Posted: 10/15/2004 12:47:37 AM EDT
| Can my chief give me an order even if I'm not working for him? I'm working off duty being paid by someone else. (high school sporting event) It is in my jurisdiction and I'm wearing my department's uniform. My chief give is trying to micromanage those of us working the games to the point of where we will stand and how we will patrol the stadium. Can we just ignore him and be justified when he tries to write us up? |
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If you are wearing the uniform, then you are representing the department, so I would have to say yes he can give you an order. If you think it is illegal, or out of line, obey it then grieve it. If you ignore him, then you leave yourself open to disiplinary action. |
IMHO "yes" You are working under the auspices of your agency, of which your chief is in charge of. Think of it this way, you are there to promote a peaceful event through a high profile officer pressence. Would the school desire your services if you did not have arrest powers, probably not and there for would not have hired you in the first place. On another issue, when you wear that uniform you represent your agency whether on or off duty and I imagine your chief wants a good showing. Agencies in my area consider you on duty at any such event and as such fall under the directive of the on duty supervisors. I'm sorry you have a micro managing chief, do good solid work and you'll probably outlast him. I speak from experience. 
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The whole concept of Police Officers wearing uniforms while working for somebody or something not their agency has always seemed to me to be a bad idea. If he does something wrong and gets sued, the City and Department and the employer all get sued. Why should the City and Department get involved? It almost appears to be asking for trouble. That little phrase "Under color of authority." comes to mind If you're not representing the city, I don't think you should be wearing the uniform. I think the Chief is well within his rights to order you around. IF YOU ARE WEARING THE UNIFORM OF HIS DEPARTMENT, GIVING THE APPEARANCE OF BEING AN ON DUTY OFFICER THEN THE HAMMER WILL FALL ON HIM FOR ANY PROBLEMS. If you really need real Police presence, then contract it through the City by paying all the costs. Consider this scenario, a disturbance a brawl , you might make normally make an arrest or two, but have to call for back-up or somebody else calls, on-duty officers arrive, a Supervisor comes to the scene. Who is in charge, the guy you working for or the on-duty supervisor, what if the on-duty Supervisor realizes a crime has in fact ben committed and there are sufficient grounds (under your state laws) to make an arrest of several participants . One guy is your temporary boss, or his brother or his good buddy or his wife who was wearing YOUR badge on her sleeve while boozed up and your temporary boss doesn't want him hooked up and hauled away for any of several reasons. The Supervisor says bullshit, they all go. WTF do you do then??? |
