006 - OFF-DUTY POLICE SERVICES

OFF-DUTY POLICE SERVICES EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/01/97 STANDARD NO. 006 REVISED: 01/12/18 REPLACES: SOP Off-Duty Police Services15-01.1-3 – Rev. 04/08/04; Rev. 01/20/12; Rev. 03/02/16 OBJECTIVE: To provide officers guidelines and rules for off-duty police services. POLICY: The purpose of this policy is to establish fair and equitable procedures for the assignment of sworn police personnel providing police services to individuals, companies, or organizations contracting with the Fraternal Order of Police (Lodge #13) `` and to provide for regulations governing the conduct of the personnel performing these services. SCOPE: All employees of this Department shall be governed by the procedures set forth below. I. GENERAL: A. The Homestead Police Department is not obligated to provide off-duty police services. The intent of the Department is to afford opportunities for officers to perform off-duty service within the scope of their training and duty assignments. Prohibition or imposition of conditions of off-duty police services may be established when the nature of the work is considered detrimental to the professional law enforcement goal of the Department. All officers working off-duty details are considered to be representing the City of Homestead Police Department and are governed by the policies and procedures set forth. II. DEFINITIONS: A. Off-Duty Police Services: Performance of police duties and responsibilities during a period of time not within assigned hours of duty. B. Off-Duty Coordinator: An employee designated to coordinate all aspects of off-duty police services for the Department. III. GENERAL GUIDELINES: A. Employees shall comply with the following terms and conditions regarding any off-duty police services: 1. Employees shall comply with departmental directives concerning uniform standards and personal appearance. 2. Departmental employees and reserve officers working off-duty details shall wear only uniforms ( i.e. Class B or navy blue polo shirt) and equipment issued by the Department or authorized by Departmental directives to include the nylon belt with authorized accessories (i.e. authorized holster and authorized firearm, handcuff case and handcuffs, magazine pouch, magazines and issued Off-Duty Police Services – SOP# 006 ammunition, radio holder and radio, ASP Baton holder and Baton, belt keepers, Taser, City-issued cellular phone, Freeze +P Spray, etc.). 3. Employees who fail to meet departmental standards may be relieved from off- duty details by the Chief of Police, or designee. Future details will be based on the circumstances of each case. 4. Nothing in this directive shall preclude any member of the command staff from exercising command authority in the cancellation of details when such action is in the best interest of the Department. 5. To avert potential conflicts of interest, sworn employees are not permitted to perform any off-duty police services or outside employment with a security company which entails investigative or security functions. 6. Employees working off-duty details are subject to all the duties and responsibilities of a police officer and will be governed by all City and Departmental Standard Operating Procedures and general orders. 7. The operational needs of the Department shall supersede any off-duty details. Whenever an employee is held over for regular duty and has a scheduled off- duty detail, it is the employee’s responsibility to ensure coverage of the assigned detail. If coverage cannot be obtained, the employee shall then notify the shift commander and the Off-Duty Coordinator. At that point, the shift commander will determine the need for the urgency of filling the detail. B. The Off-Duty Coordinator is responsible for department-wide staff oversight of the operational and administrative components of off-duty police services. C. Full-time employees have preference over police reserve officers when bidding for off- duty details. D. No employee may work more than a total of 18 hours within a 24-hour period. This includes off-duty police services. It is the employee’s responsibility to advise the supervisor that they will exceed the 18 hours if called in or called back to work. The exception would be under exigent circumstances in which case a member of the command staff would be required to approve extended hours prior to them being worked. E. The following actions or conditions will preclude employees from performing off-duty police services: