Chapter 2.48
POLICE DEPARTMENT – INTERNAL REGULATIONS*
Sections:
2.48.010 Uniform – Required – “On duty” defined.
2.48.020 Uniform – Description.
2.48.030 Uniform – Plainclothesmen – Chief of police.
2.48.040 Management of police station and city jail – Police chief’s responsibility.
2.48.050 Management of police station and city jail – Rules and regulations.
2.48.060 Notices of traffic infraction – Compliance with rules required.
2.48.070 Notices of traffic infraction – System established.
2.48.080 Fixless notices of traffic infraction – Nonapplicability.
2.48.085 Community service officers – Uniforms.
2.48.110 Automotive equipment – Compliance with rules required.
2.48.120 Automotive equipment – Use regulations.
2.48.130 Automotive equipment – Insignia.
2.48.140 Automotive equipment – Careful driving required.
*For the statutory provisions regarding the adoption of state statutes by reference, see RCW 35A.12.140.
2.48.010 Uniform – Required – “On duty” defined.
(1) Except as hereinafter provided, it is unlawful for any member of the police department of the city to appear on duty except in the uniform hereinafter prescribed.
(2) The term “on duty” wherever used in this chapter shall be interpreted, as to every member of the police department other than the chief, as applying to the hours during which the officer is regularly assigned to duty by the chief of police and not to emergency duties after hours of regular duty. (Ord. 612 § 1, 1950).
2.48.020 Uniform – Description.
(1) Patrolmen. The uniform of patrolmen, except motorcycle patrolmen, shall consist of coat fastened with gilt buttons, trousers, and cap of dark blue cloth, dark blue shirt, and black tie, black shoes and a police badge. The caps shall be similar in shape to the United States Army blue cap, and shall carry as an ornament the identification of the city, the design of which shall be approved by the city council.
(2) Motorcycle Patrolmen. The uniforms of the motorcycle patrolmen shall consist of coat, shirt, cap and breeches or slacks of dark green color, Sam Brown belt, boots or shoes of black leather and a police badge. The coat shall be single breasted and shall fasten with gilt buttons. The cap shall carry on its front an ornament bearing the identification of the city. Black tie is also prescribed for motorcycle patrolmen.
(3) In warm weather, all officers may dispense with coats.
(4) In cold weather, all officers may wear a short overcoat of heavy dark blue cloth, and fastened with gilt buttons, or a short heavy leather coat as an overcoat.
(5) All officers may wear gloves or mittens with coats or overcoats. (Ord. 612 § 2, 1950).
2.48.030 Uniform – Plainclothesmen – Chief of police.
(1) The chief of police shall have the authority to designate such members of the police department as he may deem necessary as “plainclothesmen” for special detail and/or investigative work. Such members so designated and when assigned to special detail and/or investigative work may not be required to wear the prescribed uniform, but shall be required to wear a business suit of clothes.
(2) The chief of police shall wear the above prescribed uniform at all official ceremonies and public functions. (Ord. 612 § 3, 1950).
2.48.040 Management of police station and city jail – Police chief’s responsibility.
It is unlawful for the chief of police to fail to observe the rules and regulations prescribed in LMC 2.48.050 for the management of the police station and city jail. (Ord. 612 § 4, 1950).
2.48.050 Management of police station and city jail – Rules and regulations.
(1) The chief of police, as the custodian of the police station and the keeper of the city jail, shall, in his management of the city jail:
(a) Be governed by the rules and regulations of prisons and jails formulated and adopted by the superior court judges of the state which are hereby adopted by the city;
(b) Maintain the police station in a clean and orderly condition;
(c) Keep a blotter or card file system in which shall be entered the name, address and full description of every person apprehended or turned over to him for safekeeping and the offense or offenses with which such persons are charged, the day and time of release of each prisoner and the authority therefor, also a full and accurate account of all property belonging to each prisoner;
(d) Maintain suitable and appropriate files in proper condition in which to safely keep and store official papers and documents.
(2) These files and their contents and all official letters and documents of the police department shall be turned over by the chief of police to his successor in office along with all other public property. (Ord. 612 § 5, 1950).
2.48.060 Notices of traffic infraction – Compliance with rules required.
It is unlawful for a member of the police department to fail to comply with the rules and regulations prescribed in LMC 2.48.070 and 2.48.080 for the use of notices of traffic infraction and the records to be used therewith. (Ord. 2026 § 1, 1980; Ord. 612 § 6, 1950).
2.48.070 Notices of traffic infraction – System established.
(1) There is placed in effect a system of “fixless” notices of traffic infraction whereby each officer shall obtain and sign a receipt for a book of notices of traffic infraction, in the form prescribed by the administrator for the courts of the state of Washington.
(2) These notices of traffic infraction shall be in quintuplicate and shall be consecutively numbered.
(3) Any officer issuing a notice of traffic infraction shall complete the same in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Supreme Court of the state of Washington.
(4) The officer issuing a notice of traffic infraction shall serve and file the same in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Supreme Court of the state of Washington.
(5) The officers may each obtain not more than two books at any one time but must promptly turn in each used book to be filed and kept of record in the police department files. (Ord. 2026 § 2, 1980; Ord. 612 § 7, 1950).
2.48.080 Fixless notices of traffic infraction – Nonapplicability.
(1) The foregoing system of “fixless” notices of traffic infraction in LMC 2.48.070 shall not apply to vehicles which are in violation of traffic regulations while stationary.
(2) For such stationary violations, notices of traffic infraction shall be made out in duplicate, consecutively numbered and containing the information required by rules established by the Supreme Court of the state of Washington.
(3) Notices of traffic infraction shall be served and filed in accordance with the applicable rules of the Supreme Court of the state of Washington. (Ord. 2026 § 3, 1980; Ord. 612 § 7, 1950).
2.48.085 Community service officers – Uniforms.
Community service officers shall perform such duties as are assigned under LMC 2.42.045, and shall wear such uniforms and display such badges or symbols of authority as shall be prescribed by the chief of police. (Ord. 2631 § 3, 1996).
2.48.110 Automotive equipment – Compliance with rules required.
It is unlawful for any member of the police department of the city to fail to comply with the rules and regulations for the use of automotive equipment of the city, as prescribed in LMC 2.48.120 through 2.48.140. (Ord. 612 § 8, 1950).
2.48.120 Automotive equipment – Use regulations.
(1) The chief of police shall be responsible for the general upkeep of all automotive equipment of the city assigned to his department.
(2) No automotive equipment of the city assigned to the use of the police department shall be at any time applied to private uses and when not in use for the city shall be kept at the police station, except for the car assigned to the chief of police which may be retained in his custody at all times.
(3) The chief of police shall keep a monthly record of mileage and of gas and oil consumed on each piece of equipment. This record shall be kept on the police station files and a monthly report shall be made to the city council reflecting this and any other information in connection with automotive equipment of the city which the city council may require, on forms to be prescribed by the city council. (Ord. 612 § 9, 1950).
2.48.130 Automotive equipment – Insignia.
All automobiles owned by the city and assigned to patrol duty within the police department shall be marked with the insignia prescribed by the city council. (Ord. 612 § 9, 1950).
2.48.140 Automotive equipment – Careful driving required.
Every operator of police department automotive equipment shall at all times use due care to avoid accidents and damage or injury to persons or property. (Ord. 612 § 9, 1950).
2.48.150 Prohibited conduct.
It is unlawful for any member of the police department of the city:
(1) To appear on duty under the influence of intoxicants;
(2) Indulge in the use of intoxicants while on duty;
(3) Use foul, obscene or abusive language in public while on duty or in connection with the performance of his duty; or
(4) Accept free meals, free beverages or gratuities of any kind from the proprietor or any employee of any place of business. (Ord. 612 § 10, 1950).