For departments that provide little oversight into off-duty, it might be time to dust off that off-duty policy for a review and to evaluate if any updates need to be made.
Best practices in an off-duty policy typically include the following:
- Permission and Eligibility: Do officers need permission to work outside of on-duty hours and if so, from whom? What are the eligibility requirements for officers to work off-duty?
- Off Duty-Behavior: Including limitations on hours, use of agency property, liability in case of an incident, the authority of officers while working, and use of agency property.
- Processes: Description of any approval, review or revocation process, prohibited types of off-duty, and any agreements required with the employer.
- Point of Contact: Identify who will manage, coordinate and oversee adherence to off-duty policy.
- Documentation: Reporting and documentation of each officer’s details, including any incidents or complaints received resulting from an off-duty job.
- Assignment Rules: What assignment method do you go by to ensure fairness? Examples include “first-come-first-served,” seniority, or number of hours worked.
- Rates: What will outside vendors be required to pay per hour for your officers to work off-duty? Identify any rate differentials by rank or type of employment, when a supervisor is required, any administrative or equipment fees, and if there is a minimum number of hours required.
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What is Considered “Off-Duty” Work?