377_-_Police_Activities_League

Policy 377Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentPolice Activities League - 1Police Activities League 377.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The Police Activities League (PAL) program brings youth under the supervision and positive influence of a law enforcement agency and expands public awareness about the role of a police officer and the reinforcement of the responsible values and attitudes instilled in young people by their parents. Studies have shown that if a young person respects a police officer on the ball field, gym or classroom, the youth will likely come to respect the laws that police officers enforce. Such respect is beneficial to the youth, the police officer, the neighborhood and the business community.” The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing created Action Item 1.5.3: “Law enforcement agencies should create opportunities in schools and communities for positive nonenforcement interactions with police. Agencies should also publicize the beneficial outcomes and image of positive trust-building partnerships and initiatives”. Mountain View PAL will be completing this action item for the Department through engagement, attendance, and presence at PAL sponsored events. Through our programs, Police Officers’ positive interactions are publicized through different sources of media, through the participants, and through the parents who hear the promising outcomes of these programs. Despite the existence of a School Resource Officer program and other outreach programming, many initial contacts between police officers and youth still occur in unfavorable circumstances. By introducing formally structured PAL youth programs supported by the Department, a mutual understanding and respect between Police and youth may be established and cultivated. With juvenile violence, gangs and other negative influences in the community, the Mountain View PAL seeks to supplement programming offered by the City’s Recreation Division and perform a very important facet of its primary goals of crime prevention, protection of property, and the preservation of a peaceful community. 377.2 POLICY It is the duty of Department’s members to assist citizens, promote community relations, and interact with juveniles in the community. According to the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, “Building trust and nurturing legitimacy on both sides of the police- citizen divide is not only the first pillar of the task force’s report but also the foundational principle underlying the nature of relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve”. With Department members participating in Mountain View PAL sponsored programs, there will be an increase in positive engagement and police legitimacy, increasing the numbers of community members trusting and interacting with law enforcement in a positive, non-confrontational setting. It is Department policy to support programming organized by Mountain View PAL. Personnel may participate in PAL activities in compliance with Fair Labor Standards Act regulations. Mountain View Police Department Mountain View PD Policy Manual Police Activities League Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/16, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Mountain View Police DepartmentPolice Activities League - 2377.3 PROGRAM COORDINATOR - DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES It is the responsibility of the PAL Program Coordinator to liaise between the Department, the City’s Recreation Division, local schools, Mountain View community members, and the Board of Directors for Mountain View PAL. This position entails coordinating officers, alerting them to future events, and organizing PAL sponsored events for officers to participate in. Additionally, the PAL Program Coordinator will interact with the schools and community to identify the needs of the City of Mountain View and will forward this to the Board of Directors and/or Police Department. 377.4 MEMBERS PARTICIPATING AT PAL SPONSORED EVENTS It is the view of the Department to support Mountain View PAL and continue working towards positive, nonconfrontational interactions between the youth in the community and the Department. If an officer or Community Services Officer wants to participate in Mountain View PAL sponsored events, they shall be on-duty and have approval from their direct supervisor. 377.4.1 OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES OFFICERS Department officers shall not participate in Mountain View PAL sponsored events off-duty. Under Section 3(e) (4) (A) of the Fair Labor Standards Act and 29 C.F.R. § § Section 553.101(d), “An individual shall not be considered a volunteer if the individual is otherwise employed by the same public agency to perform the same type of services as those for which the individual proposes to volunteer.” Since it is part of the paid job duties of Police Officers and Community Services Officers, volunteering for Mountain View PAL Programs would be violating Title 29 C.F.R. § § Section 553.101. Therefore, Officers cannot volunteer their off-duty time for any Mountain View PAL sponsored events. 377.4.2 ALL OTHER DEPARTMENT MEMBERS Non-Sworn members, not classified as Community Services Officers, may participate in events on working hours or off-duty time. If the non-sworn members are volunteering during their working hours, the individual must have approval from their direct supervisor. Since the non-sworn department members do not perform the same type of services employed for as those which the individual will volunteer for, these individuals are able to volunteer their time at Mountain View PAL sponsored events during breaks or days-off without violating the Fair Labor Standards Act or Code of Federal Regulation (C.F.R).