Chap. 0346 An Act providing for a five day week for members of the police forces in certain cities and towns.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which in part is to make its provisions effective without delay, therefore it is hereby declared to be
an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted, etc., as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 147 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 16B, inserted by section 2 of chapter 426 of the acts of 1938, the following section:- Section 16C. Members of the police department of every city or town which accepts this section by vote of the city council, subject to the provisions of the charter, or by vote of the town at an annual town meeting, as the case may be, or, if said city council or town fails to accept this section, by vote of the voters thereof as hereinafter provided, shall be excused from duty for two days out of every seven without loss of pay.
Upon petition of not less than ten per cent of the registered voters in a city or town, duly certified by the registrars of voters and filed with the city or town clerk not less than thirty days before the regular municipal election of such city in any year, or before the annual town election of such town in any year, or if such petition is filed with the state secretary not less than ninety days before a biennial state election, the city or town clerk or the state secretary, as the case may be, shall cause to be printed upon the official ballot to be used in such city or town at such election the following question: - "Shall the city (or town) accept the provisions of section sixteen C of chapter one hundred and forty-seven of the General Laws providing for a five day week for members of the police forces in cities and towns?". If a majority of the votes
no.in answer to said question in any city or town is in the affirmative, this section shall take full effect therein, but not otherwise.
Section 2. Section 17 of said chapter 147, as amended by section 3 of said chapter 426 of the acts of 1938, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 3, the word "five" and inserting in place thereof the word: - six, - and by inserting after the words "sixteen B", in line 23, the words: - , or one hundred and four in each year in a town subject to section sixteen C, - so as to read as follows: - Section 17. The time and manner of excusing members of police departments from duty in any town subject to any of the six preceding sections shall be determined by the chief, superintendent or other officer or board at the head of the police department. A member so excused shall be exempt from duty and from attendance at a police station or other place, but otherwise shall be subject to all laws, rules and regulations relating to members of the department to which he belongs. The chief, superintendent or other officer or board at the head of the police department of any such town may, in case of any public emergency, or of any unusual demand for the services of the police in that town, prevent any member of the department from taking the day off at the time
when he is entitled thereto, or at the time assigned therefor, provided that such day off shall be granted to him as soon thereafter as is practicable. In no case shall the number of such days off be less than twelve in each year in a town subject to section fourteen, or twenty-four in each year in a town subject to section fifteen, or forty-five in each year in a town subject to section sixteen, or fifty-two in each year in a town subject to section sixteen A, or sixty in each year in a town subject to section sixteen B, or one hundred and four in each year in a town subject to section sixteen C, and they shall be in addition to any annual vacation now or hereafter allowed to members of the said departments, and such annual vacation shall not be diminished on account thereof. Approved May 28, 1951.