§ 7. Functions of Police Commissioner

(a) The Police Commissioner shall supervise and administer the police force of the Virgin Islands under the direction of the Governor, from whom he shall receive orders and to whom he shall submit such reports as may be required. The Police Commissioner shall—

• (1) superintend the purchase of all property acquired by the police force, certify to the correctness of all vouchers in payment therefor, and be responsible for such property;

• (2) cause to be kept an accurate and complete record of all property of value which may be found or recovered, or which may otherwise come into possession of members of the police force; and whose owners are unknown and make such disposition as may be required by law;

• (3) establish the proper procedures through which all unclaimed property held over six months by the Department of Police may be auctioned by the department as determined by the Commissioner based on the needs of the Department with respect to any particular items of unclaimed property. The Commissioner of Police shall establish rules and regulations to determine the type of items which may be retained by the Police Department rather than the property being auctioned. The Commissioner shall maintain a current list of all unclaimed property for auction. The Commissioner shall provide this list to persons who register with and pay an annual membership fee of $20.00 for residents and $25.00 for non-residents of the Virgin Islands (the additional amount is to defray additional administrative cost associated with off-island mailing by the Virgin Islands Police Department). Auctions shall take place every 90 days when practicable following the initial auction. Twenty-five percent (25%) of all proceeds realized from any auction conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be placed in the Crime Prevention/Prosecution Fund established pursuant to Title 33, Section 3051, Virgin Islands Code; and 25% of the proceeds realized from the auction conducted shall be given to the Police Athletic League (PAL) for the purpose of providing educational training and programs. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of all proceeds realized from any auction conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be placed in the Police Crime Fighting and Equipment Fund established pursuant to Title 33, Section 3051a, Virgin Islands Code.

• (4) supervise and be responsible for the preparation of all payrolls and vouchers for expenditures on account of the police force; and as well as for the safe-keeping and proper accounting for all monies received by the police force;

• (5) offer salary bonuses of up to $5,000 to police officers of the Forensic and Major Crimes Divisions who seek to retire before the mandatory retirement age provided in title 3 Virgin Islands Code, section 705(c), as an incentive to continue in the employment of the Virgin Islands Police Department until the mandatory retirement age.

• (6) proceed, or cause his deputy to proceed, with all possible dispatch to the scene of any serious disorder or unusual occurrence where his presence may be required and personally take command of the police force at such place.

• (7) submit, on a quarterly basis, a report to the Virgin Islands Civil Rights Commission as established under Title 10, chapter 5, of this code, on crimes and incidents directed against persons or groups based upon their race, religion, color, national origin, sex, ethnicity, handicap or political affiliation and provide training for police officers in identifying, responding to and reporting all crimes and incidents against such person or group.

• (8) establish fees collected by the Virgin Islands Police Department; provided, that none of the existing fees shall be increased by more than 100% unless the increase is approved by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands.

• (9) establish in consultation with tow truck associations a schedule of rates that towing companies may charge for vehicles towed upon the request of a police officer.

(b) Fifty percent of all sums collected from annual membership fees, and all proceeds from auctions of seized property held by the Virgin Islands Government shall be deposited annually into the Union Arbitration Award and Government Employees Increment Fund established pursuant to Title 33, Section 3066, Virgin Islands Code. The remaining fifty percent shall be deposited into the Police Crime Fighting and Equipment Fund, established pursuant to Title 33, Section 3051a, Virgin Islands Code.