Los Angeles Police Department PDF

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE February 24, 24, 2022 2022 SPECIAL ORDER NO. 2 EXCEPTION TO UNIFORM AND GROOMING STANDARDS AS A RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION — ESTABLISHED; AND, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION REQUEST FORM, FORM 01.39.00 - A...

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE February 24, 24, 2022 2022 SPECIAL ORDER NO. 2 EXCEPTION TO UNIFORM AND GROOMING STANDARDS AS A RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION — ESTABLISHED; AND, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION REQUEST FORM, FORM 01.39.00 - ACTIVATED SUBJECT: PURPOSE: The Department is committed to respecting and embracing diversity and religious expression in our communities as well as within the ranks of the organization, This Order amends Department policy as it pertains to uniform and grooming standards in order to provide reasonable accommodations for employees who request certain religious exemptions. PROCEDURE: I, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION REQUEST FORM, FORM 01.39.00 ACTIVATED. The Los Angeles Police Department - Employee Request for Reasonable Accommodation Religious Exemption Request Form, Form 01.39.00, has been activated. The activated form is available on E-Forms and is attached for immediate use and duplication. Form Use and Completion: A. Use of Form. This form shall be completed by Department employees when requesting a uniform and/or grooming standard exemption as a religious accommodation. B. Completion. C. I. The completion of this form is self-explanatory. Distribution. Original, Employee’s personnel package, Personnel Division. Office of Constitutional Policing and Policy. 1 - 1 - Copy, EXCEPTION TO UNIFORM AND GROOMING STANDARDS AS A RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION — ESTABLISHED. Department Manual Section 3/605.95, Exception to Uniform and Grooming Standards as a Religious Accommodation, has been established. Attached is the established manual section. FORM AVAILABILITY: The above form is available on E-Forms and is attached immediate use and duplication. AMENDMENT: This Order adds Section 3/605.95 to the Department Manual. for SPECIAL ORDER NO. 2 -2- AUDIT RESPONSIBILITY: The Commanding Officer, Audit Division, shall review this directive and determine whether an audit or inspection shall be conducted in accordance with Department Manual Section 0/080.30. MICHETL! OORE Chief of Police Attachments DISTRIBUTION “D” DEPARTMENT MANUAL VOLUME Revised by Special Order No. 2 2, 2022 II EXCEPTION TO UNIFORM AND GROOMING STANDARDS AS A RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION. Employees may request an exemption from the Department's uniform and grooming standards when a need exists due to a sincerely-held religious belief and/or practice, and such exemption does not prevent the employee from fulfilling all of their regularly assigned job 605.95 of such exemptions may include head coverings, clothing items, objects, symbols, hair and grooming standards (such as beards), and other items of dress. Items of dress shall be a color that closely resembles that of the employee's assigned uniform. duties. Examples allow a uniform and/or grooming standard exemption when the exemption hazard to the employee or others, does not interfere with the donning of any safety or other equipment (e.g., ballistic helmet, respirator mask, sam browne), does not inhibit the visual identification of the employee and/or Department (e.g., employee name plate, badge, ballistic helmet serial no. patch), nor pose any other undue hardship for the Department. The Department may does not pose a safety Note: If the uniform or grooming standard exemption precludes an employee from donning their ballistic helmet or respirator mask, the religious item or hair grooming standard shall be removed and/or remedied in order to do so, The employee shall remove/remedy the uniform and/or grooming standard without delay so as not to pose a safety risk to the employee or others. Requests for uniform and/or grooming standard exemptions shall be made by submitting a Los Angeles Police Department Employee Request for Reasonable Accommodation Religious Exemption Request (Uniform and Grooming Standards) Form (Exemption Request Form) (available on E-Forms on the Department’s Local Area Network), through the employee's chain of command, to Training Bureau, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer (DEIO), the Office of Constitutional Policing and Policy, and lastly to Personnel Division to sign and file into the employee 's personnel package. The Exemption Request Form shall fully describe the employee's current job duties as well as the uniform exemption item and/or grooming deviation. The Exemption Request Form shall also include any documentation and/or attachments that support the employee's sincerely-held religious belief. Should the exemption request be denied, sworn employees may request a Dispute Resolutions Committee (DRC) in writing via an Employee's Report, Form 15.07.00, to Employee Relations Group, along with any additional information supporting the exemption request. For sworn employees, Employee Relations Group shall convene a DRC to review the employee's request. The burden ofprooffor the uniform and/or grooming standard exemption shall be the responsibility of the requesting employee to prove why the exemption is necessary. The decision made by the DRC shall be binding and cannot be appealed. Civilian employees may also submit an Employee’s Report should their request be denied; however. the final approval authority for the uniform and/or grooming standard shall lie with the Chief of Police and shall not be grievable. shall be notified of the approval or denial of the exemption within ten business days from the date that the exemption request is received by the DEIO. extenuating circumstances exist that preclude the final decision from being made within ten business days, the employee shall be advised of the delay and apprised of the status prior to the ten day deadline. A copy of the The employee If | DEPARTMENT MANUAL VOLUME Revised by Special Order No. 2 2, 2022 Il approved/denied Exemption Request Form and Employee's Report the employee's Ared/divisional personnel package. (if applicable) shall be kept in Ifa uniform and/or grooming standard exemption is granted, the exemption shall apply to the employee's court appearances and uniformed, plain clothes, administrative, or other assignments, so long as the exemption does not prevent the employee from fulfilling all of their regularly assigned job duties. Note: Should an exemption be granted and the employee subsequently changes job assignments, a new request shall be submitted and approved by all appropriate entities prior to the employee exercising the uniform and/or grooming standard exemption. Los Angeles Police Department EMPLOYEE REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION REQUEST FORM (Uniform and Grooming Standards) EMPLOYEENAME Serial No. JOB TITLE LOCATION DIVISION SUPERVISOR PHONE NUMBER EMAIL By submitting this form, | acknowledge | am requesting an exemption to the Department's Uniform and/or Grooming Standards as a religious accommodation based on my sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.’ The granting of an exemption request will be based on the entirety of the application and not based on any single piece of information provided. TO BE COMPLETED BY EMPLOYEE REQUESTING EXEMPTION 1. Do you regard yourself as having a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance that you believe should exempt you from the Department's Uniform and/or Grooming Standards? LJ Yes [J No 1 Decisions will be decided onmoral a case case beliefs. basis. Religious do not have on to pelgious be theistic,Exemption but can beRequests non-theistic, strongly held orby ethical However, beliefs mere personal preferences — beliefs based on social, political or economic philosophies, or veganism, for example -- are not considered religious beliefs. Form 01.39.00 pera No. EMPLOYEENAME AGE 2 OF 2. If your answer to Question 1 is “Yes,” please identify/explain the nature of your sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance that is the basis for your request for an exemption as a religious accommodation and how long you have held or maintained the referenced religious belief, practice or observance. 3. If your answer to Question 1 is “Yes,” please briefly explain how your sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance conflicts with the Department's Uniform and/or Grooming Standards. 4. lf your answer to Question 1 is “Yes,” please briefly explain how your sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance that conflicts with the Department's Uniform and/or Grooming Standards also governs or impacts other aspects of your life. Form 01.39.00 (2/22) MPLOYEENAME PAGE 3 OF ee No. previously requested a religious exemption from Department Uniform and/or Grooming Standards? 5. Have you [] Yes LJ] No Provide below a full description of your current job duties and the uniform and/or grooming standards deviation you are requesting. 6. Attach any additional information supporting your religious accommodation including, but not limited to: request, Articles from religious scholars that describe the nature of the religious belief(s), practice(s), or observance(s); Excerpts from religious or sacred texts explaining the religious belief(s), practice(s), or observance(s); or Written materials that describe the religious belief(s), practice(s), or observance(s) that conflicts with the Department’s Uniform and/or Grooming Standards. Form 01.39.00 (2/22) pe Fertovee NAME PAGE 4 OF No. EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: While my request is pending, | understand that | must comply Department's Uniform and Grooming Standards. with ! verify the truth and accuracy of the statements and acknowledgments made in this request form. | also understand that the knowing submission of false or misleading information violates Department policy for which I may be subject to discipline. Print Name Employee Signature Date: CHAIN OF REVIEW Signature Commanding Officer Tralning Commanding Cfficer’s TO BE COMPLETED BY DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION GROUP Project assigned to: Date: Review request and provide a recommendation to the DEIO APPROVE DENY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION NEEDED APPLICATION iNCOMPLETE OTHER Notes: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Signature: [_] Exemption Approved (_] Exemption Denied (-] More information needed: (CJ Additional Documentation (-) Application incomplete Other: [] Form 01.39.00 (2/22) Data: the _ EMPLOYEENAME PAGE 5 OF No. Director, Office of Constitutional Policing and Policy Signature: Date: TO BE COMPLETED BY PERSONNEL DIVISION EMPLOYEE RECEIVING Signature Employee's Personnel Package Form 01.39.00 (2/22)