(A) The Police Department should consist of a number of officers as the Board of Public Works and Safety shall from time to time designate, but not less than five. There shall be at all times one Chief of Police who shall be designated and hold the rank of Captain, and one Assistant Chief of Police who shall be designated as and hold the rank of Lieutenant. Each officer shall secure and wear appropriate insignia as shall be designated by the Board of Public Works and Safety. There are hereby further created the classifications of Sergeant, Patrolman and Probationary Patrolman.
(B) The Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Mayor from the membership of the Police Department and shall be a member who has served his or her probationary period of at least six months with the Police Department. The Assistant Chief of Police shall be appointed by the Mayor from the membership of the Police Department.
(C) A probationary patrolman is a member of the Police Department who has served less than one year. During this one-year period, the Probationary Patrolman may be discharged from the Police Department with or without cause, as determined by the Board of Public Works and Safety. If retained on the Police Department beyond the one-year period, the probationary patrolman shall become a full patrolman, as defined in division (D) below.
(D) A patrolman is a member of the Police Department who has fully completed his or her probationary period and been retained on the Police Department of the city. No patrolman, nor any other member of the Police Department higher in rank, shall be discharged except for cause stated by written complaint and after hearing before the Board of Public Works and Safety, of which hearing the officer shall have at least ten days prior written notice and at which hearing he or she shall have the right to appear in person, confront the witnesses against him, present evidence in his or her own behalf and be represented in person or by counsel.
(E) It shall be hereafter required that at least one member of the Police Department each year attend a school in criminology, traffic safety or other appropriate branch of police work conducted by the State Police or by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The city shall appropriate annually a sum estimated to be sufficient to pay the expenses of the officers, including tuition and supplies, while in attendance at the school, and the salary of the officer during the time of attendance at the school shall be paid as though the officer was on active duty within the city. So far as possible, the officers attending the schools shall be rotated so as to allow all officers and members of the Police Department to attend training, except that due consideration be given to those officers volunteering for the training and officers expressing no desire to attend.
(F) Appointments to the Police Department shall be made on a non-political basis, and members of the Police Department shall refrain from engaging in partisan politics and shall not, while members of the Police Department, make donations to any political party or accept office in any political party.
(G) The following are duties of the members of the Police Department:
(1) Chief of Police.
(a) The Chief shall establish duty hours of all police officers of the city.
(b) He or she shall be on active duty a minimum of 48 hours per week.
(c) He or she shall be subject to call 24 hours a day.
(d) He or she shall keep and maintain daily records of all arrests, misdemeanors, accidents and the like, as reported by any police officer within the boundaries of the city.
(e) He or she shall hold monthly briefings with all members of the Police Department. The Mayor and President of City Council shall be notified of the time and place and permitted to attend.
(f) He or she shall be responsible for cooperation with other city police, county police, state police and federal officers.
(g) He or she shall keep and maintain complete operating costs of Police Department equipment such as radios, cars, parking meters and the like.
(h) He or she shall be a representative of the Department of Police, subject to approval or direction of the Board of Public Works and Safety.
(i) He or she shall establish the official uniforms for the Department of Police, subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works and Safety.
(j) He or she shall be in full uniform at all times while on duty.
(2) Assistant Chief of Police.
(a) The Assistant Chief shall be responsible for all duties of the Chief of Police when the Chief of Police is unable to do so, subject to the direction of the Board of Public Works and Safety.
(b) He or she shall be familiar with all records and duties of the Chief of Police.
(c) He or she shall submit to the office of the Chief of Police all information, data and reports as required by the Chief of Police, upon completion of each day’s tour of duty (in writing).
(d) He or she shall conduct himself in a manner, at all times, that will be a credit to himself and the City Department of Police.
(e) He or she shall keep himself physically fit at all times. A physical examination must be passed every four years and complete reports submitted by the secretary of the Board of Health to the City Board of Public Works and Safety.
(f) All officers shall at all times strive to maintain high safety standards for the city, through safety programs, using every agency available to them.
(3) Sergeant.
(a) The Sergeant shall be subject at all times to the direction of the Chief of Police or the Assistant Chief of Police, whoever is in charge.
(b) In the absence of the Chief of Police and the Assistant Chief of Police, he or she shall assume, and be responsible for, all duties of Chief of Police.
(c) He shall be qualified to administer tests legally recognized by the state to determine blood alcohol content.
(H) The city shall furnish to each appointed officer of the Police Department all uniforms and equipment as are prescribed for a member of the Department. Equipment and uniforms shall be maintained by the members of the Police Department, except that the city shall further pay in addition to any and all basic salaries, the minimum sum of $50 per officer per year for replacement and maintenance of uniforms and equipment, as budgeted by the Board of Public Works and Safety. Any and all uniforms and equipment shall at all times belong to the city and shall be turned in by each officer and accounted for in the event of discharge or resignation from the City Police Department.
(I) The following are rules governing police officers in the city, and apply to the Chief of Police, Assistant Chief of Police, Patrolmen and Probationary Patrolmen:
(1) Officers shall be in proper uniform as prescribed by the Chief of Police.
(2) Officers shall conduct him or herself in a proper manner at all times, including off duty time or on duty time.
(3) Officers shall be entitled to one day off each working week, subject to the approval of the Chief of Police as to which day.
(4) At the end of each day of duty, the officer being relieved shall log all arrests, accidents, misdemeanors, miles driven and the like. This information shall be filed in the office of the Chief of Police, in which the Chief shall keep and maintain all records pertaining to any official action of any Policeman or Deputy.
(5) The Chief of Police is required to attend State Police Department schooling as soon as possible after appointment to the office. The expense of this shall be borne by the city.
(6) Upon completion of training, the Chief of Police shall be required to hold instructions for all officers of the City Police Department not less than one time each year.
(7) All special orders to officers of the City Police Department must be issued in writing to each and every officer, and posted for 30 days in the Office of the Police Department.
(J) The following are requirements to be met by any and all new applicants:
(1) He or she shall be in sound physical condition.
(2) He or she shall submit physical examination reports of a qualified doctor.
(3) He or she shall not be under 21 nor over 35 years of age.
(4) His or her height shall be at least five feet eight inches.
(5) His or her weight shall be not less than 160 pounds.
(K) In the event of the resignation or termination of employment as a member of the Police Department for any reason whatsoever, all privileges and benefits of this chapter shall be deemed terminated, and at an end to the effect that if the member later rejoins the City Police Department he or she shall be deemed a probationary patrolman and shall be treated as though he or she had never been a member of the Police Department for the purpose of basic pay, all other allowances and qualifications for senior grade ranks.
(Am. Ord. 1103, passed 5-2-16)