(A) Generally. The following rules and guidelines will constitute the policy under which the town will provide assistance to a requesting law enforcement agency.
(B) Specifically.
(1) The Chief of Police is authorized to provide temporary assistance to another law enforcement agency, if he or she receives a request in writing for the assistance from the head of the requesting agency. The Chief of Police may respond to the request if he or she determines that the request can be honored without impairing the capacity of the town to provide police protection to the property and citizens of the town. The Chief may take any steps as necessary to furnish human-power, equipment, and any other assistance as he or she deems appropriate.
(2) In a nonemergency situation, the Chief of Police shall inform the Mayor when he or she receives a request for assistance and shall obtain his or her approval before providing the assistance. In an emergency situation, the Chief of Police shall notify the Mayor that he or she has received such a request, and shall obtain approval of the request before providing assistance; in the absence of the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem, the Chief of Police is authorized to provide the assistance requested and notify the Mayor of the action as soon as feasible.
(3) The town shall assume all liability and responsibility for the death or injury of any town police officers responding to the request for assistance. The town will not assume any liability or responsibility for the death of or injury to any personnel of the requesting agency.
(4) The town will assume all liability and responsibility for damage to its own supplies, materials, or equipment when responding to a request for assistance. The town will not assume any liability or responsibility for damage to the supplies, materials, or equipment of the requesting agency.
(5) While working with the requesting agency, town police officers shall have the same jurisdiction, powers, rights, privileges, and immunities as the officers of the requesting agency, in addition to those that they normally possess.
(6) While on duty with the requesting agency, town police officers shall be subject to the lawful operational commands of their superior officer in the requesting agency, but for personnel and administrative purposes (including the payment of salaries, wages, bonuses, and other compensations), they shall remain under the control and authority of the town.
(7) The specific provisions of this policy may be modified or amended in advance by agreement between the town and the requesting agency. By way of example, if assistance is to be provided over a long period of time, the requesting agency may wish to pay all or part of the compensation of the town police officers.
(Prior Code, § 3-1022) (Res. passed 5-9-1978)