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Date: 10/05/85 Revision: 09/26 /16 Reviewed: 06/07/24 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCED URE Number: GEN 537.00 Page: 1 of 6 SUBJECT: SHERIFF'S VOLUNTE ER POSSE I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this stand ard operating procedure is to define guidelines for the Sheriff's Volunteer Posse. II. SCOPE: This procedure shall apply to all members of the Sheriff's Volunteer Posse when search and rescue operations ar e requested by or conducted under the authority of the Sheriff . * III. DISCUSSION: The Sheriff's Volunteer Posse is a private organization (and separate entity from the Sheriff’s Office ) incorporated for charitable purposes and utilized to provide mounte d assistance to the Sheriff's Office for search and rescue operations or other special purposes as requested by the Sheriff or his designee . * IV. DEFINITIONS: * A. Sheriff's Volunteer Posse – sworn and non-sworn , voluntary members who provide mounted as sistance on horseback to the Sheriff's Office for search and rescue operat ions or other special purposes as requested by the Sheriff or his designee . * B. Sheriff's Volunteer Posse Liaison Supervisor – A supervisor from the Homeland Security Division designated to coordinate search and rescue operations or other special purposes . * C. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse Liaison Deputy – The team leader for the Sheriff’s Office Mounted Enforcement Team. * V. PROCEDURE: * A. Organization and Structure : 1. The Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse Liaison Deputy shall coordinate search and rescue operations or other special purposes with the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse . 2. Search and Rescue Platoon : a. The Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse should have a Search and Rescue Platoon comprised of active posse members and shall be commanded by a platoon leader. * B. Membership and Bylaws: 1. Applications for membership to the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse are available from the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse and should be returned to the Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security Division when completed. GEN 537.00 09/26/16 Page 2 of 5 2. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members shall be interviewed by the Sheriff’s Office Ho meland Security Division Commander or his designee. 3. Applicants shall pass a background investigation with: a. No felony convictions . b. No misdemeanor convictions involving perjury, crimes of dishonesty, false statements or domestic violence. 4. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members are not required to be sworn deputies. 5. Interviews of applicants for the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse may include Sheriff’s Volunte er Posse board members. 6. Periodic background investigations may be con ducted at the discretion of the Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security Division Commander . 7. Membership of the Sh eriff’s Volunteer Posse can be terminated at any time by the Sheriff, his designee or the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse Liaison Supervisor. 8. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members must be at least 19 years of age. 9. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse me mbers must be a United States citizen. 10. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse membe rs must possess a valid Florida driver’s license. 11. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members must not have received a dishonorable discharge from any branch of the armed Forces of the United States, National Guard or state National Guard. 12. Once selected, the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse member will be processed by the Human Resources Division and photographed for Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office credentials . * C. Assignment a nd Deployment: 1. The Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse shall only be deployed for search and rescue operations or other special purposes as requested by the Sheriff or his designee (to include assisting law enforcement operations in searches o f missing persons or evidence). 2. Requests for deployment of the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse shall be forwarded through the chain of command to the Division Commander of the Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security Division. 3. Followi ng approval of the request for deployment of the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse , the Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse Liaison Supervisor shall assign Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members as required. 4. Following a Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse deployment , the S heriff’s Volunteer Posse Liaison Deputy shall: a. Prepare and submit an after action report to the Division Commander of the Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security Division documenting results of requested law enforcement services or assignments, w hich shall include the following: i. Purpose of the deployment . ii. Analysis of the deployment . iii. Attendance roster of all participating Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members and horses . 09/26/16 GEN 537.00 Page 3 of 5 b. Complete and properly submit the appropriate incident / supplement reports concerning law enforcement actions conducted by Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members. 5. Emergen cy requests for assistance shall be directed to the Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Posse Liaison Deputy . * D. Physical Appearance and Grooming: 1. Sheriff’s Volunteer Posse members shall present a clean and well g