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GENERAL ORDER G-90-16: VOLUNTEERS-IN-POLICING PROGRAM
PURPOSE
To describe the responsibilities of persons participating in, or administering, the Division’s Volunteers-In-Policing Program, to ensure individuals who volunteer their time to the Police Division are properly screened before being given access to facilities or information systems, and to ensure employees who volunteer in any capacity in the Division for any type of activity that is sponsored or approved by the County or the Police Division, have been advised of activities in which they may not engage without being compensated and that employees are advised of their rights and insurance coverage for injuries occurring while performing volunteer activities.
DISCUSSION
The Division recognizes the mutual benefit of utilizing volunteers to assist in the provision of services to the public. Consequently, the Division has established and maintains the Division’s Volunteers-In-Policing Program. Division volunteers include, but are not limited to, motorist assistants, police chaplains, and office assistants.
PROCEDURES
I. RECRUITMENT AND SCREENING
A. Notification of need for volunteers
1. Any individual in the Police Division who wishes to express a need for other Division members to volunteer their services for any cause or purpose shall first contact the Volunteer Services Coordinator.
2. Contact may be made in writing or by telephone.
B. Volunteers
1. The Volunteer Services Coordinator shall have the responsibility for administering the Volunteers-In-Policing Program and establishing a standard operating procedure for interviewing, screening, and investigating any individual desiring to serve in the Police Division as a volunteer.
2. The Volunteer Services Coordinator shall serve as a liaison with the County Personnel Volunteer Services Coordinator to coordinate and facilitate Division recruitment needs.
II. DIRECTION AND TRAINING
A. The Volunteer Services Coordinator shall discuss the duties expected of the volunteers, establish written guidelines concerning the manner and scope of these duties, as well as the limitations of their authority.
B. Written guidelines concerning the duties of volunteers may be as brief as an inter-office memorandum or as extensive as a manual and shall be maintained at the section/unit level.
C. Volunteers shall not be assigned to duties requiring sworn officer status, and if uniformed, shall wear uniforms clearly distinguishable from those of Division sworn officers.
D. Volunteers shall receive training at the section/unit level in those duties identified by the written guidelines for their position.
III. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY POLICE DIVISION EMPLOYEES
A. The Commander, Personnel shall ensure that duties performed will not result in duties similar to those for which the individual is employed.
B. Personnel will complete necessary questionnaires and information sheets to make a determination as to whether or not the duties will result in compensation being required, for any specific class of employees, under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
C. Upon making this review, the Commander, Personnel will advise the individual needing the volunteers, of any class which is deemed to be unable to volunteer or of any specific duties
that may result in compensation being required if performed by a certain class of employees.
D. The Commander, Personnel may authorize volunteer duties for one time needs or for long time needs, depending on the activity in which the employee will be participating.
IV. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT POLICE DIVISION EMPLOYEES.
A. Any request for volunteers who are not Police Division employees shall be made in writing to the Volunteer Services Coordinator.
B. All requests shall include:
1. A job description of duties that will be performed;
2. Duty hours for which the volunteer is needed; and
3. Specific skills required to perform the duties.
C. The Commander, Personnel will ensure that an appropriate background investigation is completed on individuals selected to fill volunteer positions and that all appropriate Division and County policies, as well as Unit procedures, have been met.
V. REPORTING
A. Each Division volunteer shall forward a completed PV-5 Individual Volunteer Time Log describing the amount and nature of service rendered to the appropriate section/unit commander, who shall then forward it to the Volunteer Services Coordinator by the fifth day of each month.
B. The Volunteer Services Coordinator shall be responsible for compiling the total number of volunteer hours rendered and for reporting those hours to the County Volunteer Services Coordinator by the tenth day of each month.
