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Home My WebLink AboutIR 9504 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9504 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council July 24, 2012 Page 1 of 1 SUBJECT: Fort Worth Police Department Reserve Officer Program Ya73 The following information is being provided to update the City Council on the Reserve Officer Program. The Fort Worth Police Department suspended its Reserve Officer Program on March 30, 2011, when it was discovered that there was no documentation reflecting that individual reserve appointments had been approved by the City Council. Additionally, a question arose regarding whether a municipality that had adopted civil service for police and firefighters could legally maintain a reserve police force. In response to our inquiry, on November 22, 2011, the Texas Attorney General issued an opinion concluding that a city that has adopted civil service could maintain a reserve force. The proposed Reserve Officer Program will be a part of the Patrol Bureau and will not be a separate division, as it was in the past. Previously, a supervisory chain of command existed within the Reserve Division, including ranks from Reserve Officer to Reserve Captain. Under the new program, the reserve officers will answer to supervisors within their assigned patrol division. Additionally, there will be no ranks within the proposed program, only "Probationary Reserve Officer" and "Reserve Officer." The proposed Reserve Officer Program will require officers to work a minimum of 15 hours a month and a maximum of 20 hours a week. A requirement of 560 hours of field training will be mandatory to become a full-fledged Reserve Officer. The Fort Worth Police Department is drafting General Orders for the proposed Reserve Officer Program and is excited to resume the program as soon as possible. Included is a copy of the draft General Orders pertaining to the Reserve Officer Program. Tom Higgins City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS Qaz<r FORT WORTH GENERAL ORDER SECTION: 217.00 POLICE DEPARTMENT SUBJECT:Police Reserves 217.00 POLICE RESERVES The Fort Worth Police Reserves are authorized under Texas Local Government Code Article 341.012 and Section 27-3, Police Reserve Force,of the Code of the City of Fort Worth Texas.It is the policy of the Fort Worth Police Department to maintain the highest standards of professional law enforcement services.Reserve police officers should fulfill two pri- mary functions:serve as auxiliary stafing as determined to be necessary by the Chief of'Police and provide an additional interactive link between the community and the police department.Reserve police officers may not assume the full time ,,, duties ofregular officers without complying with requirements set for f ll- 'mie officers under any existing applica- ble Meet and Confer Agreement and the Texas Local Government �r '.T �� dose of this order is to outline the Police program rogram objectives,responsibilities,and operation. 217.01 REQUIREMENTS AND CERTIFICATION A. The age requirement for application to the reserve program shall be a n�um of t cry y-one(2 1)years of age and a maximum of fifty-five(55)years ol'age. //I P/0/%j B. Applicants must meet all minm7um requirements set y as Co ission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education TCLEOSE for reserve o. rs. ( ) C. The Fort Worth Police Department Recrultme51ria1 � respo r e for recruitment of reserve officers. M and the names o D. Background investigations shall be cone on all ica ; ,f f persons with qualified Affi backgrounds shall be submitted e Train ivision l ntment by the Chief of Police. 217.02 RESERVE OF R STA1'� 0 A. Probationary Reserve er-applies to a�;; i reserv ;olice officers who have obtained a Basic Texas peace Off- cer Certification but /l of completed fie 'gaining. 1. Probationary Reserv' ers shall com e a minimum of 560 hours of field training with aregular sworn offi- cer before becoming a �� dged Re Officer. a. The number of minim I rs be increased if the field training officer and supervisor require addi- tional time to ensure P P rot n�j° � g. b. The number of minimum hot's may be decreased for Probationary Reserve Officers who have prior law en- forcement experience and have obtained a certification higher than the Basic Peace Officer Certification. The approval of the Patrol Bureau Deputy Chief is required. 2. A Field Training Manual shall be completed for each Probationary Reserve Officer and returned to the Records Unit of the Training Academy. 3. After successful completion of f eld training,the Probationary Reserve Officer will be designated as a Reserve Officer. B. Reserve Officer - applies to active Reserve Officers who have successfully completed the required mandatory amount of field training. 1. Reserve Officers will be assigned to a patrol division by the Patrol Bureau Deputy Chief or designee. 2. Reserve Officers shall report to the patrol division shift commander or shift supervisor for assignment duties and/or training. 3. Reserve Officers requesting transfer shall submit a transfer request to the appropriate patrol command major. Transfers will be approved only after a review of current reserve officer staffing levels within the divisions. C. Inactive Reserve Status-applies to Reserve Officers who are no longer able to serve at the minimum required level. Inactive status may be temporary or permanent at the discretion of the patrol command major as approved by the Chief of Police.Reserve Officers shall submit an IOC requesting Inactive Reserve Status and explaining the reason for the request. 217.03 TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS A. Reserve Officers serve at the discretion of the Chief of Police and may be called into service at any time the Chief of Police or designee considers it necessary to have additional officers. B. Reserve Officers shall be considered in an on-duty capacity when: 1. Performing assigned duties, or 2. At other times when taking required enforcement action or discharging legal duties as a peace officer. C. All Reserve Officers must serve a minimum of fifteen(15)hours of duty per calendar month.Officers who are unable to meet this requirement must submit a written request through the chain of cornmand to the patrol command major for an approved leave of absence. Reserve Officers shall not work more than twenty(20)hours in a given week. D. Depending on the level of training and experience,Reserve Officers may be assigned to work with a regular sworn officer, be assigned to work with another Reserve Officer, or function in a solo status. E. Unless otherwise provided for within this order,all Reserve Officers are subject to all rules,regulations,policies,and procedures established for regular sworn officers,and in addition,shaonform to such other guidelines established specifically for Reserve Officers F. All active Reserve Officers must successfully complete the fie �m am under the supervision and evalua- tion of adepartmentally-approved field training officer. Up�� Aucce, J completion of training, Reserve Officers will a sume duties as delegated by the designated divi ramand G. For training and evaluation purposes,all active Reserve Officers wll one(1) ,;;f of duty with a sworn officer in the months of June and December. i/ ! / ON H. All Reserve Officers will be required to attend perio epart�� n-serv'f�raining to complete: 1. The same training as required of regular sworn -jfcer c1 but not limited to, courses mandated by TCLEOSE for certification requirements O/ 2. De artmentall -re wired ualifi ati m �arms an other e ui went deemed necessary. P Y q q c o . e '' b � Y q P Y ' / 217.04 CHAIN OF COM/,�� ,, � f O , TIONS A. Reserve 011icers are ass oap atr'% ,% ion the Patrol Bureau and further assigned to a specific team for chain of command pu B. The patr( 1 for assigned Re ;e Officers shall be responsible for overall administration and train- ing documentation. 217.05 ORGANIZATIONAL JN N A. The primary function of Reserved ill be to provide auxiliary staffing to patrol personnel.Reserve Officers are not to be counted towards patr ficer staffing levels. B. Reserve Officers shall not be utilized for special events such as the Texas Motor Speedway, Will Rogers,etc. C. Reserve Officers can be utilized for assistance in emergency situations (i.e. disasters or riots) or in situations as deemed necessary by the Chief of Police. D. All initial Reserve Officer assignments will be coordinated through the office of the Patrol Bureau Deputy Chief. E. When regular officers and Reserve Officers combine to handle a police call,the regular officer shall be responsible for the call. F. At least one regular officer will be dispatched to all priority one or two calls and any responding Reserve Officers will relinquish the call to the first regular officer who makes the scene. G. Reserve Officers are not authorized to work off duty law enforcement or security-related jobs. 217.06 UNIFORM AND HANDGUN A. The Police Training Division shall furnish Reserve Officers uniforms upon appointment and approval.Reserve Offi- cers shall wear the same uniform and observe the same guidelines as regular officers,with the exception of an epaulet with wide black outer bands, narrow yellow bands, and a medium royal blue inner band. B. Reserve Officers shall be issued one(1)Reserve badge.Upon written authorization from the Chief of Police and at their own expense, Reserve Officers may purchase an additional badge. C. Procedures for any requests for additional Reserve badges shall adhere to General Order 503.03.Upon termination, all issued Reserve badges shall be returned to the Training Academy. Reserve Officers who desire to keep a badge Upon normal retirement shall adhere to General Order 503.03 E. NOTE: Normal retirement shall be fifteen(15)years of continuous service as a Reserve Officer to the Fort Worth Police Department. D. Reserve officers may carry their department-issued service weapon only for the period of time the Reservist is actu- ally on duty and discharging the official functions of a duly constituted peace officer as authorized by the Chief ofI'o- lice. When off duty, Reserve Officers are encouraged to report breaches of the peace or on-view felonies for response by an on-duty officer.Reserve Officers should be mindful that any law enforcement action taken by them while off duty may be considered by a court of law to be action taken by a civilian. E. Upon successful completion of field training,Reserve Officers shall be governed by the firearms guidelines of the department applicable to regular sworn officers. 217.07 DISCIPLINARY ACTION A. The Chief of Police shall have sole authority to discipline or terminate a Reserve Officer. B. The following shall be grounds for arecommendation by the division 7mander for termination by the C hie fofl'o- �!%/ lice. 1 Failure to report as scheduled for a month unless excuse for V, i son. 2. Failure to complete in-service training as re wired b T E f any training set forth b the Training p � y g y €� q Y C Division Captain. 3. Violations of the General Orders Manual for which a regular sw r cer woistomarily receive disciplin- ary action at a day o1'1'or more. Al �� 217.08 DUAL COMMISSIONS Reserve Officers and probationary Reserve Officer&�g,e ib �rom;, commissioned by any other law enforce- ment entity while commissioned by the City of N, �orth. �;