications to their discredit except to his superior officer, to whom it is his duty to inform of any neglect or disobedience of orders on their part that may come to his knowledge.
(45) Appear in court promptly at the hour specified, and when called upon to testify in any case, give his testimony in a quiet, unassuming manner, but in a tone of voice sufficiently loud to be plainly heard by the court or jury. He will be explicit, but as concise as possible, confining himself strictly and solely to the facts in the case and avoiding any exaggeration.
(46) Report for gymnasium, parades, target practice, school of instruction, inspection, mental and physical examination, and other exercises and meetings as may be ordered by the Chief of Police.
(a) Excuses from drill, parade, target practice, gymnasium exercise, school of instruction, inspection, or any mental or manual examination must be filed with the Chief of Police on or before the first day of each month for any absence occurring during the previous month.
(b) If the absence is due to disability caused by sickness or injury, the excuse must be signed by a physician. If for any other cause, the excuse must be made out on the regular form for that purpose, giving in detail the exact cause of the absence. If the absence is due to attending court, the name of the prisoner and the charge against him must be given.
(B) Criminal laws and ordinances are those providing a penalty of death, fine, or imprisonment for violation thereof. Those offenses providing a penalty of death, imprisonment for at least one year in the custody of the corrections cabinet, or fines are felonies. Misdemeanors are those offenses other than traffic infractions, for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment of not more than 12 months or a fine may be imposed. Violations are those offenses which may be punished by fine only.
(C) If a police officer immediately pursues a person who has committed a felony or one who is reasonably suspected of having committed a felony, it is his duty to follow the criminal wherever he may go. If the criminal takes refuge in any house or building, the police officer, after stating his office and object, demanding admission and admission being refused, or if there is no one present of whom to make such demand, may forcibly open the outer door or windows, enter the house or building and arrest the offender. Having obtained entrance in this or any other manner, he may forcibly open an inner door in order to effect the arrest of the person of whom he is in pursuit. Forcibly opening an outer door is generally a violent and dangerous proceeding, and should never be resorted to except in extreme cases when an immediate arrest is necessary.
(D) A police officer may also examine any person whom he shall see walking abroad in the night whom he shall have reason to suspect of any unlawful design, and may demand of him his business abroad at such time and where he is going. This authority must be exercised with great caution. He shall write down the license number of all motor vehicles parked at late hours of the night and shall investigate in the vicinity when such parking is associated with other suspicious circumstances, as most burglaries and other crimes are committed by persons having motor vehicles for a getaway. When necessary, owners' names shall be secured from lists of licenses.
(E) The following types of behavior are suspicious, and should give rise in a diligent officer to further notice and observation, though not necessarily an arrest. Police officers should always be aware that they must have reasonable ground for any interference with the freedom of movement or liberty of any citizen, and that most of the grounds stated in this division are not necessarily a reason to arrest or stop a citizen.
(1) Having in possession any implements that might be used for house-breaking or burglary under any circumstances that give just cause to suspect that a person is about to use them for such purpose.
(2) Threatening in the presence of a police officer the life of any person or threatening to commit a felony.
(3) Being armed with an offensive weapon with intent therewith to commit a felony.
(4) Being found in any building, whether inhabited or not, or in an enclosed yard, garden, or area under such circumstances as to give cause to suspect any felonious purpose.
(5) Associating with those known to be thieves, but in this case a police officer must use discretion, remembering that a mere association with thieves is no ground for arrest.
(6) Attempting to break into a house, or examining doors and windows.
(7) Sitting in parked motor vehicles late at night or at places where no reason can be given for so doing. Parking a motor vehicle late at night as above and prowling through the neighborhood without good reason.
(8) Carrying or in any manner conveying goods under circumstances indicating theft, especially in the night season.
(9) Being of known bad character and accompanying strangers or intoxicated people.
(10) Passing through unfrequented streets, evidently avoiding being seen or heard, the lounging about or remaining at any fixed place whistling, coughing, or making noise, evidently acting as a guide to the criminal operations of others.
(11) Being charged by another of having committed a felony.
(12) Being suspected of having committed a felony.
(Ord. 320.2B, passed 11-6-81)