§ 85. Powers and duties of policemen.

The mayor shall appoint such number of policemen as are or may be hereafter prescribed by the city council by ordinance, and the mayor shall have at his discretion, the absolute right and power to dismiss any policeman and appoint another in his stead. The policemen shall be under command of the mayor and the chief of police, to be appointed as in this act [this Charter] provided for, and shall perform any and all duties incident to the office of policeman under the instructions and command of the mayor and the chief of police, and, in addition to the usual and customary duties prescribed by the laws of this state and under the provisions of this Charter required of them, it shall specially be the duty of each police officer to report to the chief of police, or some one designated by said chief of police to receive such report, daily and oftener if occasion demands, the condition of all streets, sidewalks, alleys, basements, backyards, buildings, unimproved lots and all other things and matters within the limits of said city that may come under the notice of such policemen which may relate to the health of the citizens thereof, the sanitary conditions, the necessity of the removal of any obstructions upon any of the streets, alleys or sidewalks, and it shall be the duty of the policemen under their instructions to perform all the duties and exercise all the powers ordinarily imposed upon or given to the officers now known as health officers. It shall also be the duty of each police officer to perform all the duties of humane officer and to exercise all the functions, power and authority relating thereto which are or may be prescribed by any law of this state or ordinance of the city. A police officer in making arrests shall have all of the power and authority of a constable under the laws of the State of West Virginia.

Editor's note

The provisions of Charter § 85, insofar as they relate to the appointment, promotion, dismissal, etc., of police, are superseded by W. Va. Code § 8-14-6 et seq. In the last sentence the term "constable" should now be "deputy sheriff." See W. Va. Code § 50-1-17.