Inspections.pdf

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 53.100 INSPECTIONS Revised: March 17, 2022 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this departmental standards directive is to set guidelines for inspection processes for the Department. II. POLICY: It is the policy of the Department to...

BOCA RATON POLICE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Departmental Standards Directive 53.100 INSPECTIONS Revised: March 17, 2022 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this departmental standards directive is to set guidelines for inspection processes for the Department. II. POLICY: It is the policy of the Department to systematically assess the efficiency and effectiveness of Department employees and operations through a thorough review of employees, processes, projects, and performance. III. DEFINITIONS: Follow-Up Inspections: A review to determine progress in resolving any deficiencies identified during routine or staff inspections. Inspections: Assessments conducted to ensure that uniforms, vehicles, and equipment are adequately maintained; and that personal appearance is acceptable. Staff Inspections: Audits conducted by employees who do not have control of the employees, facilities, or procedures being inspected, which examine all Department operations for effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance with professional standards. IV. STAFF INSPECTION PROCEDURE: A. PURPOSE: 1. The primary concern of a staff inspection is to determine if established policies and procedures are being followed, identify positive aspects of each organizational component and/or identify any deficiencies. 2. The inspection process will verify whether goals and objectives are being addressed, identify the need for additional resources, and ensure compliance with applicable written directives and accreditation standards. Effective: October 1, 1988 Revised: March 17, 2022 Inspections Directive No. 53.100 Page 1 of 6 B. AUTHORITY: 1. Employees assigned to perform a staff inspection shall conduct the staff inspection under the direct authority of the chief of police or his/her designee. 2. Staff inspectors, regardless of rank, shall be subordinate only to the chief of police or his/her designee for the purposes of the inspection. 3. Staff inspectors shall have the authority and responsibility to inspect all physical facilities, equipment, procedures, operations, and employee activities of the Department. 4. Staff inspectors have no command authority over any line employees and will not issue orders, except when the failure to do so would create undue risk. C. PRE-INSPECTION: 1. Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) employees shall be responsible for conducting staff inspections. When the scope of a staff inspection is more technical in nature, a specialist or an advisor may be assigned to assist in the inspection. 2. PSB employees will receive authorization from the chief of police or his/her designee before proceeding with an inspection and shall conduct the inspection in accordance with applicable written directives. 3. Any employee of the Department may request an inspection by submission of a memorandum via chain of command to the chief of police briefly stating the reason(s) for the requested inspection. 4. The inspection team will conduct a pre-inspection briefing to explain the purpose of the staff inspection and discuss any questions or concerns. D. INSPECTION SCOPE: 1. The inspection team will spend between 15 to 45 days working with employees of the area to be reviewed. 2. Inspections shall be conducted in a systematic, fair, and impartial manner. 3. All employees undergoing a staff inspection shall cooperate fully with the staff inspection team. 4. Managers and supervisors of areas being inspected shall not inquire into the specific content of his/her subordinate employees’ interviews as conducted by staff inspection employees. 5. Inspections will include, but are not limited to, the following areas: a. Effective: October 1, 1988 Revised: March 17, 2022 Facilities Inspections Directive No. 53.100 Page 2 of 6 6. E. b. Equipment c. Vehicles d. Policy and Procedures e. Files and Records Staff inspection methods shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas: a. Interviews b. Surveys c. File reviews POST-INSPECTION: 1. Upon completion of the staff inspection, the inspection team shall provide a rough draft of the inspection report to all supervisors within the inspected unit’s chain of command up to the division commander. 2. A post-inspection conference with all supervisors within the inspected unit’s chain of command up to the division commander shall be held to discuss the report and recommendations. 3. The inspection team shall create a final report, including a table of concerns, and submit it to the chief of police via the chain of command. Distribution of additional copies of the report shall be at the discretion of the chief of police. 4. PSB employees shall maintain file copies of inspection reports documenting any pending corrective action. 5. PSB employees shall maintain records of completed inspections by organizational component to provide guidance for future inspections. F. FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS: 1. The inspection team will meet with the division commander or his/her designee to conduct a follow-up inspection two weeks after the approval of the final inspection report, if there were tasks which resulted from the initial inspection. The inspection team shall establish a timeframe for additional follow-up inspections, if required. 2. Each recommendation made during the initial staff inspection will be reviewed during the follow up inspection to ensure compliance. 3. After the follow up inspection, a member of the inspection team will write a brief status report and submit it through the chain of command to the chief of police, with a copy to the appropriate division commander. Effective: October 1, 1988 Revised: March 17, 2022 Inspections Directive No. 53.100 Page 3 of 6 G. RELEASE OF INFORMATION: 1. Any release of information pertaining to staff inspection reports shall be accomplished pursuant to the Florida State Statutes, Chapter 119, and State records retention laws. 2. Staff inspection employees shall not discuss the details of interviews conducted during the staff inspection with other Department employees, other than the chief of police or his/her designee. V. EMPLOYEE INSPECTIONS PROCEDURE: A. PURPOSE: 1. Employee inspections are an essential mechanism for evaluating the quality of the Department’s operations, efficiency, and effectiveness, and providing information necessary for planning. B. INSPECTION SCOPE: 1. Employee inspections shall consist of formal inspections (documented) and informal inspections (observational). 2. Supervisors will conduct daily observations in a manner consistent with Department requirements, needs, and expectations. Each supervisor will ensure that his/her subordinates are equipped and attired in accordance with established Department written directives. 3. On a monthly basis each supervisor will conduct a documented inspection to determine the condition and adequacy of all employees and equipment under his/her direct control. a. Supervisors shall document the inspection by using the electronic Employee Inspection form. b. If a supervisor discovers serious deficiencies, defects, or areas of attention, he/she will document the issues and make necessary corrections. 4. Employees assigned corrective actions shall ensure that any minor identified defects are remedied prior to the next inspection. 5. Serious deficiencies and defects shall be corrected, documented, and forwarded to the appropriate division commander and police administrative technician, if applicable. 6. The employee’s responsibility does not end with discovering a deficiency, defect, or an inadequacy, but includes taking positive measures to correct the problem. Effective: October 1, 1988 Revised: March 17, 2022 Inspections Directive No. 53.100 Page 4 of 6 VI. VEHICLE INSPECTIONS PROCEDURE: A. Supervisors shall be responsible for a monthly inspection of vehicles within his/her area of responsibility or employees under his/her command for adherence to all policies relating to vehicle usage and condition, including, but not limited to, cleanliness, supplies, operation of equipment including fire extinguishers, and recent damage. B. Inspections shall be recorded on the electronic Vehicle Inspection form. C. Inspections shall ensure that all equipment is present and operational. D. It is the inspecting supervisor’s responsibility to correct any deficiencies or address any other policy violations. E. During the monthly vehicle inspection, supervisors will review and document whether employees are using the proper Visual MCT log-in procedures and 10-118 code. VII. AREA INSPECTION PROCEDURE: A. The Community Services Division commander or his/her designee shall, at a minimum biannually, conduct a facility inspection. 1. Any noted defects or areas of attention will be forwarded to the appropriate component for correction. 2. If no issues are noted, the police administrative technician will be notified of same via e-mail. VIII. LOCKER INSPECTION PROCEDURE: A. Lockers are subject to routine and random searches as defined in the City’s Personnel Rules and Regulations and Departmental Standards Directive 26.100 Conduct of Personnel by supervisors, Department staff, or Professional Standards Bureau employees. B. After each shift change, supervisors shall have 30 days to conduct an inspection of all lockers assigned to employees under his/her command. Unassigned lockers shall be inspected by the police administrative technician. C. Locker inspections shall be documented on the electronic Locker Inspection form. IX. MCT MESSAGE AND MVR REVIEW PROCEDURE: A. Every watch and section commander shall review a random sample of at least four hours of his/her employees’ MCT messages monthly. Effective: October 1, 1988 Revised: March 17, 2022 Inspections Directive No. 53.100 Page 5 of 6 B. Supervisors shall review their employees MVR monthly as per SOP 84.10 and review any speed triggers for policy violations. These reviews shall be documented during the monthly vehicle inspection. Approved: Michele Miuccio Chief of Police Effective: October 1, 1988 Revised: March 17, 2022 Date: Inspections Directive No. 53.100 Page 6 of 6