THE VILLAGE OF TAOS SKI VALLEY

AMENDED ORDINANCE 05-27

AMENDING ORDINANCE 97-27

CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

_____________________________________________________________________

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE VILLAGE OF TAOS SKI VALLEY, NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1. CREATION OF DEPARTMENT.

          There is hereby created and established within the Village of Taos Ski Valley (hereinafter “the Village”) government a Department to be known as the Village of Taos Ski Valley Public Safety Department (hereinafter “the Department”).

SECTION 2. GENERAL POWERS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

          The Department shall have all of the powers, duties and responsibilities relating to law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire protection and suppression, animal control and other emergency services, as allowed by New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978 or required by this Ordinance or by any other ordinance or ordinances of the Village, and shall have such other and additional powers, duties and responsibilities as hereinafter may be lawfully imposed upon it.

SECTION 3. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

          There is hereby established the Office of the Director of Public Safety (hereinafter “the Director”). The Director shall be appointed by the Mayor and approved by a majority vote of the Village Council.

SECTION 4. POWERS AND DUTIES OF DIRECTOR.

          The Director shall be considered the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the Village for purposes of all Village ordinances, state statutes or regulations. The Director shall exercise and have all of the powers and duties pertaining to fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, animal control, emergency medical services and other emergency services and such other powers and duties as may be imposed or authorized by law together with all other powers and duties necessary and proper to the operation of the Department.

SECTION 5. DUTIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS.

          The powers, duties and responsibilities pertaining to the Department, including but not limited to fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, animal control, emergency medical services and other emergency services are hereby combined in the persons of Public Safety Officers. Public Safety Officers shall perform such duties and have such powers, responsibilities and duties as shall be conferred upon them from time to time by the Director. The Director shall have the authority to confer such powers, duties and responsibilities upon Public Safety Officers as shall be provided for consistent with the Ordinance, other Village Ordinances or as may otherwise be provided by law.

SECTION 6. DEPARTMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS.

          The Director is hereby authorized to make and implement rules and regulations in accordance and compliance with the laws and ordinances governing fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, animal control, emergency medical services or other emergency services, or other duties or responsibilities of the Department to provide for cross training, mutual cooperation, integration, consolidation and implementation of such duties.

SECTION 7. MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS.

          The Department is hereby authorized, subject to the approval of the Village Administrator and Village Council, to enter into agreements to provide fire protection and suppression, law enforcement, animal control, emergency medical services or other emergency services outside the corporate limits of the Village.

SECTION 8. VOLUNTEER PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS.

          The Director is hereby authorized at his or her discretion to use volunteers to carry out the purposes of this Ordinance. The Director shall be responsible to conduct and/or supervise necessary drills, training, and/or instruction to ensure that volunteer public safety officers are qualified and trained to function within the specific areas they are assigned by the Director.

SECTION 9. REPEALER.

          Any Village ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed.

SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.

          This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as provided by law.

          PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this __10___ day of August, 2004.

Vote: For: _4___, Against: _0___.

                                                                           _______________________________

                                                                                      Neal King, Mayor

ATTEST: 

___________________________________

          Vanessa N. Chisholm, Clerk