301662

ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE GENERAL ORDER Effective Date: May 1, 2015  Amends - G.O. 19.1.1 (April 16, 2010) Number: 19.1.1 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: May Reviewing Authority: SSD / Community Relations Subject: Non-Sworn Volunteers This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to describe the utilization of non-sworn volunteers and define their duties and responsibilities. 2. Policy It will be the pol icy of the agency to utilize non-sworn volunteers to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. 3. Procedures A. Volunteerism is a vital part of the success of the Orange County Sheriff's Office for many reasons. 1. It allows members of the community to take an active part in the solutions to issues which face Orange County. 2. It provides the Sheriff's Office with positive exposure to members of the community. 3. It provides hundreds of hours of free help each year. 4. It provides st aff members with unique skills and education that the agency may otherwise never have access. B. For these reasons, members of the Sheriff's Office are encouraged to promote volunteerism when in contact with the public or when questioned about the agency' s use of volunteers. C. The agency shall provide volunteer opportunities in the following areas: 1. General Volunteerism a. Special Operations Division b. Criminal Investigations Division c. Uniform Patrol Divisions d. Support Services Division e. Court Services & Com munications Division 19.1.1, Page 2 of 3 2. Citizens on Patrol 3. Parking Enforcement 4. Task Force 5. PAL (Police Athletic League) 6. Explorers 7. Chaplain Program 8. Internship Program a. Secondary Educational Institutes and Colleges b. Professional Opportunities Pro gram for Students, Inc. (P.O.P.S.) c. Other community programs as determined by the Sheriff or designee. 9. Tourist Information Patrol Specialist (TIPS) 10. Mounted Unit 11. Retired and Senior Volunteer Program D. When questioned about volunteer opport unities with the agency, members shall direct the interested party to the Community Relations Section’s Volunteer Coordinator or Human Resources. E. When a citizen volunteers for service, it will be the responsibility of the Community Relations Section’s Volunteer Coordinator to verify that any and/or all forms and applications required by Human Resources are completed. Human Resources will be responsible for conducting all background investigations of volunteer applicants. F. It will be the responsibilit y of each Volunteer Coordinator to confirm that a current Job Description is held on file for each position within his/her component for which a Non-sworn Volunteer is utilized. The job description will clearly delineate the duties and responsibilities of each volunteer. G. Once a non-sworn volunteer is assigned to a Section within the Sheriff's Office, the volunteer shall be provided with a written job description for the position. H. General Volunteers utilized within the Sheriff's Office shall be limi ted to performing the following duties: 1. Answering of agency telephones, documenting telephone calls and information relayed in person by visitors to agency facilities. 2. Receiving those visitors in a friendly and professional manner. 3. Clerical duti es such as filing written documentation, forwarding and/or 19.1.1, Page 3 of 3 receiving documentation to/from other Units or Sections of the agency, or organizations from outside the agency, shredding outdated and disposable documents, sending and receiving communications vi a a fax machine. 4. Receiving, filing or forwarding incoming mail and/or packages, data entry, and other duties, administrative in nature, which the Section Commander may deem appropriate. 5. Duties may include other tasks unique to the individual's skills, such as firearms instructor, with the approval of the Sheriff. All other volunteers are limited to the duties established by the guidelines and directives specifically written for the unit with which they will be placed. I. It will be the responsibility of each Volunteer Coordinator to confirm training and orientation for each volunteer assigned to the Section is provided. J. It will be the responsibility of each non-sworn volunteer to read and understand the job description furnished to them. In the e vent that any information contained in the job description is not clear to the volunteer, it will be the responsibility of the volunteer to seek clarification from his/her immediate supervisor. K. Non-sworn Volunteers shall read, be familiar with, and ad here to Written Directives and agency policies and procedures. No instruction, mandate or guideline set forth in any job description will supersede or alter any Sheriff's Office Written Directives, policies or procedures. L. Non-sworn Volunteers shall be held to the same standards of professionalism as are their employed counterparts.