Police and fire commission.

98. Section 23. The department of police and fire shall be in charge of the police and fire commission which shall consist of three (3) members, who shall be electors and freeholders of the city and who shall serve without compensation. The members of the first commission existing hereunder shall be appointed on the third Monday of April, 1926, and shall be appointed for the term of one year, two (2) years, and three (3) years, respectively. On the third Monday of April, 1927, and on the third Monday of April in each year thereafter one member of the commission shall be appointed for the term of three (3) years.

Officers and employees.

99. Section 24. The police and fire commission shall elect from its number a president, vice-president and secretary, each of whom shall hold office for the term of one year and until their successors shall be duly elected and enter upon the duties of their office. The commission shall appoint a chief of police and such number of police officers, patrolmen and other officers and employees of the police department as the council shall by ordinance or resolution direct. The chief of police shall be harbor master and sealer of weights and measures. The commission shall appoint a chief of the fire department and such number of firemen and other officers and employees of the fire department as the council shall by ordinance or resolution direct. The commission shall prescribe the duties and, subject to the approval of the council, fix the compensation of the members of the police and fire departments.

Meetings, records, quorum.

100. Section 25. The police and fire commission shall hold meetings, regularly, at least one every two (2) weeks, and shall designate the time and place thereof, shall adopt its own rules of procedure and shall keep a record of its proceedings. Two (2) members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Proper accounts of the receipts and expenditures of money shall be kept. Such part of records, proceedings

*Editor's note—The validity of material in this captioned part, insofar as it applies to the fire department, should be considered in light of paragraphs captioned 101.1 through 101.9.
State law reference—Charter may provide for civil service system, MCL § 117.4i(7), MSA § 5.2082(7).

General powers and duties.

101. Section 26. The powers and duties of the police and fire commission and the members of the police and fire departments, which shall be exercised and performed as herein provided and in accordance with the laws of the state and the ordinances of the city, shall be as follows:

a. The commission shall assume and exercise supervision over the police and fire departments and make all proper rules for the government and discipline thereof.

b. The commission shall have the custody and control of all property, books, records and equipment belonging to the police and fire departments.

c. The commission shall recommend to the council the purchase of all needed supplies, tools, implements, equipment, vehicles and apparatus of all kinds for the police and fire departments.

d. The commission shall recommend to the council the purchase of sites for police stations and engine houses and the construction of buildings needed for the proper administration of the police and fire departments.

e. The commission shall preserve the public peace and prevent crime, arrest offenders and protect the rights of persons and property, guard the public health, preserve order and enforce the laws of the state and the ordinances of the city.

f. The commission and all members of the police department shall have the same powers and duties as sheriffs and constables in the serving of civil and criminal process, and in the making of arrests, both within and without the city, but within the state. They shall have the power to arrest, wthout [without] process, all persons who in the presence of the officer shall be engaged in the violation of any law, and to detain such persons until complaint can be made and process issued for their arrest, which complaint shall be made as speedily as possible after such arrest.

g. The commission may, whenever it deems it necessary for the preservation of peace and good order in the city, appoint and place on duty such number of temporary policemen as in its judgment the emergencies of the case require; but such appointments, unless made in accordance with some ordinance or resolution of the council shall not continue longer than seven (7) days.

h. The commission and the chief of the fire department shall be vested with all of the powers of state fire wardens.

i. The commission may discipline, suspend temporarily and discharge permanently any member of the police or fire department for any cause which the commission, in the exercise of their discretion, deem sufficient, provided, however, that a statement in writing of the cause or causes of his suspension or removal be served upon him and that he be given a hearing before the commission. The decision of the commission shall be final.

Editor's note—The above subsection appears as amended by an amendment approved on April 1, 1935 by a vote of 3643 to 1210.

j. The commission and the members of the departments under its control shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as the council shall by ordinance or resolution prescribe.

Editor's note—Ord. No. 658, § 1, enacted July 21, 1980, provides that "the authority and office of constable as set forth in the charter of the City of Wyandotte is hereby abolished."

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