Consolidated City of Jacksonville OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF GENERAL ORDER X.32 (10) SUBJECT: RESCINDS: X.31 (10-30-2014) SCOPE: CPRS/3 EFFECTIVE DATE: 06-04-2015 The purpose of this order is to establish the guidelines for determining the duties and composition of the various boards and committees assembled for executing specific actions within the Office of the Sheriff. This order supports the Sheriff's Office Core Values of "Worthy of Trust," Respect for Each Other, and Always Improving. This order consists of the following numbered articles: I. Meritorious Awards Review Board II. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) Safety Board III. Response to Resistance Review Board IV. Disciplinary Hearing Board V. Directive Review Committee VI. JSO Facilities Planning Committee VII. JSO Grant/Cooperative Agreement Committee VIII. Agency Improvement Meeting (AIM) IX. Training Committee X. Uniform Committee I. Meritorious Awards Review Board A. The purpose of the Meritorious Awards Review Board is to review all formal submissions and requests for employee awards. Any police officer, corrections officer, civilian employee, police, corrections, or civilian supervisor, or volunteer member of the Office of the Sheriff who performs outstanding service to the Sheriff's Office above and beyond that expected in the normal line of duty shall be eligible for consideration for an award. Police service animals that are injured or killed in the performance of their duties shall be eligible for consideration for a canine award. B. The membership of the Meritorious Awards Review Board consists of the following members or their designees: 1. Director of Patrol and Enforcement, Chairperson; 2. Chief of Patrol - East; 3. Chief of Patrol - West; 4. Chief of Investigations Division; 5. Chief of Support Services Division;
6. Chief of Jails Division; 7. Chief of Prisons Division; 8. Chief of Health Services; 9. Chief of Community Affairs and Special Events Division; 10. Chief of Personnel Division; 11. Chief of Budget & Management; 12. Chief of Professional Standards; and 13. Chief of Homeland Security and Narcotics/Vice. C. The Awards Coordinator shall maintain the files of the Board and shall lend any assistance, which is deemed necessary by the Board. D. In the event that a clarification of the eligible candidate policy is requested, the Chairperson of the Meritorious Awards Review Board will provide the final decision as to whether a candidate is eligible to be presented to the Meritorious Awards Review Board. E. Requests or recommendations for an award (e.g., medals, ribbons, or certificates) may be received from any reliable person(s), including fellow employees, supervisors, commanding officers, or members of the community. An Electronic Award Nomination Form (P-0802E) shall be used to submit nominations, through the chain-of-command to the Awards Coordinator for presentation to the Meritorious Awards Review Board. The Electronic Award Nomination Form (P-0802E) is available on the JSO s Intranet and must be filled out in its entirety for all nomination submissions. If the nomination originates from a member of the community, it will be routed to the named employee's supervisor who will determine whether or not the employee's action was indeed worthy of nomination. If so, the supervisor will complete an Electronic Award Nomination Form (P-0802E) through the chain-of-command to the Awards Coordinator. Nominations will not be accepted by the Board on an incident after one year from its initial occurrence unless unique circumstances exist. The Board would then consider those circumstances. 1. All supporting material such as news clippings, letters, and reports, etc. that are relevant to the nomination should be attached to the nomination form. For example, if an individual was being nominated for a Lifesaving Award, it would not be necessary to submit the person's performance evaluation since it has no bearing on the award under consideration. 2
2. All nominations must be reviewed by the employee's immediate supervisor or an on-scene supervisor. Any nomination made by someone other than the employee's immediate supervisor or on-scene supervisor must include a letter from that immediate supervisor or on-scene supervisor concurring with the nomination. 3. JSO employees contacted by outside organizations interested in giving a current JSO employee recognition will notify their chain of command and the Awards Coordinator of the request/inquiry. 4. Individuals who recently received discipline or are currently under investigation will not be eligible for recognition by organizations outside JSO unless deemed appropriate by the Administration. 5. JSO employees who receive recognition from an outside organization, without prior notification, should notify their chain of command, and the Awards Coordinator upon receipt of the recognition. F. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson of the Meritorious Awards Board to: 1. Set the date for the monthly Board hearing; 2. Ensure that all members of the Board are notified of the date, time, and place of the Board hearing; and 3. Serve as a non-voting member except in the case of a tie vote by the remaining members of the Board. A majority voice vote is needed to approve a nomination before it is submitted to the Sheriff or designee. G. Duties of the Meritorious Awards Review Board include: 1. Ensuring that all nominations for awards are investigated fully to verify that the action to be commended is bonafide and documented; 2. Receiving and evaluating all requests for medals, ribbons, commendations, and nominations for employees of the month and recommending appropriate action to the Sheriff; 3. Reclassifying the requested award at the Board's discretion; and 4. Forwarding all recommendations to the Sheriff or designee who will have the final approval of all awards to be granted. H. The Sheriff's official commendations are: 3
1. Medal of Honor - The Medal of Honor ranks as the highest award in the Sheriff's Office and is awarded posthumously to a member who loses his life in the performance of his duty under honorable circumstances. This includes officers killed as a result of an adversarial confrontation, or as a result of "hot pursuit" of criminals and when death results from the officer taking immediate action to save the life or lives of others. Cases of "natural death" while on duty are tragic but do not fall within the purview of this award. Accidental deaths shall be considered by the Meritorious Review Board on a case-by-case basis. a. The Medal of Honor is presented to the spouse or other members of the family as determined by the Meritorious Awards Review Board. b. The Award may be given in addition to any other award the member may have been entitled to while making the supreme sacrifice. c. Officers who lose their lives in the line of duty and are awarded the Medal of Honor will have their vehicle numbers and identification numbers permanently retired. Once this action is approved, the Meritorious Awards Board will notify an agency Chaplain who will coordinate with the Fraternal Order of Police and act as the liaison between the deceased officer s immediate family and the JSO. The Meritorious Awards Board shall notify the Chief of Support Services to take appropriate steps to retire the numbers. The Meritorious Awards Board will review all line of duty deaths. 2. Medal of Valor (Medallion and red, white, and blue breast bar) - The Medal of Valor is awarded to members who distinguish themselves by conspicuous acts of gallantry or acts of extraordinary heroism. The act must be: a. Voluntary, b. In excess of normal demands and of such a nature that there is an imminent threat to the member's safety, and c. Above and beyond the call of duty at the risk of his life. 3. Medal of Merit (Medallion and white and blue breast bar) - The Medal of Merit is awarded for exceptional meritorious action. The nominee must have demonstrated exceptional courage by performing a voluntary course of action in an extremely dangerous situation; 4. Lifesaving Award (Red, white, and red breast bar) - The Lifesaving Award is awarded to a member whose intervention in a life threatening situation directly results in the saving of a human life; a. Any nomination for saving a human life shall include documentation which substantiates the lifesaving action taken. b. This documentation may include statements from: 4
(1) Witnesses, including other officers at the scene, and/or (2) Any medical authorities, including Rescue personnel. c. If the victim, in spite of the heroic efforts of the employee, passes away, the employee may still be eligible for nomination of another type medal or certificate; depending on the circumstances of the event. 5. Purple Heart Award (solid purple breast bar) - The Purple Heart is awarded for any serious injury inflicted; a. While performing official duties, and b. By criminal means, or friendly weapon fire. A copy of the documentation of injury must accompany the nomination. 6. Certificate of Commendation - Any member of the Office of the Sheriff performing their duties in a superior manner, bringing credit to themselves and to the Sheriff's Office, may be nominated for a Certificate of Commendation. Under General Order LXXVIII (78) Sheriff s Office Military Support Program, a Certificate of Commendation will be presented quarterly to one JSO member currently serving in the guard or reserve forces or a non-serving member supporting guard and reserve functions; If someone is nominated for recognition, and multiple people are involved in the incident/arrest (who are also eligible for recognition), then all proposed honorees should be submitted together on a single nomination form. The narrative must detail each individual s specific involvement that contributed to the nomination. (This includes citizens and other non JSO individuals). 7. Certificate of Appreciation - The Certificate of Appreciation is awarded to a citizen in recognition of meritorious service rendered to the Office of the Sheriff. Any member of the Sheriff's Office may nominate a citizen for a Certificate of Appreciation by completing an Electronic Award Nomination Form (P-0802E) and forwarding it to the Awards Coordinator; 8. A Citizen of the Year is selected annually by the Sheriff and his staff and the citizen honored for his service to the Sheriff's Office; 9. Employees of the Month and Year - Separate awards are given each month to a police/judicial officer, a corrections officer, a full-time/part-time civilian employee, one police/judicial sergeant, one corrections/civilian sergeant or supervisor, and a reserve/volunteer based on all nominations received from supervisors, commanding officers, or fellow employees; a. No pin is given for the Employee of the Month award. 5
b. Employees of the Year in the following categories will receive a navy breast bar with a star: (1) Police Officer, (2) Corrections Officer, (3) Civilian, (4) Reserve Officer, (5) Police Supervisor, (6) Corrections Supervisor; and (7) Civilian Supervisor. For the purposes of the Meritorious Awards nominations, full-time or parttime civilian employees (Eligible Civilian Employees) who do not supervise other employees may be nominated for the Civilian Employee of the Month. This includes some, but not all, appointed positions such as: nonsupervisory information technology analysis, special purpose employees such as public safety analysts, Jacksonville Re-entry Center (JREC) resource specialists, bailiffs, and school crossing guards. a. The Supervisor of the Month Awards will be given monthly to a police/judicial supervisor, and a civilian or corrections supervisor, b. Employees of the month shall be awarded one day of annual leave as an additional reward, For the purposes of the Meritorious Awards nominations, all civilian supervisors with the rank of Sergeant or the equivalent can be nominated for the Corrections/Civilian Supervisor of the Month. This includes some appointed positions such as: Information Technology analysts in supervisory positions, Manager of Accounting, and Public Safety Analyst Supervisors. Program Managers are included in this category as well (Eligible Civilian Supervisors). Lieutenants, Unit Commanders and Sheriff s Staff Members are not eligible to be nominated for Employee/Supervisor of the Month or Year Awards. c. A police officer, corrections officer, civilian employee, police supervisor, civilian or corrections supervisor, and a reserve/volunteer of the year are selected from that year's monthly award winners. 1. The yearly term shall begin January 1st of each year and extend through December 31st. 6
2. Employees of the year shall be awarded four days of annual leave as an additional reward. 10. Canine Medal of Distinction - The Canine Medal of Distinction is awarded posthumously to a police service animal that loses its life in the performance of duty. The Canine Medal of Distinction is presented to the animal's handler and will be retained in the animal's respective unit. 11. Canine Courage Award - The Canine Courage Award is given to a police service animal for any serious injury, which was inflicted by criminal means and/or while performing official duties. 12. Continuous Improvement Employee of the Quarter and Year No pin is given for this quarterly or yearly award. The Continuous Improvement Employee of the Quarter is awarded to any JSO employee who has embodied the philosophies of continuous improvement and/or implemented improvements in processes and/or physical areas. He has demonstrated leadership by identifying areas for improvement and taken a direct and active role in implementing positive change. The recipient s actions were significant in removing waste and adding value to the provided services. Continuous Improvement Employee of the year will be selected from that year s quarterly award winners. Quarterly Winners shall be awarded one day of annual leave as an additional reward. Continuous Improvement Employee of the year shall be awarded four days of annual leave as an additional reward. 13. Six Pillars of Character No pin is given for this quarterly or yearly award. The award will recognize one individual s selfless act that embodies one or more of the Six Pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Anyone can nominate a JSO employee for this award. Winners shall be awarded one day of annual leave as an additional reward. Six Pillars of Character for the year shall be awarded four days of annual leave as an additional reward. Sheriff s Staff Members are not eligible to be nominated for the Six Pillars of Character Award. I. All medals will be issued to each recipient as both a medallion with ribbon and a breast bar. 1. The medallion may be worn during certain ceremonial events, such as Police Memorial Day. The breast bar may be worn at any time while in uniform. 2. Any subsequent awards of the Medal of Valor, Medal of Merit, Purple Heart Award, or the Lifesaving Award will be represented by a star or additional star. Supervisor Rank and higher will receive gold medals. All others, including Reserve Officers, will receive silver medals. 7
J. Years of Service Pins are distributed in five-year increments. Five, 10, and 15 year pins are presented to employees by their Commanding Officer. Twenty-year pins and above are presented to the employee by the Sheriff, or his designee, at the monthly awards ceremony. The Awards Coordinator will ensure that recipients are notified in advance of the date and time of the ceremony. K. All meritorious awards will be presented to the recipient by the Sheriff or his designee at the Sheriff's Office s regularly scheduled monthly awards ceremony (Continuous Improvement Employee of the Quarter will be recognized every quarter). The Awards Coordinator will ensure that recipients are notified in advance of the date and time of the ceremony. II. JSO Safety Board A. It is the purpose of the JSO Safety Board to determine whether a crash, vehicle pursuit, or any other incident, involving a JSO vehicle, resulting in personal injury or property damage was caused by a violation of laws, a violation of Sheriff's Office procedures, negligence, or lack of good judgment on the part of any member of the Office of the Sheriff. 1. The exception will be when an officer uses a JSO vehicle in an intended police intervention action, (e.g., Precision Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, blocking, ramming, etc.), which results in serious bodily injury, death, or substantial property damage. 2. All situations involving intentional police intervention action will be referred to the Response to Resistance Board. B. The Safety Board Coordinator (Field Training Officer Unit Commander) will review all vehicle pursuit reports to ensure compliance with state law(s) and the departmental written directives. Those reports appearing to be out of compliance with Operational Order 04.01, Vehicle Pursuits will be forwarded to the Chairperson of the Safety Board for review. The Chairperson will determine whether or not the pursuit should be reviewed by the entire Safety Board. C. The JSO Safety Board will also review any crash or incident referred to the Board by the Director of Patrol and Enforcement. D. Traffic crashes involving a JSO vehicle, whether directly or indirectly, which result in death or serious bodily injury to any person, shall be reviewed by the Director of Patrol and Enforcement who will determine if the crash will be referred to the Safety Board or to the Internal Affairs Unit for further investigation. The term serious bodily injury means an injury to any person, including the driver, which consists of a physical condition that creates a substantial risk of death, serious personal disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ (Florida State Statute [F.S.S.] 316.1933[b]). E. The following shall constitute the membership of the JSO Safety Board: 8
1. The Chiefs of Patrol East and West will serve as the chairpersons. The Chief of Patrol West will chair the committee in years ending in an odd number, and the Chief of Patrol East will chair the committee in even numbered years; 2. The JSO Training Director of the Police Academy; 3. A Chief of the Patrol Division (whichever is not the Chairperson); 4. The Chief of Professional Standards; 5. The Chief of the Investigations Division; 6. The Commanding Officer of Field Training/Emergency Preparedness Unit will serve as the Safety Board Coordinator, investigator, and advisor; 7. The Safety Officer will serve as a liaison with the City Motor Pool, the Police Academy Training Specialist and report to the Safety Board Coordinator matters related to the Board. In addition, the Safety Officer will ensure all reports are collected and submitted to the Safety Board Coordinator in a timely fashion; 8. When one of the regular members of the Board is unable to attend a hearing, an appropriate alternate may be appointed as a designee; and 9. The Board must have a quorum of four members to convene. F. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson of the Safety Board to: 1. Eliminate those employees who are clearly not at fault from having to appear before the Board; 2. Set dates for Board hearings as needed or, at least, once a month; 3. Notify all members of the Board of the date, time, and place of the hearing; and 4. Notify any and all witnesses to appear. The Fleet Administrator will appear to testify about the mechanical condition of the vehicle as needed. G. The duties of the Safety Board are to: 1. Review all charges and relevant facts concerning the crash, vehicle pursuit, or incident; 2. Upon completion of the review, recommend in each case whether the crash, vehicle pursuit, or incident was avoidable or non-avoidable; 3. Recommend no corrective action on non-avoidable crashes, vehicle pursuits, or incidents; 9
4. In cases where the crash, vehicle pursuit, or incident is determined to be avoidable and therefore chargeable, make a decision as to the seriousness of the incident based on the guidelines in Article II, Sections K and L of this order; 5. Recommend appropriate action designed to ensure compliance with Florida State Statutes and departmental policies designed to guide agency members and other authorized persons who operate vehicles; and 6. As a final step, recommend corrective action for fault in the crash, vehicle pursuit, or incident and appropriate action based on the guidelines herein. H. The Board's findings and recommendations shall be forwarded to the Director of Patrol and Enforcement who may agree or disagree with the findings and recommendations of the Board. The Director of Patrol and Enforcement will make the final decision regarding corrective action. However, the Undersheriff and/or the Sheriff at their discretion may agree or disagree with the final determination. I. All points from chargeable acts assigned by the Board shall remain on the employee's record for a five year period from the date assigned. Points from chargeable acts assigned in the previous five years shall be added to any additional points from chargeable acts, and the total of all points shall be considered in determining the appropriate corrective action according to established guidelines. J. The Director of Patrol and Enforcement s findings on corrective action shall be reviewed by the employee and if the employee: 1. Accepts the decision, the employee s Commanding Officer shall initiate the final corrective action; or 2. Rejects the decision the employee shall appear in person before the Board to appeal the decision. K. Decisions of the Board shall be by a majority vote. The Board's recommendation on an employee s appeal of the Director of Patrol and Enforcement s decision shall be forwarded back to the Director of Patrol and Enforcement for a final decision. Once the decision is finalized, the respective Commanding Officer shall initiate corrective action, if applicable. L. Vehicle operation violation categories are as follows: 1. Careless Driving - Violation, incident, or crash caused by inattentiveness or failure to exercise the appropriate degree of care under the circumstances or conditions present. Point range: 1 to 4 points. 2. Willful Violation of Traffic Laws Incident results in damage to a vehicle, or crash caused by unlawful speed, failure to obey a traffic control device, etc. Point range: 5 to 8 points. 10
3. Reckless Driving - Incident or crash resulting from the operation of a vehicle with willful, wanton, or negligent disregard for the safety of persons or property. Point range: 9 to 12 points. M. Disciplinary and counseling guidelines for incidents resulting in damage to a vehicle or crashes that have occurred within the past five years are as follows: A vision examination may be required for any of the following instances. 1. 1 Point: Minimum - Informal counseling session. 2. 2 to 5 Points: Minimum - Formal counseling (documented). Maximum - Written reprimand level two and/or a loss of take home car privileges for up to 15 calendar days. 3. 6 to 9 Points: Minimum - Written reprimand level two and/or loss of take home car privileges for up to 30 calendar days. Maximum - Up to a 40 hours suspension, and/or loss of take home car privileges for 90 calendar days, and/or revocation of JSO driving privileges for 45 calendar days. 4. 10 to 12 Points: Minimum - Not less than a 24 hour suspension, loss of take home car privileges for not less than 60 calendar days and revocation of JSO driving privileges for 30 calendar days. Maximum 80 hours suspension, loss of take home car privileges for up to one year, and revocation of JSO driving privileges for six months. 5. 13+ Points: Minimum - Not less than 120 hours suspension, loss of take home car privileges for not less than one year and not more than two years, and revocation of JSO driving privileges for one year. Maximum - dismissal. 11
6. Counseling or disciplinary action may be administered between the minimum and maximum guidelines for each point range based upon the severity of the incident and the officer's past driving record. Notwithstanding the penalties provided above, an officer found to have committed a criminal violation while operating a Sheriff's Office motor vehicle may be terminated. 7. At any point in the disciplinary continuum, the Safety Board may opt to issue the charged driver a civil citation. N. Guidelines for officers speeding unjustifiably in Sheriff's Office vehicles are as follows: 1. Five to nine miles per hour over the posted speed Maximum Informal Counseling; 2. 10 to 19 miles per hour over the posted speed Formal Counseling Up to a maximum 10 calendar days loss of take home car privilege; 3. 20 to 29 miles per hour over the posted speed Written Reprimand Level One Up to a maximum 20 calendar days loss of take home car privilege; 4. 30 and over miles per hour above the posted speed Written Reprimand Level One Up to a maximum 30 calendar days loss of take home car privilege; and 5. Subsequent offenses increase the penalties by one level. O. Remedial Driver Training Guidelines are as follows: 1. In addition to any counseling or disciplinary action recommended by the JSO Safety Board, each employee found chargeable in an crash or incident may be referred for remedial driver training; 2. The JSO Training Director of the Police Academy shall ensure that a structured remedial driver course is developed that is reflective of crash/incident causes based on an analysis of at-fault JSO crashes or incidents. These courses shall address the specific needs of the individual being remediated. The Remedial Driver Training class will be scheduled once each month; 3. The employee's Division Chief shall ensure that each affected employee attends the remedial driver training course at its next regularly scheduled session or as soon as possible thereafter; and 4. The remedial driver training will be held at the Police Academy and/or other driver training program locations. The JSO Training Director of the Police Academy, or designee, shall forward proof of remedial driver training to the Accreditation Unit, and a copy shall be forwarded to the Safety Board Coordinator and Safety Officer to verify attendance. III. Response to Resistance Review Board 12
A. The purpose of the Response to Resistance Review Board is to conduct inquiries into incidents involving response to resistance by any member of the Office of the Sheriff while in the performance of duty or acting as a Law Enforcement Officer (inclusive of Reserves, Corrections Officers, and any other personnel authorized by the Sheriff's Office to carry a firearm). This Board will, subject to approval of the Chairperson, conduct inquiries into: 1. All discharge of firearm incidents; 2. Any Response to Resistance incident that results in death or great bodily harm; and 3. Recommendations by any Sheriff s Staff member, of incidents where other types of force were used. B. The intent of this Board is to assure adherence to the Response to Resistance Policy and any other applicable written directives pertaining to the actions of the involved member(s). It is also the purpose of the Board to determine if there is a need for additional training in response to resistance, either on an individual or Sheriff's Office basis, counseling, and/or recommend whether or not an investigation should be considered into whether disciplinary action is warranted. C. This Board shall carefully consider the judgment used by the members and evaluate the alternatives to the degree of force used by the member. It is not the purpose of this Board to investigate any criminal action or disciplinary action that may relate to the incident. The Response to Resistance Review Board may, at the discretion of the Chairperson, review ANY CASE where a member is involved (on or off duty in an official capacity) in a response to resistance incident. D. The following shall constitute the membership of the Response to Resistance Review Board: 1. Director of Investigations and Homeland Security, Chairperson; 2. JSO Training Director of the Police Academy or their designee; 3. Two Assistant Chiefs to be determined by the Chairperson; 4. One Lieutenant designated by the Chairperson; 5. Four Alternates (two Assistant Chiefs and two Lieutenants) to be determined by the Chairperson; and 6. The Response to Resistance Coordinator (Staff Inspections Unit) shall provide staff support, and shall maintain the files of the Board. The Cold Case/Homicide Unit shall lend any additional assistance, which is deemed necessary by the Board Chairperson. 13
If the incident involves Corrections personnel only, the Response to Resistance Review Board will be composed of the following: The Board Chairperson will remain the Director of Investigations and Homeland Security, and the rest of the Board will be comprised of the Director of Corrections, two Lieutenants from the Department of Corrections, and the JSO Training Director of the Police Academy. E. The Chairperson of the Board has authority to: 1. Excuse those members who discharged a firearm under the following circumstances from having to appear before the Board: a. On command of a superior officer during a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) call out, or b. To kill an animal. 2. Excuse those members whose response to resistance (other than firearms) was clearly within the Sheriff's Office directives and training; 3. Review response to resistance incidents and recommend a review of training, tactics, communications and/or any issues. a. The member s supervisor will have 90 days to appropriately address the recommendation. b. The supervisor will forward an email to the Response to Resistance Coordinator (Staff Inspections Unit) within 10 calendar days after the requirements of the Chairperson s decision have been completed; 4. Set the date for the Board hearing as directed by the Sheriff; 5. Notify all members of the Board of the date, time, and place of the hearing; and 6. Notify all members involved in the incident under review and all witnesses and officers who may testify regarding the incident of the hearing date, time, and place in order that they may prepare their information for presentation. F. The Board shall review reports, statements from members and witnesses, and testimony by the officer(s) involved to make recommendations to the Sheriff regarding whether the response to resistance was: 1. In compliance with the Office of the Sheriff Response to Resistance policy; 2. n compliance with other Office of the Sheriff Written Directives; or 3. Reasonable based on training, considering all the facts and circumstances. 14
G. Upon completion of such hearings, the Board shall make its recommendation concerning its findings in writing to the Sheriff. These recommendations include: 1. No further action; 2. Further training required; and/or 3. Recommend administrative investigation by the Internal Affairs Unit. H. The Sheriff may concur with or alter any such recommendation. Once the Sheriff has rendered a decision and forwarded the decision to the affected employee's commanding officer. The commanding officer will have 90 days to implement the Sheriff's decision. The commanding officer will forward an email to the Response to Resistance Coordinator (Staff Inspections Unit) within 10 calendar days after the requirements of the Sheriff's decision have been completed. If the Sheriff directs that an investigation into whether disciplinary action is warranted, the matter shall be referred to the Internal Affairs Unit for an investigation. All training emanating from the Response to Resistance Review Board or Chairperson shall be coordinated through the JSO Training Director of the Police Academy and documented in ACADIS. I. Upon completion of the Internal Affairs investigation, the completed case will be routed to the Sheriff or his designee for review. IV. Disciplinary Hearing Board A. The purpose of the Disciplinary Hearing Board is to provide a forum for employees, whose contracts allow, having the charges and circumstances of their cases heard by a reviewing body. B. The Disciplinary Hearing Board is designed to give both fair representations to the employee and sufficient review authority to the administration. The Board is comprised of five members: 1. Two members selected by the administration; 2. Two members selected by the charged employee; and 3. The fifth member selected by the other four members. C. The aggrieved employee shall be permitted to examine witnesses, present evidence and testimony, cross examine witnesses and put on a defense. D. The Sheriff's Disciplinary Hearing Board shall be convened as expeditiously as possible following charges being levied against the aggrieved employee. E. It shall be the responsibility of the Disciplinary Hearing Board to: 15
1. Hear all charges and relevant facts concerning the particular employee's case; 2. Interview any and all witnesses or other individuals with professed knowledge of the case; 3. Review and evaluate all testimony for its relevancy and veracity in order to determine whether or not charges are founded; and 4. Formulate a disciplinary recommendation to the Sheriff. This recommendation is advisory in nature and not binding on the Sheriff. F. In accordance with employee contract(s), if the decision rendered by the Sheriff is unsatisfactory, the aggrieved employee may appeal this decision to the Civil Service Board within 10 days. G. Should the accused employee request to continue a hearing or delay the convening of the hearing, then it is agreed that the employee waives his emoluments in exchange for the continuance of the hearing. V. Directive Review Committee A. The purpose of the Directive Review Committee is: 1. Through the ongoing meeting process, to annually review, revise, and update, as needed, all written directives and forms, and to ensure that all written directives are clear, concise, conform to the Sheriff's Office goals, objectives, and operational constraints, comply with applicable accreditation standards, and support one or more of the Sheriff's Office Core Values; 2. To ensure that written directives governing one department, division, section, or unit of the JSO neither contradict nor supersede the procedures of any other departments, divisions, sections, or units and do not violate accreditation standards; and 3. To ensure that forms used by all components are necessary, efficient, and are neither redundant nor duplicative. B. The Directive Review Committee consists of the following members: 1. Director of Personnel and Professional Standards - Chairperson; 2. Director of Police Services - Vice-Chairperson; 3. Director of Patrol and Enforcement; 4. Director of Investigations and Homeland Security; 5. Director of Corrections; 6. Chiefs of Patrol (East and West); 16
7. Chief of Support Services; 8. Chief of Jails Division; 9. Chief of Investigations; 10. Chief of Personnel; 11. Chief of Community Affairs and Special Events; 12. Chief of Professional Standards; 13. Chief of Homeland Security and Narcotics/Vice; 14. Chief of Prisons Division; 15. Chief of Budget & Management; 16. Chief of Health Services; and 17. Police Legal Advisor. C. It shall be the duty of the Chairperson of the Directive Review Committee to: 1. Set dates for Committee meetings; 2. Ensure that all members of the Committee are notified of the date, time, place, and agenda of the Committee meeting; 3. Ensure that persons with expertise or those sponsoring agenda items are invited to discuss their expertise or present their proposals; 4. Ensure that the Accreditation Unit maintains a record of committee action and a master file of all issued written directives and forms; and 5. Review and approve minor directive changes which have no significant content impact (e.g., typographical errors, cosmetic word changes, etc.). D. The duties of the Directive Review Committee are to: 1. Review all proposed new or amended directives on the agenda; 2. Determine whether proposed new or amended directives shall be: a. Approved as written, b. Approved as modified by the committee, 17
c. Deferred to be rewritten as directed by the committee; when an item is deferred, a Directive Review Committee member will assign a responsible person to re-submit the changes within 60 days; or d. Denied. 3. Forward approved directives to the issuing authority for implementation and signature, if required. VI. JSO Facilities Planning Committee A. The purpose of the JSO Facilities Planning Committee is to evaluate available workspace needs, determine priorities for modifying work areas, review requests for space modification or remodeling, and evaluate and monitor lease agreements for Sheriff s Office space or facilities. B. The committee consists of the following members: 1. Director of Police Services Chairperson; 2. Director of Patrol and Enforcement; 3. Director of Investigations and Homeland Security; 4. Director of Personnel and Professional Standards; and 5. Director of Corrections. With the exception of the Chairperson, each of the remaining Board members may have a single designee to represent their respective departments. C. The Chairperson and the JSO Facilities Planning Committee are responsible for but not limited to approving space allocation requests and: 1. Screening proposals for construction of, alterations and remodeling of, or any other changes in the physical structure of a building owned or leased by the JSO; 2. Reviewing proposed and renewal lease agreements respective to the need for space proposed by the lease; 3. Considering proposed allocations of space for Sheriff s Office units in existing space, whether in a Sheriff s Office owned or leased premise; and 4. Making recommendations to the Sheriff and ultimately the Mayor s Budget Review Committee through proper channels. 18
VII. JSO Grant/Cooperative Agreement Committee A. The purpose of the JSO Grant/Cooperative Agreement Committee is to review existing grants/cooperative agreements and evaluate new opportunities that meet the JSO s identified needs. The committee will make recommendations to the Sheriff and Undersheriff based on the ability of the JSO to comply with project, financial (if applicable) and reporting requirements to fulfill funder obligations. B. The committee consists of the following members: 1. JSO Grant Manager Chairperson; 2. Chief of Budget & Management; 3. Manager of Fund Accounting; 4. Principal Internal Auditor; 5. Chief of Homeland Security or Investigations; 6. Chief from Corrections; 7. Chief of Personnel; 8. Chief of Support Services; 9. Chief of Professional Standards; 10. Chief of Patrol (East or West); 11. Special Assistant to the Sheriff/PIO Unit; and 12. Senior Technology Executive. With the exception of the Chairperson, each of the remaining committee members may have a single designee to represent their respective departments. C. The JSO Grant/Cooperative Agreement Committee will convene on an as needed basis. VIII. Agency Improvement Meeting (AIM) A. Purpose 1. The purpose of AIM is to provide a formalized process and corresponding meeting to discuss suggestions for agency improvement, including but not limited to logistics and technology. 19
2. This meeting will discuss prioritization of suggestions and resources both physical and technical. B. The Process and Meeting 1. Anything involving suggestions, procurement (purchasing), grants, processes, software and/or hardware, logistical equipment, and/or improvements must be submitted through the Employee Suggestion link on Continuous Improvement Unit s (CIU) webpage (http://the.jaxsheriff.net/cid/ciu/pages/employeesuggestions.aspx). 2. An established Core Group, consisting of subject matter experts (SME), from throughout the agency will electronically vote as to whether a submission supports with the following standards: a. Strategic Alignment; b. Legal / Mandatory; c. Crime Fighting; d. Officer Safety; and e. Administrative / Other. 3. If a majority of Core Group members vote yes, the submission enters the Research phase. The recommendation will be vetted by either ISM, Logistical Support, or Continuous Improvement. They will research categories such as: a. Return on Investment; b. Capacity; c. Resources; d. Requirements; e. Costs; and f. Alternatives. 4. The researched results are presented to the AIM members. These members have the ability to approve/disapprove projects, set priorities, demonstrate and carry out JSO s vision, conduct agency strategies, and view product demonstrations. The members then determine if or how the project proceeds. Some of the answers could include but are not limited to: a. Not going to pursue at this time; 20
b. Move forward as a quick hit; C. Meetings c. Strategic project to move forward with milestone/deadline information; d. In-house project to move forward; or e. Purchase outside product and integrate with JSO. 1. Regular meetings will be held every other Thursday in the ISM Conference Room. An agenda for the meeting will be provided at least one day in advance through electronic media. 2. The meeting may be canceled or postponed by the Chairperson or the acting Chairperson. In this circumstance, as much advance notice will be provided as possible. D. Membership 1. Membership is by invitation only by the Chairperson (Undersheriff). Membership is as follows: a. Members: (1) Undersheriff (Chairperson); (2) Director of Patrol and Enforcement; (3) Director of Investigations and Homeland Security; (4) Director of Police Services; (5) Director of Personnel and Professional Standards; (6) Director of Corrections; (7) Chief of Professional Standards; (8) Chief of Budget & Management; (9) Assistant Chief Logistics/General Support; (10) Principle Internal Auditor; (11) Information and Analysis Administrator; (12) Crime Analysis Manager; 21
E. Ethics (13) Continuous Improvement Manager; (14) ISM Development Supervisor; (15) ISM Business Analyst; and (16) CIU Clerical Support Specialist. 2. Members should plan on attending all meetings or be represented by an acceptable substitute. The purpose of AIM is to share information on project status and present new projects to the AIM members in an open and unbiased forum, and in that spirit, soliciting services and/or using the Committee forum in any way that could be interpreted as self-serving is strictly prohibited. IX. Training Committee A. A Training Committee which reports to the Training Director of the Police Academy shall be established to evaluate, annually, existing training programs and to approve, amend, or disapprove recommendations for new training programs. B. The Training Committee shall have three subcommittees acting in an advisory capacity. C. The Chairperson from each subcommittee and the Chief of Professional Standards shall comprise the Training Committee. The subcommittees are staffed as follows: 1. The members of the Sworn Training Subcommittee are: a. Director of Personnel and Professional Standards or designee (Chairperson); b. A Lieutenant or above from Patrol; c. A Sergeant or above from Community Affairs; d. A Lieutenant or above from the Investigations Division; and e. The Commanding Officer or designee of the Training Academy. 2. The members of the Corrections Training Subcommittee are: a. Director of Corrections or designee (Chairperson); 22
b. Department of Corrections Training Coordinator; c. A Jail Division Training Lieutenant plus a Chief or Assistant Chief from the Jails Division; d. A lieutenant plus a Chief or Assistant Chief from each facility in the Prisons Division; and e. The Training Director of the Police Academy or designee. The Corrections Training Subcommittee shall, at least quarterly, review progress and resolve problems of the training plan. A written report submitted by the Training Lieutenant shall be forwarded through the chain of command to the Chief of Professional Standards. 3. The members of the Civilian Training Subcommittee are: a. Director of Police Services or designee (Chairperson); b. A Communications Center Supervisor; c. A Central Records Section Supervisor; d. A clerical employee; and e. The Commanding Officer or designee of the Training Academy. D. Subcommittee members shall be selected by their respective Chairperson based on positional criteria and availability. E. Subcommittees within the Training Committee shall periodically update and revise existing training programs and make recommendations for new ones. F. Periodically, a report shall be submitted by the Chief of Professional Standards to the Sheriff which evaluates the Career Development Program, including its organizational goals, and makes recommendations based on the Training Committee's suggestions for revising the program. X. Uniform Committee A. The purpose of the Uniform Committee is to: 1. Establish and document specific policies regarding the types, configurations, and positioning of uniforms, insignia and equipment worn by members on duty or otherwise representing JSO; 2. Establish and document specific policies regarding the types and configurations of personal apparel, accessories and footwear worn by members on duty or otherwise representing JSO; 23
3. Establish and document specific policies and standards regarding personal appearance of members while on duty or otherwise representing JSO; 4. Establish and document specific policies and procedures regarding the control, care and maintenance of uniforms, insignia and equipment entrusted to members during their tenure; and 5. Enact any other appearance related policies, procedures or standards deemed necessary in order to ensure members present a professional law enforcement image to the public and comply with the objectives of the Sheriff. B. The Membership of the Uniform Committee shall be comprised of: 1. The Director of Police Services Chairperson; 2. The Directors of Patrol and Enforcement, Investigations and Homeland Security, Corrections, and Personnel and Professional Standards; or their designee; 3. Department Chiefs, as designated by their corresponding Director; 4. Chief of Support Services; 5. Assistant Chief of Logistics and General Support; and 6. Supply Chain Manager. C. Meetings 1. Meetings are held as needed at the discretion of the Chairperson. 2. The agenda for any meeting will be set by the Chairperson and provided to the Committee members at an appropriate time. 3. Implementation of the decisions rendered by the Uniform Committee should provide an effective date. The effective date shall be set by the Chairperson and documented in the meeting minutes or subsequent memorandum. JOHN H. RUTHERFORD Sheriff 24