CHAPTER 137
Department of Public Safety and Service

         EDITOR'S NOTE: Although the offices of Director of Public Service and Director of Public Safety have been merged under Section 137.01, references to the separate offices have been retained in the Codified Ordinances in the event the combined office should be divided again at some future date.

137.01   Merger of offices.

137.02   Private police.

137.03   Division of Parking and Meter Control.

137.04   Department of Public Safety reports.

137.05   Laboratory/processing fees.

CROSS REFERENCES

      Chiefs of safety forces - see CHTR. Sec. 10.02 et seq.

      General duties and records - see Ohio R.C. 737.02

      To appoint and remove auxiliary police officers - see Ohio R.C. 737.051

      Classification of police and fire personnel - see Ohio R.C. 737.10, 737.13

      Personal information systems - see Ohio R.C. Ch. 1347

137.01 MERGER OF OFFICES.

   (a)   Under authority of Ohio R.C. 733.03, the positions and offices of Safety Director and Service Director are hereby declared to be merged and combined as a single official office with all the powers and duties of the Safety Director and Service Director as are established by law and the Codified Ordinances. Departments or matters under the specific control of the Safety Service Director shall be pursuant to an annual administrative organizational directive as issued and/or updated by the Mayor.

   (b)   The position of Public Works Director is hereby created and shall be responsible for those matters specifically directed to him pursuant to these Codified Ordinances and such other departments or matters specifically directed to him by the Mayor pursuant to an annual administrative organizational directive issued and/or updated by the Mayor and shall carry out these duties with all power and authority afforded the Safety-Service Director as provided by law.

   (c)   In the event that the offices of Safety Service Director and Public Works Director are simultaneously held by the same person, the Mayor shall also have the authority to sign contracts on behalf of the City.

   (d)   Under authority of Ohio R.C. 737.01, whoever shall be appointed Safety-Service Director by the Mayor need not be a resident of Richland County, Ohio at the time of appointment, but shall become a resident of Richland County, Ohio within six months of the appointment. (Ord. 22-001. Passed 1-4-22.)

137.02 PRIVATE POLICE.

   (a)    The Chief of Police with approval of the Director of Public Safety when good cause exists may appoint special patrolmen or night watchmen for the protection of private residential or business properties, areas or establishments, providing such appointees shall receive no compensation from the Municipality and shall have first given bond to the City in the amount as provided in Chapter 171. Such appointees shall have the powers of patrolmen within the "beat" proposed by the employer and approved by the Chief of Police, and such appointees while on duty may wear such police uniform and insignia and carry such arms as the Director of Public Safety may prescribe. Such appointment may be rescinded at any time by the Chief of Police or by resolution of Council. Provided that the provisions of this section shall not be applicable to industrial and other concerns employing private police or watchmen whose duties are confined to the interior of the boundaries of the property owned or controlled by such concerns.

   (b)    Application for appointment as provided in subsection (a) hereof shall be made by the employer or employee to be appointed upon forms provided by the Chief of Police. An investigation of the character and fitness of the person designated for appointment shall be made. Upon determination of the satisfactory character and fitness such appointment may be made provided that the bond required by Chapter 171 has been filed and a fee of five dollars ($5.00) has been paid.

   (c)    The Chief of Police shall keep a register of all persons appointed as private policemen or watchmen together with the names of their employers, the confines of their beats and the date of appointment. Should the employment of any appointee be terminated, his employer shall at once notify the Chief of Police of the fact and such appointment shall terminate immediately. (1954 Code Secs. 12.84 - 12.88)

137.03 DIVISION OF PARKING AND METER CONTROL.

   (a)    There is hereby created within the Department of Public Safety a Division of Parking and Meter Control which shall be under the direct supervision and control of the Director of Public Safety. Employees of the Division shall not receive original appointments in the Police or Fire Divisions of the Department of Public Safety.

   (b)    The Meter Control Clerks shall patrol the public ways within the City, under such regulations as the Safety Director may establish, for the purpose of enforcing all state laws and City ordinances which prohibit, control, regulate, direct, restrict or qualify the parking of vehicles and motor vehicles, as defined by Ohio R.C. 4511.01, at any location within the City whether a metered way or lot or not. In the performance of such duty each Meter Control Clerk shall have the authority, hereby granted, to issue citations for violations of such state laws and City ordinances. Meter Control Clerks shall have the authority to impound vehicles pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 307 of the Traffic Code, but shall in no instance operate the impounded vehicle. A vehicle shall be deemed impounded by a Meter Control Clerk from and after the time that such Clerk requests or calls City forces or the owner or lessee of land designated as a pound by the Safety Director, to remove the impounded vehicle.

   (c)    The Director of Public Safety shall make such rules as are necessary for the administration, operation, regulation and discipline of the Division of Parking and Meter Control and shall provide for the keeping of records of the proceedings of the Division. He shall prescribe a uniform for members of the Division and regulate the wearing thereof.

   (d)    Salaries and allowances of Meter Control Clerks shall be paid from the Parking Meter Fund.

   (e)    No person shall be appointed as a Meter Control Clerk unless he is:

      (1)    A United States citizen;

      (2)    A resident of the City or resides in an area within a nine-mile radius of the public square (Central Park) of Mansfield, Ohio, and within Richland County, and shall remain so resident while a Meter Control Clerk;

      (3)    At least eighteen years of age;

      (4)    Able to read and write the English language; and

      (5)    Physically qualified to perform the duties.

   (f)    No person shall hinder, obstruct or interfere in the performance of a duty by a Meter Control Clerk or abuse a Meter Control Clerk while in the performance of his duties. Any person convicted under the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.

   (g)    The power and authority granted to Meter Control Clerks to issue citations for violations of State laws and City ordinances does not prevent the issuance of such citations by members of the Division of Police. (Ord. 66-430. Passed 9-20-66; Ord. 72-205. Passed 5-16-72; Ord. 93-120. Passed 7-20-93.)

137.04 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS.

   (a)    Reports made pursuant to the requirements of Ohio R.C. 5502.11 may be furnished to any person claiming to be injured or damaged, or to his attorney or claims adjuster and general offense, fire and summary reports may be furnished upon payment of fees in accordance with the following schedule:

 

(1)	Motor vehicle accident reports with supplemental pages:	$ 4.00
(2)	Safety Department general offense, incident and fire reports, each page, per copy	.05
(3)	Arrest record summary, each page, per copy	.05
(4)	Photographs (black and white or color):
	4" x 5", each	2.00
	5" x 7", each	4.00
	8" x 10", each	6.00

   (b)    (1)    Copies of reports, etc., may be picked up at the police records section window, or will be mailed on the next Tuesday or Thursday following receipt of the request for the copy by the records section.

   (c)    Reports under subsections (a)(1), (2) and (3) hereof may be furnished without charge to official governmental agencies.

   (d)    City employees shall be privileged to have personal documents, such as deeds, licenses, certificates, commissions, etc., reproduced at a charge of five cents (5¢) per page per copy. (Ord. 04-084. Passed 5-4-04.)

137.05 LABORATORY FEES.

   The fee charged to law enforcement agencies and other persons for analysis, procedures and other services performed by the Mansfield Police Division Crime Laboratory, including expert testimony and travel, is hereby established per analysis, procedure or service. Fees shall be deposited in the Capital Project Fund #427 entitled Crime Lab Equipment Fund. The laboratory fees for services are as follows:

DNA Analysis
$200.00	Analysis of evidentiary sample (extraction only)
$250.00	Analaysis of known standard
$400.00	Analysis of forensic unknown (crime scene sample)
$500.00	Expert witness testimony
Controlled Substance Analysis
$40.00	Analysis of METRICH related drug buy submission
$80.00	Analysis of outside agency submission
$250.00	Expert witness testimony (half day)
$500.00	Expert witness testimony (full day)
Patient Fingerprints
$80.00	Analysis processing of outside agency submission
Digital Imaging
$80.00	Cell phone/computer device processing.

(Ord. 21-008. Passed 1-19-21.)