MANALAPAN – The Township Committee has introduced an ordinance that will create a new class of special law enforcement officer in the Manalapan Police Department.
The ordinance was introduced on June 14 and has been scheduled for a public hearing and possible vote for adoption at 8 p.m. July 12 at the municipal building.
The ordinance, if adopted, will give Manalapan police administrators the ability to hire retired police officers to work in schools. The Class III officers will carry firearms, according to Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin.
There would be no limit on the number of Class III officers who would be permitted to work in the police department, according to the ordinance.
The position will pay $20 per hour, according to Township Administrator Tara Lovrich.
The ordinance states that Class III officers “shall be authorized to exercise full powers and duties similar to those of a permanent, regularly appointed full-time police officer while providing security at a public or nonpublic school on the school premises during hours when it is occupied by public or nonpublic school students and their teachers.
“While on duty, a Class III officer may respond to offenses or emergencies off school grounds if they occur in the officer’s presence while traveling to a school facility. The use of a firearm by an officer of this class may be authorized only after the officer has been fully certified as successfully completing training …”
In other business at the June 14 meeting, committee members passed a resolution establishing liens against various properties throughout Manalapan.
Conditions on the properties had to be addressed by Department of Public Works employees after no responsible party could be found to perform the needed work, according to the resolution.
The liens will have to be paid before a property can be sold. The locations are as follows: 5 Beth Drive, $510, grass maintenance; 20 Denise Court, $372.50, grass maintenance; 24 Grayson Lane, $57.50, grass maintenance; 30 Highland Ridge, $435, grass maintenance; 59 Pension Hill Road, $987.50, trash and debris removal; 7 Randall Drive, $435, grass maintenance; 24 Dutton Drive, $140, grass maintenance; and 6 Terence Drive, $85, secure an in-ground pool.