LONDONDERRY POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Transcription

1 POLICY NO: P-107 LONDONDERRY POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES DATE OF ISSUE: November 1, 1996 EFFECTIVE DATE: November 1, 1996 REVISED DATE: January 3, 2016 SUBJECT: DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY PROGRAM PAGE: 1 of 9 BY AUTHORITY OF: William R. Hart Chief of Police CALEA # NEW AMENDS RESCINDS POLICY #: P-107 Dated: 09/01/98 I. PURPOSE A. The purpose of the Londonderry Police Department Safety Program is to develop safe working conditions, practices, and habits; to reduce accidents, injuries, disabilities, damage, lost time and pay, claims and medical expenses; to eliminate improper and dangerous use of motor vehicles and equipment; and to create a safe, secure working environment. II. DISCUSSION III. POLICY A. One of the most important areas of personnel management is safety and accident prevention. A collaborative effort between all levels of the organization will bring about a reduction in accidents among personnel. The costs associated with work related accidents are spiraling medical and hospital bills, lost wages, increased disability claims, liability suits, and large court awarded expenditures. Failure to recognize the need for a formalized Safety Program in a police organization may result in unsafe working conditions and loss of organizational efficiency. A. The Londonderry Police Department is committed to providing the safest working environment for its employees and the general public alike. All members and employees of the Police Department are responsible for their own personal safety and the safety of others with whom they come in contact. It is the intent of the Police Department to provide a program that identifies those activities and things that are a threat to the safe operation of the department; to identify those personnel who are responsible for training and education in accident prevention and safety; and to set organizational accountability for safety and accident prevention. Violations of safe working practices and procedures will not tolerated. IV. PROCEDURES A. Accountability for Accident Prevention and Safety

2 Page 2 of 9 i. Each and every member and employee is responsible for the safe performance of duties and accident prevention. ii. All personnel shall operate motor vehicles and equipment in a safe manner, consistent with departmental standard operating procedures, general orders, rules, regulations and practices. No member or employee shall operate any departmental equipment unless they have received training in the use of the equipment and possess the knowledge and ability to safely operate it. iii. All personnel shall report any and all unsafe working conditions, motor vehicles, operating equipment and/or practices immediately to their supervisors upon discovering the condition, vehicle, equipment or practice. iv. Supervisory personnel shall take immediate and appropriate action to alleviate, eliminate, or mitigate any unsafe working condition, motor vehicle defect, equipment defect and practice that is reported to them consistent with the policies and procedures herein. Failure to act on reports of safety conditions, vehicles, or equipment shall result in disciplinary action. B. Responsibility for Safety Evaluation, Education and Training. i. The Support Services Division Commander shall be responsible for researching, developing, and coordinating safety education and training for all departmental personnel. ii. The Support Services Division Commander shall be responsible for systematically evaluating all new equipment, to make sure that it functions properly, and that it is not used by anyone who doesn't know how to use it. iii. The Support Services Division Commander is responsible for the regular inspection of all property and equipment and shall establish and maintain policies and procedures for reporting results of those inspections so that corrective actions can be taken. iv. All Division Commanders shall be responsible for identifying safety and accident prevention training and education needs of personnel under their command. v. All Division Commanders shall be responsible for the conduct of roll call training in safety and accident prevention.

3 Page 3 of 9 vi. Sergeants and supervisors are responsible for identifying safety and accident prevention training and education needs and reporting them to the Division Commanders. vii. Sergeants and supervisors are responsible for providing safety and accident prevention roll call training for personnel under their command. C. Safety Education and Accident Prevention Training and Methods. i. Education and training shall include, but is not limited to the following methods: 1. Roll call training 2. Roll call lectures 3. Roll call films 4. Roll call video tapes 5. Supervisory discussion 6. Supervisory lectures 7. Supervisory training 8. Departmental training 9. Departmental lectures 10. Departmental discussion ii. Education and Training shall be include, but is not limited to the following: 1. All Federal, State, and Town statutes, laws, and ordinances pertaining to the duties and responsibilities of members and employees. 2. Town of Londonderry policies, procedures, and work rules. 3. Departmental policies, procedures, rules and regulations, and general orders. 4. Operation of all departmentally authorized and issued equipment prior to the assignment and use of the equipment to the member or employee.

4 Page 4 of 9 5. Operation of all departmentally owned and operated motor vehicles. D. Safety Inspections and Audits. i. All personnel shall inspect their vehicles, equipment and work areas daily for unsafe or hazardous conditions. ii. Sergeants and supervisors shall inspect all vehicles, equipment, and work areas daily for unsafe conditions, operations or working parts. iii. All Division Commanders shall inspect all vehicles, work areas, and equipment are operating safely. iv. The Support Services Division Commander shall complete an annual safety report for the Police Department that encompasses: 1. Vehicle safety and operation 2. Building safety and operation 3. Safety practices of personnel 4. Status of radio system & communications equipment, including towers, antennas, consoles, and hand-held radios v. An annual report shall be submitted to the Chief of Police by the Support Services Division Commander. This report should include: 1. The number of motor vehicle accidents and their causes. 2. The number of preventable motor vehicle accidents. 3. The number of work related accidents. 4. The number of preventable work related accidents. 5. The number of safety education and training hours given to all personnel. 6. The types of safety and education training provided to all personnel. 7. Violations of policies, procedures, rules, regulations or general orders that were safety related and the action taken.

5 Page 5 of 9 8. The amount of funds (if known), expended to prevent, mitigate, or correct unsafe vehicles, equipment or practices. 9. The number of law suits, court awards, or settlements for losses (if known), sustained in an accident involving Police Department personnel. 10. Number of hours of training in the operation of vehicles and equipment 11. Number of hours of training in statutes, laws, and ordinances pertaining to job performance. 12. Number of hours of training in Town and Police Department policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and orders. E. Supervisory Responsibilities - Supervisory personnel shall be responsible for: i. The safe operation of departmental vehicles by personnel under their command. 1. Cruiser operating speeds during routine and emergency operations shall be consistent with traffic laws and departmental policy, orders, etc. 2. Cruiser parking policies, orders, etc., shall be enforced. 3. Seat belts shall be worn in the prescribed manner. 4. Obstruction to the safe operation of cruisers shall not be permitted. 5. Cruisers shall be deadlined immediately if they fail to meet safety standards or requirements. ii. Identifying those things that pose a threat to the safety and welfare of officers, other departmental personnel, and the general public. 1. All Division Commanders shall ensure that all firearms shall be inspected at least semi-annually by a department firearms instructor. It shall be the responsibility of shift supervisors to inspect firearms as they deem necessary at roll call for cleanliness and safe operation. Shift supervisors shall inspect ammunition no less than once semi-annually.

6 Page 6 of 9 2. Shotguns shall be carried in the manner prescribed by departmental policies, procedures, rules, regulations, general orders, etc. 3. Safety clothing, gloves and equipment shall be worn in the manner prescribed by departmental policies, procedures, rules, regulations, general orders, etc. 4. Prisoners shall be handled in the manner prescribed by departmental policies, procedures, rules, regulations, general orders, etc. iii. Identifying conditions that exist in the Headquarters Building that can be hazardous to officers, employees, and the general public. iv. Identifying training needs in the area of vehicle and equipment operation; statutes, laws and ordinances involving job performance; Town and Police Department policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and orders. F. Member and Employee Responsibilities: i. Each and every member and employee is responsible for the safe performance of his/her duties. ii. Members and employees shall wear safety clothing, gloves, and equipment prescribed by departmental rules, regulations, or general orders in the prescribed manner. iii. Members shall wear seat belts in all vehicles that are operated in the course of duty. iv. Members and employees who are authorized to carry firearms shall do so in a safe manner consistent with departmental policies, procedures, rules, regulations and general orders. v. Members and employees shall operate motor vehicles and equipment in a manner consistent with departmental policies, procedures, rules, regulations and general orders. vi. Identifying conditions that exist in the Headquarters Building that can be hazardous to officers, employees, and the general public. vii. Identifying training needs in the area of vehicle and equipment operation; statutes, laws and ordinances involving job performance; Town and Police Department policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and orders.

7 Page 7 of 9 G. Investigation of Traffic Accidents Involving Departmental Personnel. i. Traffic accidents shall be investigated in the manner prescribed by departmental rules, regulations, procedures and general orders for traffic accident investigation and shall be completed on the prescribed form(s). ii. In addition to the requirements mentioned above, the member or employee's supervisor shall conduct an investigation independent of the traffic accident investigation. iii. Upon completion of the supervisor's investigation, the supervisor shall make a thorough report of the accident which describes: 1. The probable cause of the accident 2. Any unsafe act or traffic violation committed by the member, employee, or other person involved. 3. Any injuries sustained in the accident and medical treatment required. 4. Any safety defects in any motor vehicle involved in the accident. 5. Whether the accident was preventable or not on the part of the Londonderry Police Department member or employee. a. NOTE: Preventable means that the member or employee should have or could have prevented or avoided the accident through defensive driving and the application of safe driving techniques. 6. Recommendation for remedial training and/or disciplinary action. iv. The traffic accident report and supervisor's report shall be submitted through the chain of command to the Chief of Police for review and action. H. Investigation of Non-Traffic Related Accidents Involving Departmental Personnel. i. On-the-job accidents and injuries shall be thoroughly investigated by the involved member or employee's immediate supervisor. ii. All reports and forms that are required by Federal, State and Local Laws and Ordinances shall be completed by the involved member and

8 Page 8 of 9 employee, as well as the immediate supervisor and shall be prepared and submitted as prescribed by departmental policy, procedure, rule, regulations or general order. iii. The supervisor's report shall thoroughly describe: 1. The activities leading to or causing the accident 2. The accident itself 3. The nature and extent of any injuries incurred 4. The nature and treatment for the injury 5. Any unsafe acts or conditions involved in, or causing the accident 6. Whether or not the accident was preventable a. NOTE: Preventable means that the member or employee should have or could have prevented the accident through the application of safe working techniques. 7. Recommendations for remedial training and/or disciplinary action. iv. The supervisor's report of the on-the-job accident shall be submitted through the chain of command to the Chief of Police for review and action. I. Ergonomic Injuries. i. It shall be the responsibility of the employer to evaluate all incidences of ergonomically related injuries, such as repetitive motion trauma, carpal tunnel syndrome and back injuries, and to make necessary workplace modifications to prevent recurrences. ii. The employer shall also develop training procedures for employees who might be subject to ergonomic exposures such as those listed above. J. Accident Reporting Requirements. i. Within 8 hours after its occurrence, an employment accident which is fatal to one or more employees or which results in the hospitalization of 3 or more employees shall be reported to the commissioner of labor. Notification can be given by telephone by calling (603)

9 Page 9 of 9 V. These policies and procedures replace and supersede all policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and written directives regarding DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY PROGRAM.