Policy Text
\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nTITLE ACCREDITATION
Administrative and Personnel Matters CALEA Chapter 3.1.2
PRIOR REVISIONS
PROPONENT UNIT
4/4/2016, 07/21/20
Personnel Division
ATTACHMENT: 0
NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES
22.8 12/01/1998 02/28/2024 13
I. PURPOSE: This Order defines the responsibilities of members pertaining to personnel
and administrative matters as well as responsibilities pertaining to certain duty-related
actions.
II. POLICY: The Department shall inform its members of their responsibilities regarding
what information must be supplied to the Department, what the parameters are when
taking certain duty-related actions, and other issues supporting the administration of the
agency.
III. PROCEDURE:
A. Department Telephone/Facsimile Use:
1. Charges/Billing: Members shall not levy unauthorized charges against
any Department or other City telephone number for other than official
purposes.
2. Cellular Phones/User Responsibility: The following procedures shall
apply to Department-issued cellular telephone usage and the use of
personal cell phones for work-related purposes:
i. Personal calls shall be short in duration and not interfere with the
member’s work performance while on-duty. Personal calls made
on-duty shall not exceed 60 minutes for any employee per month.
ii. Actions taken for improper use may include a monthly audit of a
user’s calls, cancellation of the cellular telephone assignment,
forfeiture of use, or other action, including disciplinary. Examples of
improper use include:
a. Failure to properly identify personal calls;
b. Excessive personal use, as defined by the user’s supervisor.
iii. Disputes regarding the nature of identified cellular telephone calls
shall be resolved by the Chief of Police or designee.
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Scope: All Department Members\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\n3. Telephone Repairs:
i. Landline: Department members shall contact the Information
Technology Division (IT) for service relating to telephones (e.g.,
new installation, removal, trouble).
Fax: Trouble with telephone lines connected to fax machines shall
also be reported to the Administrative Services Bureau. Fax
machine repairs are the responsibility of the office to which they are
assigned.
ii. Cellular: Members experiencing difficulty with service or damage to
their assigned cellular phone shall contact the Fiscal Office.
B. Restrictions When Communicating Via Department Equipment (Phones,
Pagers, Computers, etc.):
1. Prohibited Statements: Members shall not make statements over cellular
phones, taped telephone lines or type or enter any information or
messages of a derogatory nature using Department telephones,
computers, pagers, radios or other communication equipment.
This prohibition includes any information that is unprofessional,
demeaning, obscene or harassing to any person or group [See GO 26.3]
2. No Expectation of Privacy: Members shall not expect privacy when
using a Departmental taped telephone line, pager, cellular phone or
computer.
Information and messages given over taped telephone lines and via
computers are subject to disclosure under the Florida Public Records Law.
3. Use of Voicemail:
i. Every department member issued a department cell phone shall
setup the voicemail feature on their account and shall ensure their
voicemail account can always receive incoming messages.
ii. The greeting for the voice mail may be the standard greeting with
the department members name or a recorded greeting may be
used.
iii. Recorded greetings will state the following; “You have reached the
cell phone of (Department Member’s Name) of the Gainesville
Police Department. At the tone, please leave a message and I will
return your call at the earliest convenience. If you need immediate
assistance, you may call GPD’s main number, 352-393-7600. My
working hours are (insert your schedule).”
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Scope: All Department Members\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\niv. Units that use department cell phones for undercover operations
may use the default greeting with the approval of their Bureau
Commander.
C. Employee Owned Cellular Telephone Use
1. Members of the Department may use privately-owned cellular telephones
while on duty for personal use only. All members shall comply with City
Policy G-7.
2. Privately owned cellular telephones used for work related purposes and
any data contained therein, are subject to inspection and disclosure under
the Florida Public Records Act, FS 119. The Chief of Police or his/her
designee may require the department member to produce the phone bill,
requested texts, and data as required.
D. Credit/Debit Cards: Only authorized purchases may be made using Department
or other City credit cards.
1. Charges shall be documented by the appropriate receipts.
2. Receipts shall be submitted to the issuing authority or to the authority
accountable for the documentation of such expenditures.
E. Mail and Packages: [For Suspicious Mail, Refer to G. O. 40.17]
1. Only business-related mail will be distributed within the Department.
2. The assigned FST shall distribute department mail by way of labeled
sorting bins within the Mail Room and by delivery to the mail recipient,
when required.
3. Property and Evidence Section Staff shall daily pick up all department
packages from the Mail Room Staff and take them to the Property &
Evidence Section Office.
Property and Evidence Section staff will contact the addressee or Bureau
representatives who shall then be responsible for collecting their packages
from the Property and Evidence office.
F. Business Cards: Business cards used by members in the course of their daily
activities shall be of a style approved by the Chief of Police.
Business cards will meet City of Gainesville or other required standards in place
at the time of the order.
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Scope: All Department Members\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nG. Department Stationery: Department stationery or letterhead will be used for
official purposes only. Members will not use Departmental letterhead/stationery
addressed to outside entities without the approval of their Supervisor.
H. Legal Documents, Review and Approval: This section pertains to those
documents that affect the administration and relationship of the Department with
other entities. It does not pertain to ‘legal’ documents routinely processed as a
result of managing the police function, such as mittimi, sworn statements, routine
subpoenas, etc.:
1. Legal documents affecting the Police Department must be approved by
the Legal Advisor prior to execution.
2. City policy requires City Commission approval of any contract in excess of
$100,000.00.
3. Chief of Police may approve contracts valued at $50,000 or less;
4. The Assistant Chiefs of Police may approve contracts valued at $25,000
or less;
5. The Police Inspector may approve contracts valued at $20,000 or less;
6. Captains, Bureau Directors and specific lieutenant positions identified by
Fiscal Division may approve contracts valued at $5,000 or less.
7. Contracts, understandings, inter-local or inter-agency agreements,
covenants, deals, negotiations, arrangements, promises, settlements,
acquisitions, or any other document or action that could possibly have a
legal ramification affecting the City of Gainesville, this Department, or any
member of this agency in their official capacity, must be approved and
stamped as to correctness and form by the Legal Advisor and signed by
the Chief of Police prior to its execution.
I. Legal Advice: Department personnel in need of legal assistance related to
Departmental matters may contact the Legal Advisor directly.
If advice is sought during non-office hours, the Legal Advisor can be reached by
email or cellular phone. The current phone numbers will be maintained in the
Combined Communications Center or made available in the Outlook folders.
J. Civil Action:
1. As a Plaintiff: Although members have the right to initiate a civil suit
arising from their official duties, members shall not institute such a civil
action without first notifying the Chi