Policy Text
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GENERAL ORDER
TITLE ACCREDITATION
Principles of Organization CALEA 11.3.1.a.b.
PRIOR REVISIONS
PROPONENT UNIT
05/21/01, 05/20/08; 04/19/18,
Office of the Chief
07/21/20
ATTACHMENT:
NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES
11.2 07/01/98 09/23/2024 2
I. PURPOSE: This Order establishes and defines the Department’s policy on unity-of-command
and span of control.
II. POLICY: Department members shall operate by, and be accountable to, the basic
organizational principles identified in this order.
III. DEFINITIONS:
Organizational Component: A subdivision of the agency, such as a bureau, division, section,
or unit, permanently established and staffed to perform a specific function or provide a specific
service.
IV. PROCEDURE: Organizational Principles:
A. Unity of Command: The organizational structure of the agency shall provide
definitive channels of authority.
1. Each organizational component shall be under the direct command of
only one supervisor. [CALEA 11.2.1]
2. Each employee is accountable to only one supervisor at any given
time. [CALEA 11.3.2]
3. All personnel in a supervisory position are accountable for the action of
subordinates under their command, whether are they are in a permanent or
temporary assignment.
a. Each commander or supervisor issues specific orders only to his/her
immediate lower-ranked personnel. [CALEA 11.3.2]
b. The lower-ranking member then issues orders in the same
manner until the point of implementation is reached.
Scope: All Department Members\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
c. Justifiable deviations of the normal practice may occasionally
occur. In these instances, all intermediate personnel in the affected
chain of command will be informed.
d. Supervisors may issue orders to subordinate personnel not
normally assigned under their direct command but who are working
the same shift and/or duty assignment.
4. Direct supervisors and their employees will keep each informed of the
others’ activities.
5. Department members will keep themselves aware of their relative
position in the organization, to whom they are accountable, and who is
accountable to them.
B. Responsibility/Authority:
1. All personnel at each level shall have the latitude to make necessary decisions
and exercise discretion to effectively their duties. [CALEA 11.3.1.a]
2. Each employee shall be fully accountable for the application of, or the failure to
apply, the authority delegated to him or her. [CALEA 11.3.1.b]
__________________________
By Order of
Signed Original on File in the
Accreditation Unit
__________________________
Nelson Moya
Chief of Police
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