(A) The following rules and regulations shall govern the operation of the city Police Department.
(B) (1) A member will devote his or her entire time and attention to the service of the Department. A member is prohibited from engaging in any other business or occupation that in any way interferes with his or her service to the Department.
(2) A member is subject to call to duty 24 hours a day if necessary.
(3) A member will treat as confidential the official business of the department. He or she will not impart it to any except those for whom it is intended, or as directed by his or her commanding officer or under due process of law.
(4) A member is required to be neat and clean in person and dress at all times when on duty.
(5) No member shall drink any kind of intoxicating liquor while on duty.
(6) No member shall report for duty when he or she has been drinking any kind of intoxicating liquor.
(7) Members will not apply for warrants for assaults upon themselves, or adjust claims for damages, without consulting the Chief of Police.
(8) Members are forbidden to go on the bond or furnish bail for any person arrested, nor shall they suggest or recommend any specific attorney or counsel to the prisoner. If this is a member of his or her immediate family, not to be lower in relationship than a brother or sister, a member of this Department may go on their bond.
(9) Members are prohibited from seeking free admission for themselves or others to any place of amusement or to seek free items of any kind from any business establishment; this is to include theaters and coffee and food from restaurants. Members may accept free admission from places of amusement and items from a place of business if freely offered by the owner or manager of same. This acceptance has to be made by the officer with the idea that the person giving the free items will not receive any favoritism in police matters concerning the same establishments.
(10) No member of this Department will accept any fee or reward from any person or establishment, or any other person, for services performed in line of duty.
(11) Members are prohibited from contrac-ting undisputed debts which they are unwilling to pay; or neglecting or refusing to pay a just indebtedness within a reasonable time without a reasonable excuse.
(12) Members are prohibited from appearing in a civil case, except in obedience to a subpoena or to a court order, without the permission of the commanding officer.
(13) Any member who shirks danger or responsibility in discharging his or her duties will be deemed guilty of cowardice.
(14) The routine orders of the Department are general orders and special orders. General orders are of importance and permanent and general interest which are to be continuously observed by the entire Department. Special orders are those which concern individuals or relate to matters that need not be known to the whole command.
(15) Members will give their name and rank to any person who may require same.
(16) Members of the uniformed sections of this Department are required to be in complete uniform when on duty. No mixture of civilian clothes with uniforms will be permitted. Members will not be permitted to wear any badge, button, or insignia not authorized while in uniform without authorization from the Chief of Police.
(17) All members are responsible for their own uniforms and leather goods and will see to it that they are replaced as they wear out.
(18) The officer in permanent or temporary command of a shift is responsible for all city owned property of the command, whether in use or in storage, except that which may have been officially receipted for by subordinates. It is his or her duty to attend personally to its security.
(19) If any article of city property is lost or damaged by neglect or fault of any member of this Department, that member shall pay the value thereof or the cost of repair at the rate as may be determined by a survey of the property.
(20) Property lost or destroyed will be accounted for by an explanation by form letter of the responsible officer.
(21) Members will double lock any prisoner being transported when that prisoner is a felony prisoner.
(22) Members are prohibited from the unauthorized use of the police motor vehicles assigned to them, and will not allow unauthorized persons to ride with them in their vehicles without permission from the Chief of Police. This means to go on patrol or ride around with an officer. If an officer has to take a member of his or her family some place, and does not make it a habit, this will be allowed.
(23) Probationers may be discharged at any time during their probation period without the right of hearing.
(24) A member, upon resigning, dismissal, or retirement, will immediately surrender all Department property to the Chief of Police, or officer designated to accept the same by the Chief of Police.
(25) An officer who desires to be a candidate for public office must resign from the Department.
(C) No officer shall be guilty of the following offenses, and if an officer is guilty of same, charges may be preferred against the officer:
(1) Cowardice;
(2) Willful disobedience of rules and regulations or orders;
(3) Being under the influence of intoxicating liquor while on duty;
(4) Willful maltreatment of a prisoner or any other person;
(5) Conduct unbecoming to a police officer;
(6) Insubordination or disrespect toward a superior officer;
(7) Neglect or inattention to duty;
(8) General incompetency;
(9) Sleeping or lounging on duty;
(10) Laziness;
(11) Being absent from duty without permission;
(12) Using coarse, profane, or insolent language to a superior officer;
(13) Making a false official report;
(14) Neglecting to wear proper uniform while on duty or to appear clean and tidy in person and dress at all times;
(15) Receiving bribes in money and other valuable things;
(16) Entering a dive or disorderly house not in performance of duty;
(17) Gossiping about a member of the Department concerning his or her personal character or conduct to the detriment of that member;
(18) Publicly criticizing any order given by a superior officer;
(19) Communicating any information which may aid a person to escape arrest, or to delay the apprehension of a criminal, or secure the removal of stolen or embezzled goods, or other property or money;
(20) Communicating or giving any police information to any person without authorization by the Chief of Police;
(21) Neglecting to pay a just indebtedness within a reasonable time without a reasonable excuse;
(22) Refusing to give name and rank when reasonably requested;
(23) Neglecting to turn over all property taken from person arrested, or found, or seized, to the proper officer without unnecessary delay;
(24) Using firearms except in extreme emergencies; or
(25) Misuse or mistreatment of any of the police equipment.
(D) (1) During the absence of any appointed officer, the officer next in rank shall perform his or her duties, and shall, during the absence of the superior officer, possess all his or her powers. Every officer and patrol officer will be held responsible for the proper discharge of the duties assigned to him or her. He or she may deviate from this course only when an officer of higher rank, who has the right to do so, may take upon himself or herself the responsibility of giving direct and positive orders for his or her conduct. All officers and patrol officers are especially warned against commenting upon orders issued by the Chief of Police, or by superior officers.
(2) All members of the Department shall at all times be loyal to their superior officers and those in charge of the Department, as the success of the Department depends on the teamwork of all its members.
(3) Any member or employee feeling aggrieved by the treatment of, or by the orders of superior officers, or any member of the Department, or wishing to call attention to any matter of police business or neglect of duty, or to make any suggestions for improvement of the service, shall not discuss this with persons outside the Department, but shall instead, communicate in writing with the Chief of Police. The communication will follow the chain of command, which means the communication will be given to the next ranks above the aggrieved member. When necessary, the communication will be followed by a personal interview. Failure of a superior officer to forward a communication through official channels will be treated as a serious dereliction of duty.
(4) When a member is off duty and in the public within the city, he or she shall be equipped with his or her regulation credentials.
(5) Members shall give attentions to matters reported to them and make investigation immediately, if possible, and close the matter as soon as possible. Members will prevent unauthorized persons from entering upon the scene of a crime. A member first upon the scene will make an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the crime, obtaining names and addresses of witnesses and all other important details. In the investigation at the scene of the crime members will exercise every precaution to preserve all evidence and fingerprints. In the preservation of physical evidence, a member will make use of photography, moulage, and any other available methods. If investigation is such that it requires the services of the other members of the Department, he, she, or they are to be notified as soon as possible, with full information given to them at that time.
(6) Members are required to make full written reports of all work done by them, such as reports on accidents, arrests, names of witnesses, and important particulars in each case and disposition of all cases. Records and forms are provided for this purpose. All reports will be completed before going off duty.
(7) Members who shall come into the possession of any lost or stolen property, shall take the same to headquarters where it shall be legibly marked and stored in a safe place.
(8) The appointment of any new member of the force shall be in keeping with the state laws.
(9) If it is deemed necessary to hire additional personnel for duty with the regular force, the Board of Public Works and Safety shall appoint the additional member or members, but not until the City Council has made the necessary appropriations to pay the salaries of the officers, and not without the recommendation of the Chief of Police.
(10) Any new member placed on the force shall serve on probation for a period of nine months. At the end of the nine months he or she may be appointed as a regular member of the force with the rights thereof, or if it is deemed advisable, be dismissed without the rights of a trial.
(11) Each new patrol officer shall be provided a full uniform within 60 days after being hired. The uniform shall be of standard design and quality as adopted for the Department, and worn as prescribed by the Chief of the Department.
(12) An annual clothing allowance will be given each member of the Department for the replacement of worn out items.
(13) Any officer of this Department will report and be at his or her assigned duty station at the time specified on the duty roster. Failure to do so will submit the officer to a written reprimand to go in his or her service record on the first two times. The third time an officer is late will submit the officer to suspension to be determined by the commanding officer of the shift, and finally by the Chief of Police.
(14) Minimum staffing. The staffing level for the Seymour Police Department shall be established at a minimum of two officers per 1,000 residents. The Chief of Police will monitor staffing levels and report to the Board of Public Works and Safety (“Board”) when any change in staffing levels occurs. If staffing levels fall below two officers per 1,000 residents, the Chief of Police shall present an action plan to the Board within two months. Action plans must be presented during a regularly scheduled Board meeting.
(1987 Code, §2-217) (Board of Public Works and Safety Res. passed 7-26-1972; Am. Ord. 20, passed 10-10-2011; Am. Ord. 31, 2021, passed 10-25-2021)