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HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - GENERAL ORDERSRed Wing Police Department Policy SUBJECT: POLICY NUMBER i' GENERAL ORDERS EFFECTIVE DATE July 1, 2001 REFERENCE(S): APPROVED BY: CHIEF ROGER D. POHLMAN GENERAL CONDUCT: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not, either on or off duty, conduct themselves in any manner so as to cause or be likely to cause damage to their reputations or efficiency as members of the Red Wing Police Department, or to cause or be likely to cause damage to the reputation or efficiency of the Red Wing Police Department or the City of Red Wing. 2. CONDUCT TOWARD OTHERS: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall perform their duties attentively and courteously, without rude, threatening, harsh, insulting, profane, insolent, or demeaning behavior or language. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall maintain a calm and professional bearing regardless of the provocation to do otherwise. 3. IDENTIFICATION: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall, upon request, supply their name, rank, and badge number, if any, to any person who requests such identification. This request shall be attended to quickly, accurately, and in a polite and courteous manner. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not use the name, name tag, rank, badge number, or credentials of any other member of the Red Wing Police Department or of any other employee of any other law enforcement agency at any time for any reason. Modified identification for undercover investigative activities may be allowed with the express written permission of the Chief of Police, and then only for the duration of the undercover assignment. Modified identification shall be turned in to the Chief of Police at the end of the assignment. 4. ASSISTANCE: All officers of the Red Wing Police Department are required to take immediate and appropriate action to render assistance to any employee of the Red Wing Police Department, or the employee of any other law enforcement agency who requests or is obviously in need of assistance within the City Limits of Red Wing. Assistance to officers of the Red Wing Police Department legitimately outside the Page 1 of 6 GENERAL ORDERS City Limits of Red Wing and to officers of the Goodhue County Sheriffs Department, or the employee of any other law enforcement agency within reasonable distances of the City of Red Wing may also be rendered. A specific request for assistance must be received. Determination of reasonable distances and permission to assist shall be at the discretion of the on duty supervisor, or supervisory officer, if no supervisor is on duty. 5. GENERAL ON -DUTY RESPONSIBILITIES: Officers of the Red Wing Police Department shall at all times take appropriate action within the City to: A. Protect life and property; B. Preserve the peace; C. Prevent crime; D. Detect and arrest violators of the law; E. Enforce Federal and State Laws, and City Ordinances. Officers shall respond at all times to lawful orders and/or assignments of ranking officers, communications from dispatchers and/or other proper authorities, as well as calls within the City for police service from civilians. Prompt and proper police action is expected whenever required. 6. QUESTIONS REGARDING ASSIGNMENTS: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department who are in doubt as to the nature or detail of an assignment are encouraged to seek answers to their questions from their supervisors. 7. CHAIN OF COMMAND: The Chain of Command of the Red Wing Police Department shall be as depicted in the departmental structure document included in the Police Manual. The Chain of Command shall be adhered to in the transmittal of commands or communications between members of the Red Wing Police Department in the ascending direction. In the event of misconduct on the part of an officer, emergency disciplinary action may be taken outside the Chain of Command and across lines of supervisory responsibility. 8. PROMOTIONS: In the event more than one officer is promoted to the same position at the same time, the officers seniority in that position shall be determined by the officers placement in the selection process and not the officers overall seniority within the department. 9. OBEDIENCE TO LAWS AND POLICIES: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall observe and obey all Federal, State and local laws, and applicable ordinances, and all General Orders, Polices and directives of the Red Wing Police Department. 10. ELEMENTS OF A VIOLATION: Existence of facts establishing violation of a law, ordinance, Page 2 of 6 GENERAL ORDERS policy, or prior directives given to an officer is all that is necessary to support any allegation of such as a basis for disciplinary actions under this section. It is not necessary that a formal complaint be filed. Nothing in this Policy Manual prohibits disciplining officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department for any act or omission, simply because it does not appear herein, or in laws or ordinances within the cognizance of the Red Wing Police Department. 11. REPORTING VIOLATIONS: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department who have knowledge of any officers or employees who have violated any laws, ordinances, or General Orders or Policies of the Red Wing Police Department; or have knowledge of any officers or employees who have disobeyed any orders, or failed to act when action was required, shall report the same to his/her supervisor who shall forward it to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police cause an investigation to be initiated. The results of that investigation shall be reported to the Chief of Police for determination of appropriate action. If, in the opinion of the reporting party, the information is of such a grave nature that immediate action is necessary, the Chief of Police may be contacted directly and the above chain of reporting to a supervisor may be bypassed. 12. CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall treat as confidential the official business of the Red Wing Police Department and any information they may come into contact with as a result of their employment with the Red Wing Police Department. Dissemination of information shall not be made by any officer below the rank of Sergeant or Investigator without the express permission of the Chief of Police or his/her designates, and then only in accordance with Data Practices laws and Department Policies. 13. EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT: Officers of the Red Wing Police Department may engage in off-duty employment subject to the following conditions: A. The employment shall not interfere with the officers position in the department by: 1. Rendering the officer unavailable for emergency call out; 2. Physically or mentally exhausting the officer to the point where their efficiency or performance is affected; 3. Requiring any special consideration to scheduling of the officers regular duty hours; 4. Bringing the officer's or the department's reputation into question, or by impairing the officer's or department's efficiency. B. Officers shall not engage in any employment which may create or be perceived to create a conflict of interest such as but not limited to tending bar Page 3 of 6 GENERAL ORDERS or acting as a "bouncer" in any establishment serving alcoholic beverages. C. Officers shall notify the Chief of Police, in writing, of the nature of the employment or self-employment, the usual working hours, and a telephone number where they can be reached while working. 14. PROHIBITED ON -DUTY ACTIVITIES: Activities prohibited to on -duty personnel shall include but not be limited to: A. Sleeping, loafing, or idleness. B. Recreational reading, except during meal or coffee breaks. C. Conducting of private/personal business without the express permission of the supervisory officer on duty. D. The presence or transport of any person in a police vehicle for any non - police related reasons. E. The carrying of any article or equipment on the person or in the vehicle not issued by the department unless specifically authorized, in writing, by the Chief of Police. F. The consumption of any alcoholic beverage or chemical substances, except as required in the performance of specific duties and authorized by the Chief of Police, or for legitimately prescribed medical uses under the prescription of a doctor or qualified medical practitioner. G. The possession or use of any unauthorized departmental keys. H. The leaving of an officer's post, beat, or duty assignment without the express permission of the proper authority. I. Failure by an assigned individual officer to respond to a call for service in an appropriate and timely manner. 15. CHANGES OF ADDRESS OR TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall report any change of address or telephone numbers, in written form, to the Chief of Police as soon as possible after the change occurs, but in every event, within three calendar days of the change becoming effective, barring weekends and holidays. 16. PROPERTY: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not buy or accept any article of property for personal use or disposition from any suspect or prisoner, or from the associate or relative of any suspect or prisoner. Nor shall they purchase from the owner or agent thereof any impounded or otherwise held vehicles or properties. Any property of the Red Wing Police Department, or any property in the possession of the Red Wing Police Department for any reason, may only be disposed of, removed, discarded, or destroyed in accordance with then existing applicable laws and ordinances. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not convert to their own use, or have any claim to, any found, recovered, or evidentiary property held by the Red Wing Police Department. Page 4 of 6 GENERAL ORDERS 17. LEGAL ADVICE - BAIL: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not suggest the name of any bondsmen or attorneys to any prisoner or person involved in any criminal or civil case of interest to the Red Wing Police Department, unless that person be a member of the officer's immediate family. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not vouch for nor post bail for any person unless that person be a member of the officer's immediate family. 18. USE OF POSITION: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not use their positions with the Red Wing Police Department as a means to influence any person or business to react favorably toward the officer or any other person. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not use their positions as a means of duress or intimidation toward person with whom they are engaged in any civil or criminal litigation in an attempt to settle the case in a manner favorable to the Red Wing Police Department, to the officer, or to any other person. 19. CIVIL ACTIONS: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not institute any civil action arising out of their employment with the Red Wing Police Department without first notifying the Chief of Police. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department from instituting a civil action. This section is strictly a notification requirement only. 20. DEPARTMENT EQUIPMENT: Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not use any equipment or uniform of the Red Wing Police Department unless within the scope of the performance of their official duties as employees of the Red Wing Police Department. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall not use department letterhead, stationary or business cards unless within the scope of the performance of their official duties as employees of the Red Wing Police Department. Design of department letterhead and business cards shall be at the discretion of the Chief of Police. Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department shall exercise reasonable care in the use of department equipment. Any defects or damages shall be reported immediately in writing to their Supervisor so that appropriate action to correct the defect or damage may be taken. 21. GRATUITIES: Due to recent changes in State Law, and in conformance with recommendations from Attorneys representing the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, Officers and employees of the Red Wing Police Department are Page 5 of 6 GENERAL ORDERS prohibited from the acceptance of any items, goods, food or services for which they will not be required to pay full price. Page 6 of 6 GENERAL ORDERS