(A) Establishment of Auxiliary Police Department. This section is amended to include the official establishment and recognition of the unit to be officially known as the “Mattoon Auxiliary Police Department”.
(B) Auxiliaries. The Auxiliary Police Department shall be under the direction and control of the Mayor. Auxiliary police, in number from time to time authorized by the Council, may be appointed by the Police Chief, and such appointees may be removed by the Chief at will.
(C) Appointment. Before any such auxiliary police officer is so appointed, an investigation of the character and reputation of the candidate for appointment of such depth and scope as shall be deemed sufficient by the Police Chief shall be made. Prior to such appointment of any auxiliary police officer, his or her fingerprints shall be taken and no person shall be appointed as such auxiliary police officer if he or she has been convicted of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude.
(D) Qualifications and limitations on duties. Auxiliary police officers shall not be members of the regular Police Department of the city and shall not supplement members of the regular Police Department in the performance of their assigned and normal duties except as otherwise provided in this chapter or as provided by applicable statute. The identification symbols worn by such auxiliary police officers shall be different from those worn and used by members of the regular Police Department which symbols shall be selected by the Police Chief. Auxiliary police officers shall at all times during the performance of their duties be subject to the direction and control of the Police Chief or his or her designee.
(E) Powers and duties. When properly assigned and on duty and so authorized by the Police Chief, auxiliary police officers shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To aid or direct traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular, within the municipality;
(2) To aid in the control of natural or man-made disasters;
(3) To aid in case of civil disorder;
(4) Auxiliary officers do not possess “conservator of the peace” powers;
(5) Auxiliary officers shall only have arrest powers as provided by Illinois State Statute regarding “Assisting a Peace Officer” or “Arrest by Private Person”.
(F) Firearms. Auxiliary police officers shall not carry firearms except with the permission of the Police Chief and then only while in uniform and in the performance of their duties.
(G) Training. Auxiliary police officers prior to entering upon any of their duties shall complete the 40 hour Mandatory Firearms Training Course and other police procedures as shall be conferred upon them hereunder, which training and course of study shall be determined and provided by the Police Chief and which shall be reasonably sufficient to equip such auxiliary police officers to perform their duties; said training shall be as outlined in the Mattoon Auxiliary Police Department’s by-laws. The Police Chief shall file with the City Clerk a certificate attesting to the successful completion of such training by each auxiliary police officer before such auxiliary police officer enters upon any duty.
(H) Compensation. Auxiliary police officers shall serve without any compensation or benefits, except as may be from time to time otherwise authorized by the City Council.
(I) Special and temporary police officers. On the petition of any persons interested, the Mayor, by and with the consent of the Council, may appoint any qualified person as special police officer without pay, who shall hold office for a term not beyond the fiscal year, and shall qualify and give a like bond as a regular police officer. The Mayor may, when an emergency so demands, appoint temporary police officers, who shall give like bond and take a like oath as regular police officers, but who shall not hold office longer than until the next regular meeting of the Council.
(Ord. 2008-5252, passed 3-18-2008)