Tempe, Arizona
Police Department
Policy Manual
Action While Off-Duty
General
Order 05.101
Issue
Date: 10-01-1997
Review
Date: 03-07-2001
Revision
Date: 05-25-2001
A.
Sworn officers are permitted to take enforcement action while off-duty within
the State of Arizona, if they observe an incident which requires immediate
police action.
- Immediate police action
will only be taken when time is critical and when the action will
safeguard life, prevent serious injury or prevent significant property
loss.
Definitions
A.
OFF-DUTY--Outside an officer's normal scheduled work hours.
- Hours worked on hold-over,
call-in, special assignments, off-duty work or supervisory approved
functions are not included in off-duty for the purposes of this order.
B.
POLICE ACTION--Contact with another person for the purpose of initiating an
investigation, arrest or detainment under color of authority.
- This includes the issuance
of verbal commands to a person while displaying a badge or while
identifying oneself as a police officer by other means.
A.
Officers are encouraged to carefully evaluate circumstances prior to taking off-duty
police action.
- When an incident does not
require immediate police action, the incident will promptly be reported to
the police agency having jurisdiction.
B.
Officers will promptly report off-duty enforcement action to an on-duty
supervisor.
- Upon returning to on-duty
status, officers will prepare a memorandum explaining the off-duty police
action taken and submit the memorandum to their supervisor.
- An officer's supervisor
will review the off-duty police action incident and ensure the action
taken fell within the guidelines of this policy.
C.
Officers will be considered on-duty during the entire time that enforcement
action is necessary while off-duty.
- Officers taking police
action off-duty will comply with all departmental policies.
- Officers will be
compensated for necessary police action taken while off-duty.
A.
Officers will not:
- Take police action on
minor traffic violations.
- Take police action in
disputes or quarrels involving their neighbors or family unless death,
injury or serious property damage may result if immediate action is not
taken
- Take any police action after
consuming any alcoholic beverage.
Tempe Police Department
120 East 5th Street
Tempe, AZ 85281