Policy Text
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department - Procedure Section
SECTION 2 RU LES OF CONDUCT ____________________________________
2.1 RULES OF CONDUCT
FOR MEMBERS OF THE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
All employees shall conform to Federal, State, and Local laws, as well as to the policies of this
Department. It shall be the responsibility of all employees to familiarize themselves and comply
with all such policies, orders, directives, rules and regulations of this Department.
(02-12-13)
2.2 Applicability
These Rules of Conduct apply to all classifications of employees, including Reserve, 960 hour Rehires, student worker s, interns, contract professionals and Volunteer employees, except when
a rule, by its very nature, does not apply to a given classification of employee. (06- 24-14)
2.3 Violation of Rules
Employees shall not commit or omit any acts which constitute a violation of any of the rules,
regulations, directives, orders or policies of this Department, whether stated in these Rules of Conduct or elsewhere. Employees shall be responsible for their own acts, and they shall not shift
to others the burden, or responsibility, for executing or failing to execute a lawful order or duty.
(Reviewed 1- 11-2011)
2.4 Unbecoming Conduct
Employees shall conduct themselves at all times, both on and off duty, in such a manner as to
reflect most favorably on this Department. Unbecoming conduct shall include that which tends to
bring this Department into disrepute or reflects discredit upon the employee as a member of this Department, or that which tends to impair the operation and efficiency of this Department or
employee. (Reviewed 1- 11-2011)
2.5 Immoral Conduct
Employee shall maintain a level of moral conduct in their personal and business affairs which is in
keeping with the highest standard of the law enforcement profession. Employees shall not
participate in any incident involving moral turpitude which tends to impair their ability to perform
their duties or causes this Department to be brought into disrepute. (Reviewed 1 -11-2011)
2.6 Conformance to Laws
Employees shall obey all laws of the United States, of this st ate, and of local jurisdictions.
The acts of employees giving rise to an indictment, information or complaint, filed against an
employee, or a conviction for violating any law, including a conviction following a plea of nolo
contendere, may be cause for disciplinary action, temporary or permanent reassignment
(excluding minor traffic).
Employees shall immediately inform their immediate supervisor of any and all circumstances
where non- conformance to laws has been, or may be, alleged by any law enforcement agency.
The supervisor receiving such notification shall immediately notify Internal Affairs . (7-30-03)
(Reviewed 1- 11-2011)
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department - Procedure Section
SECTION 2 RU LES OF CONDUCT ____________________________________
2.7 Seeking or Accepting Gifts, Gratuities, Bribes, or Rewards
It is prohibited for employees to directly or indirectly solicit or accept from any person, business,
or organization any gift, gratuity, bribe, or reward for the benefit of the employee, if it may
reasonably be inferred that the person, business, or organization:
Seeks to influence action of an official nature or seek s to affect the performance or
non-performance of an official duty, or
Has an interest which may be substantially affected directly or indirectly by the performance or
non-performance of an official duty.
Food and Other Services: When making purchases, whether on or off duty, employees shall pay the posted price(s) for food, services or any other consideration. Discounts will not be accepted
nor solicited where the employee's official position is used to effect same, or the discount can be
reasonably shown to be as a result of any official position. A discount may be accepted where it
has been negotiated by a recognized employee group sanctioned by the Sheriff.
For the purpose of this rule, the words "gifts", "gratuity", "bribe", and "reward", shall include money, food, tangible or intangible personal property, loan, promise, service, entertainment, or
any other consideration. (Reviewed 1- 11-2011)
2.8 Visiting Prohibited Establishments
Employees shall not knowingly enter or frequent any establishment (house of prostitution,
gambling house, etc.) wherein the laws of the United States, the state, or the local jurisdiction are
regularly violated except in the performance of duty or while acting under proper and specific orders from a supervisor. (Review ed 1- 11-2011)
2.9 Associations
Employees shall not associate on either a personal or business basis or have dealings with
persons whom they know, or should know, or have reason to believe are, or have been racketeers, sexual offenders, drug dealers, ille gal drug users, illegal gamblers, persons whom the
employee suspects, or should suspect, are involved in felonious activities, convicted felons, persons held in county custody, felons serving or who have served time in custody, or persons under criminal investigation or indictment, except as necessary to the performance of official
duties, or where unavoidable because of other personal relationships. (09- 21-04)
(Reviewed 1- 11-2011)
2.10 Gambling
Employees shall not engage or participate in any form of i llegal gambling at any time, except in
the performance of duty and while acting under proper and specific orders from a supervisor.
(Reviewed 1- 11