Sheriff's Policy Manual: Employee Conduct

Employees' Standards of Conduct

• Employees must obey United States and Florida laws, as well as Broward County and municipal ordinances.
• Employees must not commit or omit any act violating any rule, regulation, directive, order, or policy, and violations may result in disciplinary action.
• Employees must obey lawful orders of a supervisor, including orders relayed from a supervisor by an employee of the same or lesser rank.

Obedience to Orders

• If an employee is given a lawful order in conflict with a prior order, regulation, directive, or standard operating procedure, they must respectfully inform the supervisor issuing the order of the conflict.
• If the supervisor does not alter or retract the conflicting order, the employee must obey the conflicting order, but submit a report of the incident to a higher authority via chain of command.
• Employees will not obey an illegal/unlawful order, but will respectfully refuse and explain the reasons, and submit a report to the next higher level of command as soon as possible.

Other Conduct Expectations

• Employees will not solicit the aid of persons or groups outside BSO for assistance in the procurement of transfers, duty assignments, or promotions.
• Employees with knowledge of an employee in violation of BSO regulations, rules, laws, or ordinances must report the violation to their immediate supervisor or Internal Affairs as soon as practical.
• Employees shall oppose and, if possible, intervene to prevent or stop any misconduct or violation of the Standards of Conduct from occurring.
• Employees who report a violation of the Standards of Conduct will not be punished, but will be protected and supported, unless the report is shown to be malicious or ill-founded.
• Failure to intervene and report when a violation of the Standards of Conduct occurs, or is reasonably believed is about to occur, shall be treated the same as if the employee committed the violation.
• Employees will not attempt to improperly influence the action of any arresting officer, agency, or prosecuting officer.
• Employees must report promptly to their supervisors the occurrence and nature of any non-duty related incident in which they are directly or indirectly a subject of a criminal law enforcement investigation.
• Any arrest of an employee will be reported and handled pursuant to policy and procedure.
• All employees must promptly disclose to the appropriate director, via chain of command, any felony or misdemeanor charges, arrests, civil citations, convictions, or plea of nolo contendere (whether or not adjudication was withheld) occurring prior to or after their date of employment.