Members and employees shall conduct their private
and professional lives in such a manner as to avoid bringing the Department
into disrepute.
Loyalty to the Department and to associates
is an important factor in Department morale and efficiency. Members
and employees shall maintain loyalty to the Department and their associates
as is consistent with the law and personal ethics.
Cooperation between the ranks and units of the
Department is essential to effective law enforcement. Therefore, all
members are strictly charged with establishing and maintaining a high
spirit of cooperation within the Department.
All members are required to take appropriate
police action toward aiding a fellow peace officer exposed to danger
or a situation where danger might be impending.
Members shall at all times take appropriate
action to:
Members of the Department are always subject
to duty, although periodically relieved of their routine performance.
They shall at all times respond to the lawful orders of superior officers
and other proper authorities, as well as calls for police assistance
from citizens. Proper police action must be taken whenever required.
The administrative delegation of the enforcement of certain laws and
ordinances to particular units of the Department does not relieve
members of other units from the responsibility of taking prompt, effective
police action within the scope of those laws and ordinances when the
occasion so requires. Members assigned to special duties are not relieved
from taking proper action outside the scope of their specialized assignment
when necessary.
Members and employees shall not commit any act,
nor shall they be guilty of any omission, that constitutes neglect
of duty.
All members and employees shall perform their
duties as required or directed by law, Department rule, policy or
order or by order of a superior officer. All lawful duties required
by competent authority shall be performed promptly as directed, notwithstanding
the general assignment of duties and responsibilities.
Members and employees in doubt as to the nature
or detail of their assignment shall seek clarification from their
supervisors by going through the chain of command.
Members or employees shall not commit acts of
insubordination. The following specific acts are prohibited by this
section:
Members and employees shall observe and obey
all laws and ordinances, all rules and regulations and orders of the
Department.
Members and employees shall not criticize the
official actions, instructions or orders or any Department member
in a manner which is defamatory, obscene, unlawful or which tends
to impair the efficient operation of the Department.
Members and employees shall treat superior officers,
subordinates and associates with respect. They shall be courteous
and civil at all times in their relationships with one another. When
on duty, and particularly in the presence of other members, employees
or the public, officers should be referred to by rank.
Orders from a superior to a subordinate shall
be in clear, understandable language, civil in tone and issued in
pursuit of Department business.
No command or supervisory officer shall knowingly
issue any order which is in violation of any law or ordinance or Department
rule.
Obedience to an unlawful order is never a defense
of an unlawful action; therefore, no member or employee is required
to obey any order which is contrary to federal or state law or local
ordinance. Responsibility for refusal to obey rests with the member.
He shall be strictly required to justify his action.
Members or employees who are given orders which they feel to be unjust or contrary to rules and regulations must first obey the order to the best of their ability, and they may proceed to appeal as provided in § 47-38.
Upon receipt of an order conflicting with any
previous order or instruction, the member or employee affected will
advise the person issuing the second order of this fact. Responsibility
for countermanding the original instruction then rests with the individual
issuing the second order. If so directed, the latter command shall
be obeyed first. Orders will be countermanded or conflicting orders
will be issued only when reasonably necessary for the good of the
Department.
A member or employee receiving an unlawful,
unjust or improper order shall, at the first opportunity, report in
writing to the Captain of Police through official channels. This report
shall contain the facts of the incident and the action taken. Appeals
for relief from such orders may be made at the same time. Interdepartment
action regarding such an appeal shall be conducted through the office
of the captain.
Members and employees shall not under any circumstances
solicit any gift, gratuity, loan, reward or fee where there is any
connection between the solicitation and their Department membership
or employment without prior consent of the Mayor and Council.
Members and employees shall not accept, either
directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, load, fee or any other
object of value arising from or offered because of police employment
or any activity connected with said employment. Members and employees
shall not accept any gift, gratuity, loan, fee or other object of
value, the acceptance of which might tend to influence the actions
of said members or employees or any other member or employee in any
matter of police business or which might tend to cast an adverse reflection
on the Department or any member or employee thereof.
Members and employees are prohibited from buying
or selling anything of value from or to any complainant, suspect,
witness, defendant, prisoner or other person involved in any case
which has come to their attention or which arose out of their Department
employment.
Members and employees shall not accept any gift,
gratuity or reward in money or other compensation for services rendered
in the line of duty to the community or any person, business or agency,
except lawful salary and that which may be authorized by law.
Members and employees shall not solicit anyone
to intercede with the Chief of Police, Police Committee, Mayor or
members of the Council in relation to promotion, assignments, disposition
of pending charges or findings in a Department trial or other related
matter.
Members and employees shall not frequent places
of bad reputation nor associate with persons of bad reputation except
as may be required in the course of police duty.
Members and employees shall not at any time
withhold any information concerning criminal activity.
Members and employees knowing of other members'
or employees' violating laws, ordinances or rules of the Department
or disobeying orders shall report same in writing to the Chief of
Police through official channels. If the member or employee believes
that the information is of such gravity that it must be brought to
the immediate personal attention of the Chief of Police, official
channels may be bypassed.
