(A) The Mayor is hereby authorized and required to establish, organize, equip, and subsequently maintain a municipal police force and Police Department, Municipal Court, and Municipal Police Clerk or Clerk of Court and any and all other departments necessary and related to the formation of said Police Department.
(B) The Mayor shall ascertain by election at the next general election in the town, whether or not said police force shall be subject to police civil service.
(C) The Mayor shall select a Police Chief, subject to the approval of Town Council within 30 days of said selection, to operate and supervise said police force, including himself or herself, at the will and pleasure of Town Council and subject to the authority of the Mayor.
(D) The Police Chief shall select such assistants, subject to the immediate approval of the Mayor and subsequent approval of the Town Council, such assistants as are necessary; except that, the Mayor may in an emergency and at the time Council is not in session, appoint special police and police officers subject to control absolutely of the Mayor, except when Council is in session.
(E) The authority, control, and discipline of the police force and Police Department, Municipal Court, and Municipal Police Clerk or Clerk of Court, and any other departments necessary and related to the formation of the Police Department shall be subject to the authority, control, and discipline of the Mayor, or the Town Council when it is in session.
(F) All of the foregoing officers shall receive such pay and compensation from public funds, bi-weekly, as the Council in regular session may fix and determine.
(G) The Mayor shall act as judge in the Municipal Court or appoint a judge to act in his or her stead if the Mayor deems it appropriate; except that the compensation or salary of the Mayor or said judge shall be fixed and subject to the approval of Council.
(H) The Mayor shall establish a record-keeping system or utilize a keeper of records, or clerk, for said Municipal Court and shall advise Council when it is necessary to employ said additional employees on behalf of the town to operate said office, whose salary shall be fixed and subject to the approval of Council.
(I) The Mayor shall establish the necessity of any other officers, offices, or departments necessary for the purpose of law enforcement in the town and shall organize said officers, offices, or departments subject to the approval of Council.
(J) The Police Department shall be responsible for and shall enforce all laws or ordinances of the town.
(K) The Mayor and the Town Attorney shall establish a comprehensive set of laws and codes for the town subject to the enactment and approval of Council.
(Ord. 07-002, passed 7-9-2007)