(a) The Superintendent shall appoint an Associate Police Superintendent, with the consent of the Governor, who under his/her direction, shall assist him/her in his/her administrative and operational duties. In the event the Superintendent should be absent or suffer from temporary disability, the Associate Superintendent shall substitute for the latter and exercise all his/her authority, powers and duties during said absence or disability. In the event of the death, resignation or removal from the Force of the Superintendent, the Associate Superintendent shall exercise all the authority, powers and duties of the former during said absence or disability. In the event of the death, resignation or removal from the Force of the Superintendent, the Associate Superintendent shall temporarily exercise all the powers of the Superintendent while said vacancy exists.
(b) The Associate Superintendent shall also be charge of all those matters entrusted to him/her by the Superintendent which will enable the discharge and performance of the duties inherent to his/her office, including those expressly entrusted to the Superintendent by law. He/she shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by the Superintendent.
(c) The position of Associate Superintendent shall be classified under confidential service and the person appointed to said office shall hold said position at the discretion of the Superintendent. However, the person holding said position shall provide evidence of having obtained, at least, a master’s degree from a duly accredited university.
(d) In the event a member of the Force is appointed to that position, at the conclusion of said appointment, he/she shall turn to the corresponding permanent rank, the salary assigned to the aforesaid and shall receive the automatic salary increase if he/she has not reached the highest level in the salary schedule corresponding to the rank which he/she held prior to filling the confidential position.
(e) The Associate Superintendent may bear firearms for his/her personal protection and that of his/her family, even after ceased in said position and while demonstrably mentally and morally capable to do so.
History —June 10, 1996, No. 53, § 7; Oct. 7, 2009, No. 113, § 1.