Policy Text
\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDER
TITLE ACCREDITATION
Authorized Duty Equipment CALEA Chapters 41 & 46
PRIOR REVISIONS
PROPONENT UNIT 12/01/98, 11/30/99,
District 1 and District 2 Patrol 12/07/05, 04/05/11,
03/26/18
ATTACHMENT:
NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES
41.6 07/01/98 01/30/2025 7
I. PURPOSE: This Order contains regulations pertaining to equipment that shall be accessible
to and carried/worn by Department members.
II. POLICY: To ensure that Department members carry the necessary, authorized equipment,
the Gainesville Police Department shall issue equipment and provide regulations governing the
use/carrying of that equipment. The Department may also authorize its members to carry or use
equipment that is either supplemental to or substituted for issued equipment. By the authority of
Florida State Statute and the Chief of Police, sworn members are authorized to carry, on or off
duty, department issued weapons, personally owned weapons, and/or less-lethal weapons
provided they have met the training and standards set by the Gainesville Police Department.
III. DEFINITIONS:
Authorized or Permitted: Either issued by the Department or which use is explicitly approved
in writing by the Training and Education Division and/or the member’s Bureau Commander.
Field Operations: Duty assignments and/or tasks that place or could reasonably be expected
to place officers in situations where they would be required to act in a law enforcement capacity
rather than administrative or support capacities.
Issued: Provided by the Department and which use / availability is deemed mandatory.
Mandatory: Required by the Department to be used, worn, or carried by a member in the
performance of his/her duties.
Personally-Owned Equipment: Purchased by the member for use supplemental to issued
equipment or, with explicit approval, substituted for issued equipment.
IV. PROCEDURE
A. Sworn Personnel:
1. Uniformed Members: [CALEA 41.3.2]
i. Uniformed sworn members shall wear or carry the following
equipment (see General Order 1.6 for weapons regulations):\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
a. Handgun (fully loaded);
b. Two magazines fully loaded;
c. Taser
d. Impact instrument (Expandable Baton);
e. Handcuffs and handcuff key;
f. Department identification card [and case]
g. Valid Florida driver’s license; the information on members’
drivers’ licenses shall comply with State law, being updated as
needed and required.
h. Portable police radio;
i. [Field] Note pad;
j. Chemical Weapon
ii. Sworn uniformed members shall have the following equipment
available [CALEA 41.3.2]:
a. Traffic baton (flashlight cone);
b. Traffic whistle;
c. Fluorescent traffic gloves and reflectorized vest;
d. Flashlight;
e. Uniform Traffic Citations;
f. Forms/Civil Citations/Written Warnings in sufficient
quantity to perform assigned duties;
g. Department issued laptop computer;
h. Gas mask and other issued emergency equipment;
i. Gas (refueling) card;
j. Miranda Warning card;
k. Issued Department keys;
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l. Other equipment required to perform assigned duties.
iii. Tactical Team Sworn Members: Shall be issued
specialized equipment. Refer to General Order 46.4 Special Response
Group and applicable manuals. [CALE 46.2.3]
2. Non-Uniformed Members:
i. Arrest Duties: While on-duty, non-uniformed, sworn members whose
routine duties include arrest shall carry on their person the following
equipment, at a minimum:
a. Department badge;
b. Handgun, fully loaded with ammunition;
c. Magazine & ammunition
d. Handcuffs and handcuff key;
e. Department ID card;
f. Miranda card;
g. Portable radio.
ii. Non-Arrest Duties: Non-uniformed, sworn members whose routine
duties do not include making arrests shall carry on their person the
following equipment, at a minimum:
a. Department badge;
b. Handgun, fully loaded with ammunition;
c. Department ID card;
d. Handcuffs and handcuff key
iii. Concealing Weapons: Sworn members working in a plainclothes
capacity are encouraged to wear their duty weapons concealed while in
public. If the weapon is not concealed, the sworn member shall wear their
department badge as close to the weapon as possible and plainly visible.
iv. Undercover Personnel: Undercover personnel shall be equipped as
indicated for non-uniformed sworn personnel.
Exceptions: While actually engaged in an undercover operation, and
with the prior approval of their respective Bureau Commander/designee,
assigned members may wear or use non-issued equipment or less
equipment than normally required.
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v. Station Duty Personnel: On-duty uniformed personnel assigned to
station duties who wish to carry less equipment than required for field
duty may do so with the prior approval of the their respective Bureau
Commander.
vi. Restricted Duty: Sworn personnel on restricted duty or who are
classified as Administrative Police Officers shall only wear or carry
equipment that is in accordance with the limitations of their duty status
[See GO 22.10].
a. The Administrative Services Division Commander/designee
shall determine what equipment the member is authorized to use.
b. Administrative Services Division Commander/designee shall
notify the affected bureau commander if a person assigned to
him/her is restricted from carrying certain equipment.
B. Soft Body Armor:
1. Issuance: All sworn personnel shall be issued agency-approved soft
body armor to maximize protection/safety to Department members.
[CALEA 41.3.5]
2. Use:
i. All officers and supervisors who are assigned to a uniformed function
are required to wear body armor while engaged in patrol or field
operations both on-duty AND while working overtime details. The only
exemptions are as follows:
When the officer is involved in undercover or plain clothes work that
his/her supervisor determines could be compromised by wearing body
armor; or
ii. For members who do not wear their vests, Worker’s Compensation
benefits and performance evaluations may be negatively affected.
iii. Non-uniformed sworn officers shall have their issued body armor
available for immediate use while on duty.
iv. Personnel engaged in pre-planned, high-risk situations, such as
planned warrant executions, drug raids, etc., shall wear protective body
armor during the detail regardless of the exemptions listed above.
[CALEA 41.3.6]
This requirement extends to participating sworn personnel, regardless of
assignment.
3. Inspections of Body Armor:
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i. Supervisors shall be responsible for ensuring that body armor is worn
as required by this General Order through routine observation and
periodic documented inspections. Failure to wear body armor as required
by this policy shall be handled in accordance with General Order 26.5.
ii. Officers are responsible for inspecting their soft body armor on a
regular basis. Any damage or excessive wear to the ballistic panels or
heir cover shall be immediately reported to the supervisor.
C. Non-Sworn Uniform Personnel
1. Police Service Technicians:
i. Police Service Technicians shall wear or carry the following
equipment:
a. Department identification card;
b. Valid Florida driver’s license;
The information on members’ drivers’ licenses shall comply with
State law, being updated as needed and required.
c. Portable police radio;
d. Issued Department keys;
e. Field note pad;
ii. Police Service Technicians shall have available the following
equipment:
a. Traffic baton;
b. Traffic whistle;
c. Fluorescent traffic gloves, cones, & reflectorized vest;
d. Flashlight;
e. Citation books;
f. Report forms in sufficient quantity to perform assigned duties;
g. Department issued laptop computer;
h. Gas (refueling) key fob;
i. Other equipment required to perform assigned duties.
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2. School Crossing Guards: School Crossing Guards shall wear and/or carr