a. The Commissioners of the Board of Safety shall have every power and shall comply with every responsibility in the policymaking and management oversight of the operation, management and control of the Schererville Departments of Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Service Departments, as is now or may hereafter be provided under applicable state law, as amended from time to time.
b. Each Commissioner of the Board of Safety, in appointing, disciplining or dismissing a member of any department under its control shall do so without regard to the political affiliation of the person and without regard to any other cause or reason other than the fitness or unfitness of the person, under the applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures of each Department.
c. 1. The Board of Safety shall consist of five (5) Commissioners. Each shall be appointed in accordance with applicable state law, as amended from time to time. The Town Council shall appoint each Commissioner. Provided that state law, as amended from time to time, is not in any way violated, one (1) of the Commissioners may be the Town Manager of the Town of Schererville. In the event that the Town Manager is not appointed to the Board of Safety, said Town Manager shall receive notice of and have the right to attend all meetings, regular, special and executive, and shall be allowed to participate in discussions at all such meetings, and shall be allowed to submit reports and writings to the Commissioners; but in no event shall the Town Manager, in the liaison capacity, have any right to vote or have any other right, power or duty reserved to a Commissioner.
2. Two (2) Commissioners shall be initially appointed for one (1) year terms. Two (2) Commissioners shall be initially appointed for two (2) year terms. One Commissioner shall be initially appointed for a three (3) year term. Each term thereafter shall be for three (3) years. The term of each Commissioner expires on January 1st of the third year after the appointment of the Commissioner. The appointments of the current members of the Town Board of Metropolitan Police Commissioners are ratified as to said appointments and term of appointment for each.
b. Each Commissioner of the Board of Safety is subject to removal for any cause deemed sufficient by the Town Council.
c. A majority of the appointed and acting Board of Safety shall constitute a quorum. The Board of Safety shall adopt rules concerning the time of holding regular and special meetings and of giving notices of them in accordance with applicable state law, as amended from time to time. The Board of Safety shall elect one (1) of its commissioners as Chairperson, one (1) as Vice Chairperson, and one (1) as Secretary, and each member shall hold the position as long as prescribed by the rules of the Board of Safety. The Board shall) record its proceedings in accordance with applicable state law, as amended from time to time, and same shall be considered public records to be filed and maintained in the Office of the Town Clerk-Treasurer.
d. The Commissioners of the Board of Safety may act only as a Board. No individual member may bind the Board of Safety or the town except through a resolution entered in the records of the Board of Safety authorizing such Commissioner to act in its behalf as its authorized agent for the purpose set forth therein, and no individual member can otherwise act unilaterally.
e. The Commissioners of the Board of Safety may appoint subject to qualifications for employment determined by the Safety Board, and approved by the Town Council, the following:
1. The members and other employees of the Town Metropolitan Police Department; and
2. The members and other employees of the Town Metropolitan Fire Department.
f. The annual compensation of all members and employees of the police and fire departments and other appointees shall be fixed by the town’s Annual Salary Ordinance.
g. 1. The Board of Safety shall have control overall matters and property relating to the following:
(a) Police Department; and
(b) Fire Department, including emergency medical services.
2. Subject to the budget and appropriation of the Town Council, the Board of Safety may recommend salaries and wages to the Town Council, and may purchase the equipment and supplies and make the repairs needed for each of the departments therein.
h. The Board of Safety shall adopt rules for the governance and discipline of the Police Department, the Fire Department, and any Emergency Medical Service Department, subject to conformance with applicable state law.
i. The Board of Safety may adopt general and special orders to the Police Department and the Fire Department which orders shall be carried out through the Chief or head of said Departments.
j. The Police Chief shall have exclusive control of the Police Department, and the Fire Chief shall have exclusive control of the Fire Department, subject to the rules and orders of the Board of Safety, as amended from time to time. In time of the operation of a disaster plan of the Town of Schererville, the Police Chief and the Fire Chief, for the time of said disaster, are subordinate to the President of the Town Council, or the person or persons designated by the Town Council, and said Chiefs shall obey the Orders and directions given by the President of the Town Council, or said person or persons, consistent with said current Disaster Plan of the Town.
(Ord. No. 1804, 2-8-12)