Policy Text
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GENERAL ORDER
TITLE ACCREDITATION
Reserve Officers Program CALEA 16.1.1(a.b.c.d); 16.1.2;
16.1.3; 16.1.4; 16.1.5; 16.1.6;
16.1.7; 35.1.2
PROPONENT UNIT PRIOR REVISIONS
Administrative Services Bureau- 11/15/12; 4/23/18, 10/11/19
Personnel Division
ATTACHMENT:
NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES
16.5 11/15/12 10/14/2024 10
I. PURPOSE: This Order establishes guidelines for the operation and administration of the
Gainesville Police Department’s Reserve Officer Unit. [CALEA 16.1.1]
II. DEFINITIONS:
Police Officer: A paid, full-time, regular sworn law enforcement officer of any rank who is
employed by the City of Gainesville and a member of the GPD.
Reserve Field Training Program: A program designed to train Reserve Officers, through the use
of Field Training Officers (FTO), with standards identical to the existing criteria for paid, full-time
Police Officers
Reserve Coordinator: The Patrol Support Bureau shall designate a Reserve Coordinator to have
full authority to supervise and coordinate the Reserve Unit.
Reserve Officer: An unpaid, part-time law enforcement officer with whom law enforcement
authority and powers of the Chief of Police are delegated pursuant to Florida law, with such
limitations of authority as established by the Chief. [CALEA 16.1.1.a/b]
SWAT/Medical Reserve Officer: A Reserve Officer who holds a current license with the State of
Florida as a Medical Doctor, Physician’s Assistant, Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner,
Registered Nurse or Paramedic. Primary duties of the SWAT/Medical Officer are to provide
advanced medical care, within the tactical setting, as a component of the SWAT team (Tactical
EMS/TEMS or Tactical Casualty Combat Care/T3C). SWAT/Medical Officers shall perform their
work in conformance with the GFR Tactical Medical Support Team (TMST) Standard Operating
Guidelines. [CALEA 16.1.1.a]
III. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) shall maintain a Reserve Officer Unit
comprised of qualified, trained members who are appointed by the Chief. The core of the
program is individuals who volunteer their time to provide law enforcement assistance to the
City of Gainesville.
IV. PROCEDURE:
A. Position Status: Reserve Officers and SWAT/Medical Reserve Officers are unpaid,
part-time volunteers who donate their law enforcement services to GPD and the
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community as a public service. As such, individuals in these positions are not
employees of the City of Gainesville and are not entitled to any wages or benefits due to
City employees. These positions are appointed at the discretion of the Chief of Police
and serve at the discretion of the Chief. Therefore, they may be terminated without
cause at any time.
B. Selection Criteria and Process:
1. The selection criteria and process for Reserve Officers relating
to skills, knowledge and abilities are the same as those for full-time sworn
officers. See General Order 32.1 Selection of Personnel. This includes the
successful completion of:
i. Florida Accredited Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy and
ii. Certification exam for law enforcement officers in the State of Florida.
SWAT/Medical Officer must additionally hold a current license with the
State of Florida as a Medical Doctor, Physician’s Assistant, Advanced Registered
Nurse Practitioner, Registered Nurse, or Paramedic. [CALEA 16.1.4].
2. Educational Requirements:
Reserve Officers will have the same educational requirements as a full time
officer. Refer to See General Order 32.1 Selection of Personnel. Reserve
Officers will meet all State educational requirements at the time of sworn
appointment. [CALEA 16.1.3]
3. Application and Screening: A person who wishes to become a Reserve
Officer with GPD must complete a City of Gainesville volunteer application and
meet the screening requirements as full time officers identified in General Order
32.1 and any relevant provisions of this Order. [CALEA 16.1.2]
4. Retired Gainesville Police Officers: Must be former Police Officers of the GPD
who retired in good standing from the Department.
i. Application: Police Officers who wish to become a Reserve Officer
shall submit an Inter-Office Communication (IOC) via their chain-of-
command to the Chief of Police requesting the status change. A copy
of the letter shall also be sent to the Reserve Unit Coordinator.
Generally, this should be done as part of the letter of resignation IOC
when the Police Officer retires. However, the request may be submitted
after retirement.
ii. Ineligibility: The Chief of Police may deny a Police Officer’s request
to become a Reserve Officer based on his or her past poor work
performance, past poor disciplinary history, a conflict of interest, or any
other factor the Chief deems appropriate. Approval of the request is at
the sole discretion of the Chief of Police. Once approved a copy of the
request shall be sent to the Reserve Unit Coordinator.
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C. Ineligibility: The Chief of Police may deny an appointment to the position of
Reserve Officer or Officer based on an applicant’s knowledge, skills, and abilities, past
poor work performance, past poor disciplinary history, a conflict of interest, staffing
needs of the GPD, or any other factor the Chief deems appropriate. Approval of the
appointment is at the sole discretion of the Chief of Police.
D. Organization and Command Structure
1. General / Chain-of-Command: All Reserve Officers are expected to comply
with the GPD’s established chain-of-command and shall be subordinate to Police
Officers.
2. Reserve Coordinator:
i. Command and Control: The Reserve Coordinator shall
exercise control, management, and direction over members of the
Reserve Officer Unit. The Coordinator shall be responsible for the
execution of orders governing the unit and for enforcing orders issued by
the Chief of Police.
ii. Authority to Suspend: The Reserve Coordinator shall have the
power to suspend any Reserve Officer, pending review by the Chief of
Police.
iii. Equipment Issue / Accountability: The Reserve Coordinator shall
direct the issue of and account for GPD property and equipment assigned
to the Reserve Officer Unit and its members.
iv. Record Keeping and Maintenance: The Reserve Coordinator and/or
his or her designee shall maintain volunteer work records for Reserve and
Officers, coordinate activities for which those officers are needed, and
monitor training and proficiency requirements.
v. Evaluations: The Reserve Coordinator will conduct all required
evaluations.
3. Reserve Officer Unit Rank Structure: When Reserve Officer Unit staffing
permits, the Reserve Coordinator may establish an internal administrative rank
structure for the Reserve Unit to facilitate program functions and flow of
information (i.e., Reserve Lieutenants and Reserve Sergeants).
i. Reserve Unit ranks shall be appointed by the
Reserve Coordinator at his or her sole discretion and may be
subject to change at any time.
ii. Designated ranks within the Reserve Unit are applicable only
within the organizational structure of the Unit.
iii. While engaged in law enforcement activities and/or interacting with the
public, Reserve Officers shall identify themselves with the
word “Reserve” or preceding any program rank
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iv. Reserve Officers shall only wear corresponding collar brass as insignia
for their respective administrative rank.
E. Training:
1. New Reserve Officer Training: Newly appointed Reserve and
Officers shall be required to attend New Officer Training prior to
beginning the Field Training Program if they have not received this training
previously. The training shall ensure the Reserve Officers receive instruction on
GPD’s Use of Force Policy and qualify with their GPD-issued firearms. Reserve
Officers shall also receive instruction in Defensive Tactics, Driving, Subject
Control Spray, Incident Comm