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ORDINANCE AMENDMENT OF THE NEW HAVEN BOARD OF ALDERS TO THE CODE OF GENERAL ORDINANCE MANDATING TRAINING FOR APPOINTEES TO THE NEW HAVEN BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
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WHEREAS, Article VII Section 2 of Charter of the City of New Haven provides for the Board of Alders to establish minimum qualifications, training requirements or attributes for members of Boards and Commissions for the sole purpose of assuring diversity of experiences, backgrounds or attributes and continuing education necessary to the functioning of said Board or Commission; and
WHEREAS, one of the most significant Boards in the city is the Board of Police Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, this Board has multiple responsibilities related to governing the New Haven Department of Police Services; and
WHEREAS, in order to effectively carry out these duties, members of the Board of Police Commissioners should complete a mandatory training regimen within six months upon being approved to serve on the Board.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the New Haven Board of Alders that a new section be added to the Code of Ordinances, referred to as Schedule A attached, requiring completion of a mandatory training regimen within six months upon being approved to serve on the Board of Police Commissioners.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED THAT the Mandatory Training Regiment for Board members include but not be limited to the following elements:
A. Review of the bylaws of the commission and the general orders of the New Haven Department of Police Service
B. City Ordinance & State Statute authorizing & empowering Police Commissions and Civilian Review Boards
C. Freedom of Information Guidelines training
D. An overview of the organizational structure of the New Haven Department of Police Service
E. An overview of the Internal Affairs Unit
F. A review of the current collective bargaining agreements concerning the New Haven Department of Police Service
G. A ride along with a police officer.
H. De-escalation & Use of Force familiarization
I. Interview Techniques
J. Parliamentary Procedures
K. Emergency Communications.
BE IT ALSO ORDAINED THAT 1) this training shall be coordinated by the training officer of the Department of Police Services; 2) completion of the training shall be certified by the Chief Administrative Officer and announced at a Board of Police Commissioners meeting and 3) a Certificate of Completion shall be provided to each commissioner upon finishing the mandatory training regimen and presented at a Board of Police Commissioners Meeting.
Schedule A
Title I. Article VII. Sec. 3. - Boards and Commissions Established by the Charter
E. Board of Police Commissioners 541 .
(1) Establishment 542 . There shall be a Board of Police Commissioners. Said Board shall advise and consult with the Chief of Police concerning matters pertaining to the chief's duties and to the conduct of the department, and together with the chief shall make all rules and regulations relating to the administration of the department which it may deem necessary or advisable, which rules shall be printed and made available to the public.
(2) Appointment and Membership 543 . The Board shall consist of six (6) members.
(a) Terms 544 . During the month of January each year the Mayor shall appoint two (2) members of said board for a term of three (3) years from the first (1 st ) day of February next succeeding.
(b) Police commissioners not to deal in intoxicating liquors 545 . No commissioner on said police board excepting a licensed druggist shall, either as principal, agent, or employee, be engaged in or directly or indirectly interested in the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors.
(c) Mandatory Training Requirement. All commissioners must complete within six (6) months of being appointed to the Board of Police Commissioners, mandatory training, which at a minimum must include the following:
(i) Review of the bylaws of the commission and the general orders of the New
Haven Department of Police Service;
(ii) City ordinances & state statutes authorizing & empowering police
commissions and civilian review boards;
(iii) Freedom of Information guidelines training;
(iv) An overview of the organizational structure of the New Haven Department of Police Service;
(v) An overview of the Internal Affairs Unit;
(vi) A review of the current collective bargaining agreements concerning the New Haven Department of Police Service;
(vii) A ride-along with a police officer;
(viii) De-escalation & use of force familiarization;
(ix) Interview techniques;
(x) Parliamentary procedures;
(xi) Overview of the operations of the emergency communications of the City of New Haven; and
(xii) Overview of the confidentiality and ethics policy governing the staff and appointees of the City of New Haven.
This training shall be coordinated by the training officer of the Department of Police Services. Completion of the training shall be certified by the Chief Administrative Officer and announced at a Board of Police Commissioners meeting, and a Certificate of Completion shall be provided to each commissioner upon finishing the mandatory training and presented at a Board of Police Commissioners Meeting. Chief Administrator Office may provide a waiver of training requirements subject to approval of the Board of Police Commissioners, if circumstances warrant such waiver.
(3) General Duties and Powers of the Board of Police Commissioners. In general, the Board of Police Commissioners shall be responsible for policy making, with the advice of the chief of police, and for the evaluation of such policies 546 .
G. General Provisions Concerning the Police and Fire Commissioners.
(1) Power of boards of commissioners over employees 553 . Each of said boards of commissioners shall have sole power of appointment and promotion of all sworn members and employees of their respective departments, under such rules and regulations as they may adopt for the purpose, and in accordance with rules governing the Civil Service System.
(2) Vote required for appointments, promotions by the Board of Police Commissioners 554 . No appointments or promotions in the police department shall be made except by the affirmative vote of not less than four (4) commissioners, except where otherwise provided.
(3) Removal, demotion, suspension 555 . Each of said boards of commissioners shall have power, for cause, after a hearing on charges, made in writing, to remove, reduce in rank, or suspend without pay any sworn member or employee in its department that it has power to appoint.
(4) Authorized Procedure 556 . No removal, reduction in rank, or suspension shall be made for political reasons. Charges against any sworn member or employee shall be preferred by the chief, served upon the person accused at least forty-eight (48) hours before the time fixed for a hearing, and presented to the board of commissioners of the department to which such sworn member or employee may belong.
(5) Appeal from removal, demotion, suspension. Any office or employee aggrieved by the action of said board may make application to any judge of a court of competent jurisdiction within and for New Haven County in the nature of an appeal from such order of the Board of Commissioners, which application shall be made returnable not more than twelve (12) nor less than three (3) Days from the date of such order of the commissioners, and a copy thereof shall be served upon the City Clerk at least forty-eight (48) hours before the day on which it is made returnable 557 .
(6) Said judge having given such further notice as deemed necessary by the court, shall forthwith hear said application, and may approve, modify, or revoke such order, and may award costs at the discretion of the court 558 .
(7) During the pendency of said application such order of the commissioners shall have full force and effect, subject, however, to the power of said judge if such order shall be modified or revoked to make such judicial decree relate back to the date of such order 559 .