Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 203 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS, ESTABLISHING A POLICE RESERVE FORCE; PROVIDING FOR ITS MEMBERSHIP; PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS; LIMITING ITS MEMBERSHIP TO FIFTEEN (15) MEMBERS; PROVIDING FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS OF TRAINING; REPEALING ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY OF FINE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS: SECTION 1. There is hereby established in the City of The Colony, Texas, a Police Reserve Force. SECTION 2. Members of the Police Reserve Force shall be appointed at the discretion of the Chief of Po]ice and shall serve as Peace Officers doing actual discharge of official duties. SECTION 3. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a trained group of civilian volunteer personnel who will be available to supplement the regular po]ice force of the City of The Colony when directed by the Chief of Police. Reserve Police Officers shall act only in a supplementary capacity to the regular Police Force and shall in no case assume the full time duties of regular police officers without first complying with all requirements for such regular police officers. SECTION 4. No person appointed to the Po]ice Reserve Force may carry a weapon or otherwise act as a peace officer until he has been approved by the City Council. After approval, he may carry a weapon only when authorized by the Chief of Police, and when discharging official duties as a duly constituted peace officer. SECTION 5. Members of the Police Reserve Force serve at the discretion of the Chief of Police and may be called into service at any time the Chief of Police considers it necessary to have additional officers to preserve the peace and enforce the law. SECTION 6. The Chief of Police shall be the head of the Police Reserve and the members of the Reserve shall be under the authority, control and command of the Chief of Police, subject to all of the statutes of the State of Texas and ordinances of the City of The Colony. SECTION 7. The City Council shall establish qualifications and standards of training for members of the Police Reserve Force. Reserve police officers must comply with the minimum training standards established by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officers Standards, as now in effect and as shall be amended from time to time, and educational minimum standards established for all Reserve Law Enforcement Officers identical to those which must be fulfilled before a person appointed as a Reserve Law Enforcement Officer may carry a weapon or otherwise act as a peace officer. SECTION 8. (a) The Police Reserve Force shali be composed of personnel who have volunteered to join the organization and whose applications for membership have been aecepted and who have complied with all the rules, regulations and orders for the conduct and control of the members thereof. It shall be composed of not more than fifteen (15) members. (b) All applicants for membership shall be fingerprinted and the Chief of Police shall fully investigate and be responsible for satisfactory proof of the good character, sober habits and adequate physical ability of each applicant. SECTION 9. Application for membership in the Police Reserve shah be filed with the Police Department. Such application shall be on a form prescribed by the Chief of Police and approved by the City Council, and shall state the residence of the applicant. SECTION 10. The Chief of Police shah prescribe the uniform and badges for the members of the Police Reserve Force and direct the manner in which the same shall be worn. The Chief of Police may issue identification cards and police reserve badges which shah be returned upon termination of membership in the Police Reserve. SECTION 11. The City Council may from time to time provide uniform compensation for members of the Police Reserve Force. The compensation shah be based solely upon time served by a member of the Police Reserve Force while in training for, or in the performance of, official duties. SECTION 12. Members of the Police Reserve Force shall have no power to arrest beyond that of a citizen except when on official authorized duty to assist the regular police department. SECTION 13. No member of the Police Reserve Force shall break into or otherwise forcofuny enter upon private property or enter the dwelling or habitation of another person without the consent of a member of the Police Department and when he has been then and there requested by such member to furnish aid in the enforcement of law. SECTION 14. (a) Membership of any person in the Police Reserve may be terminated by the Chief of Police at any time for any cause deemed sufficient by the Chief of Police. Any member may resign from the Police Reserve at any time, but it shall be his duty upon resignation to notify the Chief thereof. (b) In addition to the penalties provided by law, any violation of law under color of the performance of his duties as a member of the Police Reserve Force, or any breach of rules or regulations established by the Chief of Police, shall subject any member to summary expulsion from the Police Reserve by the Chief of Police. SECTION 15. All commissions for membership in the Reserve shall expire automatically at midnight on the 31st day of December of each year. A renewal of such commission for any ensuing year may be had by filing an application. The application, the form of which shall be prescribed by the Chief of Police, shall consist of a letter properly filled out by the applicant, giving his full name and address and the number of his existing commission. Said application shall be fried with the Chief of Police. If the application for renewal is not presented on or before January 31st of each year, the applicant shall make application as if he had not previously held a commission. SECTION 16. No person shall represent or identify himself as a member of The Colony Police Reserve Force un]ess such person is in fact a sworn member thereof and is in compliance with all sections of this chapter. SECTION 17. The City Council may provide hospital and medical assistance to a member of the Police Reserve Force who sustains injury in the course of performing official duties in the same manner as provided by the City Council for a full time peliee officer, and reserve office~s shall be eligible for death benefits as set out in State law; provided however, that no member of the Police Reserve Force shall be eligible for participation in any pension fund created pursuant to State statute to which regular officers may become a member by payroll deductions or otherwise. SECTION 18. Should any portion of this ordinance be held to be invalid or unconstitutional for any reason or in conflict with any portion of Article 998a, Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, the remaining portions hereof shall not be affected and if in conflict with said statute, the terms thereof will govern. SECTION 19. Ordinance 19 of the City of The Colony and any other ordinance in conflict herewith is hereby repealed. SECTION 20. That any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction in Municipal Court of the City of The Colony, Texas, shall be subject to a fine not to exceed the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for each offense. SECTION 21. This ordinance shall be effective from and after its passage and the publication of the caption as the law and charter in such cases provide. DULY PASSED by the City Council of the City of The Colony, Texas, on the /~ day of ~//~/~/~ , 1982. APPROVED: MAYOR ATTEST: CITY SECRETARY APPROVED AS TO FORM: CITY ATTORNEY