Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-274 (2026)

Establishment by ordinance of town police commissions; adoption by ordinance of special act provisions when police commission established thereby

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a) Any town may, by ordinance, establish a board of police commissioners to be elected, in accordance with the provisions of section 9-201 or to be appointed by the council or board of directors of a town, the common council or other body empowered to make ordinances of a city, the board of burgesses of a borough or the board of selectmen of a town not having a council or board of directors, provided in a town having both a board of selectmen and a representative town meeting such ordinance may designate the representative town meeting as the appointing authority, for the purpose of organizing and maintaining a police department in such town. Such board shall consist of three, five or seven electors, all of whom shall be resident taxpayers of such town. Such commissioners shall be sworn to the faithful performance of their duties and shall serve without compensation, but their actual expenses and disbursements incurred in the performance of their duties shall be paid from the town treasury.

(b) For any town in which a board of police commissioners has been established pursuant to a special act, such town may, by ordinance, adopt the provisions of such special act and any amendment to such act.

(1949 Rev., S. 656; 1953, S. 260d; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 19; P.A. 73-138, S. 1, 2; P.A. 74-209; P.A. 19-104, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 73-138 permitted board to be appointed as well as elected; P.A. 74-209 clarified appointment provisions by listing specific appointing authorities; P.A. 19-104 designated existing provisions re establishment of board of police commissioners as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re boards established pursuant to special act.

Cited. 144 C. 21; 171 C. 553.

Upon establishment of board by town meeting, no vacancy exists when members are to be elected at the “next town election”. 19 CS 316. Cited. 31 CS 145; 38 CS 419.

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Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1976–2024 · leading case: Genesky v. Town of East Lyme, 881 A.2d 114 (Conn. 2005).

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Genesky v. Town of East Lyme, 881 A.2d 114 (Conn. 2005). · cites it 17× “As a result, the commissioner dismissed the plaintiffs claim because it was untimely and because the plaintiff was not a regular member of a paid municipal police department organized pursuant to General Statutes § 7-274* * 5 and Zimmer v.”

Town of South Windsor v. South Windsor Police Union Local 1480, 770 A.2d 14 (Conn. 2001). · cites it 5× “The court held that there was a clear, important and specific public policy, drawn from General Statutes §§ 7-274, 12 *814 7-276 13 and 7-294d (a) (10), 14 as well as § 7-294e-16 (j) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, 15 that a municipality alone is responsible…”

Medvalusa Health Programs, Inc. v. Memberworks, Inc., 872 A.2d 423 (Conn. 2005). · cites it 4× “) We concluded that General Statutes §§ 7-274, 7-276 and 7-294d (a)(10), or § 7-294e-16 (j) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, all of which establish a town's authority to establish a board of police commissioners and set entry level requirements for town…”

Jones v. Town of Redding, 995 A.2d 51 (Conn. 2010). · cites it 7× “Thereafter, the defendant determined that the organization of its police department was virtually identical to that of the East Lyme police department, and on January 30, 2004, decided to cease payments to the plaintiff and move, pursuant to § 31-315, to modify the agreement…”

Bd. of Police Commissioners v. White, 370 A.2d 1070 (Conn. 1976). · cites it 3× “The board in New Haven is comprised of six members who are appointed by the mayor — not elected as the later enacted § 7-274 of the General Statutes would require.”

Bd. of Police Commissioners v. Stanley, 887 A.2d 394 (Conn. App. Ct. 2005). · cites it 2× “” The city filed an application to vacate the award on December 9,2003, pursuant to General Statutes § 52-418 on the grounds that the award (1) violated established public policy against harassment, particularly of a sexual nature; (2) usuiped the authority of the board as set…”

Town of South Windsor v. South Windsor Police Union Local 1480, 750 A.2d 465 (Conn. App. Ct. 2000). · cites it 2× “” General Statutes § 7-274. “Such boards shall have all of the powers given by the general statutes to boards of police commissioners, shall have general management and supervision of the police department of such town .”

Hall v. Gallo, 934 A.2d 876 (Conn. Super. Ct. 2007). · cites it 3× “There is no representation that the police department was not established pursuant to General Statutes § 7-274 et seq. or the General Statutes that provide for a functioning policing agency run by a board of police commissioners (§ 7-274) having powers given to them to so run a…”

Zimmer v. Town of Essex, 449 A.2d 1053 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1982). · cites it 5× “During those years, the defendant had no organized police department as defined by General Statutes § 7-274. 1 2 It employed a resident state trooper to oversee the plaintiff, whose duties included street patrol, traffic regulation, investigation of accidents and making arrests,…”

Bailey v. Riehl (D. Conn. 2024). · cites it 2× “See Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-274 (“any town may, by ordinance, establish a board of police commissioners 3 “Because the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction” over these claims, “it cannot dismiss [them] with prejudice.”

City of Hartford v. AFSCME, Council 4, Local 1716, 2 A.3d 1049 (Conn. Super. Ct. 2010). · cites it 2× “[The Supreme Court] concluded that General Statutes §§ 7-274, 7-276 and 7-294d (a) (10), or § 7-294e-16 (j) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, all of which establish a town’s authority to establish a board of police commissioners and set entry level requirements…”

City of Ansonia v. Stanley, 854 A.2d 101 (Conn. Super. Ct. 2004). · cites it 2× “Second, the award usurps the authority of the board as set forth in the city charter, the agreement, the Ansonia police duty manual and General Statutes §§ 7-274 and 7-276. Third, the award conflicts with established and acceptable standard criminal investigation policy.”

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