Policy Text
Policy
1027San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/23, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentSpecial Assignment Selection - 1Special Assignment Selection
1027.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy outlines the process for selection of interested and qualified employees for designated
temporary assignments in the various functional units of the Department, and reaffirms the position
that special assignments are for predetermined periods of time and are regularly scheduled to
ensure that sufficiently trained and experienced personnel are available to accomplish the goals,
objectives, and priorities of the Department and the City.
The purpose of the policy is to: Establish a process for selecting employees to fill special
assignment positions that are periodically rotated; Establish a Special Assignment Agreement,
and; Establish an Administrative Appeal process after reassignment for purposes of discipline.
1027.2 QUALIFICATION CRITERIA
A notice of an open special assignment position that includes individual task and performance
criteria will be established and posted by the Training Manager in consultation with the
Commander of the Bureau that has an opening in a special assignment position. The notice of an
open position will include the following qualifications:
(a)In accordance with the agreement between the SLOPOA and the City, performance
evaluations of "meets standards" or better for the year preceding by the person
requesting a special assignment position.
(b)Effective on the date the special assignment is scheduled to begin, either 24 months
as a police officer with the Department acronym: or 12 months as a police officer with
Department acronym: and 24 months of recognized law enforcement experience with
another agency as a full time sworn officer. FTO applicants shall have at least 12
months of Patrol experience, per P.O.S.T. requirements.
(c)Limited staffing considerations and the nature of special assignments require that
members be present and that sick leave absences be kept to a minimum.
(d)Demonstrated ability to work independently is required by the very nature of
the special assignment. Evidence of this trait will be assessed by a review of
the employee's productivity and performance standards contained in evaluations
prepared by supervisors during the previous three year period.
(e)Demonstrated ability to effectively relate to the public in critical interpersonal
relationships is a desired quality for employees interested in special assignments.
Internal affairs records and citizen complaints will be reviewed and evaluated carefully
and a history of sustained dispositions may result in disqualification from this process.
(f)Police officers will not be eligible for appointment to the same special assignment
position previously held within a two year period after concluding such an assignment.
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Special Assignment Selection
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/23, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentSpecial Assignment Selection - 2(g)Officers who do not meet the minimum requirements of section 1027.2(b) may apply,
however, they will not be allowed to test for the position if two or more qualified, non-
probationary employees have applied.
(h)Employees who have made application for special assignment selection shall provide
in writing 14 days notice to the Bureau Commander in the event they have elected
to withdraw their application. Failure to provide such notice with good cause may be
used by the department in future considerations for special assignment selections.
1027.3 PROCEDURE
(a)When a vacancy is announced for a special assignment, interested and eligible
employees will submit a memorandum through the Chain of Command to the designee
of the Bureau Commander responsible for the unit wherein the opening exists.
(b)The Commander or their designee will review all requests for consideration to ensure
that each employee meets the basic qualifications outlined in policy section1027.2.
(c)All applicants accepted for consideration will then participate in the following process:
1.An oral board evaluation will be conducted. The oral board panel may include
a staff member, a department member with previous or current experience
in or familiarity with the assignment under consideration, or other approved
member of the department. The oral board panel may also include a law
enforcement professional from outside the department. All participants shall be
grouped into the following categories: Superior, Strong, Satisfactory, Would Not
Recommend. Depending upon the assignment, a basic skills demonstration may
also be part of the interview (i.e.: basic range qualification course for position as
a Rangemaster). Such requirement will be listed in the announcement for the
special assignment opening in advance of the testing.
2.In the event only one applicant applies for the vacant position, that
candidate shall receive a non-competitive qualification interview by the Bureau
Commander or their designee and the immediate supervisor responsible for the
vacant position. The employee shall receive a qualified or not qualified rating.
3.Those participants who have been rated by the oral board as
Superior, Strong, Satisfactory, or those employees rated qualified as the result
of a non-competitive qualification interview shall be placed on a list. This list will
be forwarded to the appropriate Bureau Commander.
4.The Bureau Commander shall present the list at a staff meeting for review and
input. The staff input shall then be forwarded to the Chief of Police for final
selection. The Chief of Police may select any participant from this list with an
oral board rating of Satisfactory or above.
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Special Assignment Selection
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/23, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentSpecial Assignment Selection -