(a) The law enforcement department shall consist of a director of public safety and such number of regular law enforcement officers as shall be appointed as provided by K.S.A. 14-201.

(b)   The department of public safety is created for the protection and safety of persons and property.

(Code 2010)

(a)   The director of public safety shall be in charge of and shall supervise the administration of the department of safety, subject to approval of the city manager, and he or she shall serve as the city marshal-chief of police, fire marshal, and chief of the fire department.

(b)   The director of public safety of the department of public safety shall be under the supervision of the city manager and shall have immediate superintendency and control over and be responsible for the care and condition of the fire apparatus and equipment. It shall be the director of safety’s duty to see that all such apparatus and equipment is ready at all times for immediate use. It shall also be the director of safety’s duty to submit a written report as to the condition of all fire apparatus and equipment to the governing body at their first meeting in October of each year.

(c)   The director of safety, subject to the approval of the city manager, shall prepare rules and regulations relating to the conduct of the department of safety and of the officers of the department, including but not limited to the training and instruction of the officers of the department in approved, up-to-date techniques of promoting public safety and of providing fire and police protection. He or she may require such officers to attend practice or training sessions or courses as he or she may deem advisable and necessary to adequately carry out the functions of the department of safety.

(Code 1975, 15-102, 15-201; Code 1991)

(a)   It shall be the general duty of the Director of Public Safety and all sworn law enforcement personnel to the best of their ability to preserve good order, peace and quiet throughout the city as provided by law or ordinance. The Director of Public Safety and all sworn law enforcement personnel shall at all times have power to make arrest under proper process or without process on view of any offense against the laws of the State of Kansas or laws of the city and to keep all persons so arrested, unless admitted to bail, in the city jail, county jail or other proper place to prevent their escape until their trial can be had before the proper officer. All persons arrested for violation of any law of the state and who shall not be charged with an offense under any law of the city shall be released to the custody of the sheriff of the county and such arrest shall be reported to the county attorney.

(b)   All officers of the department of safety, either commission or volunteer, shall be appointed by the city manager and they shall have the powers, duties, immunities and authority of police officers and firefighters and such other duties as may be determined by the city manager. They shall have power to arrest all offenders against the laws of the state or the ordinances of the city, by day or by night, with proper process, and to arrest without process where any such offense shall be committed or attempted to be committed in their presence, and to bring such offenders to trial.

(Code 2010)

The Director of Public Safety shall have power to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of the department.

(Code 2010)

(a)   The director of public safety shall be responsible for the discipline of the members and is hereby given authority to suspend or expel any member for refusal to obey orders or for misconduct or failure to do his or her duty.

(b)   The director of public safety shall also have the right to summon any and all persons present to aid in extinguishing a fire or to aid in removing personal property from any building on fire or in danger thereof and in guarding the same.

(c)   At fires the director of public safety shall have full power, control and command of all persons present and shall direct the use of the fire apparatus and equipment, and command the firefighters in the discharge of their duties. He or she shall take such measures as he or she shall deem proper and necessary in the preservation and protection of property and extinguishing of fires.

(Code 1975, 15-202; Code 1991)

The director of public safety of the public safety department shall keep in convenient form a complete record of all fires. Such information shall include the time and location, construction of building, owner, occupancy, how extinguished, value of building and contents, loss on building and contents, insurance on building and contents, members responding to the alarm, and any other information deemed advisable.

(Code 1975, 15-203; Code 1991)

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to take away or use any fire apparatus or equipment for any private purpose or for any person willfully and without proper authority to remove, take away, keep or conceal any tool, appliance, equipment or other article used in any way by the safety department.

(Code 1975, 15-206; Code 1991, 7-109)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed upon or about any fire hydrant any rubbish, building material, fence or other obstruction of any character, or in any manner obstruct, hinder, or delay the safety department in the performance of its duties in case of fire. Nor shall any person fasten to any fire hydrant any guy rope or brace, nor stand any vehicle within 15 feet of any such hydrant.

(Code 1975, 15-205; Code 1991, 7-112)

All sums for services of the voluntary members of the safety department, as determined by the governing body, shall be paid by the city directly to the voluntary safety department association of the city.

(Code 1975, 15-107; Code 1991, 7-115)