Off Duty Part Time Employment Restrictions

[JohnKelly]

Does your Force allow serving members to undertake part time employment when off duty?

My Force does allow part time employment but imposes severe restrictions on what type of part time employment a serving member can engage in.

For example you cannot engage in any employment/business associated with the Horse or Greyhound Racing Industry, Security Industry, Liquor Industry or where you would bring discredit to the Police Force, or where there was a conflict of interest.

Under no circumstances are you allowed to wear your uniform or represent the Police Force in any part time off duty employment.

Approval must be sought from the Commissioner of Police before any member can engage in any part time employment and this includes owning a business.

[Sig220Man]

Off-duty employment is regulated here, but at least in California it's at the discretion of the Chief or Sheriff. To my knowledge there are no laws that forbid a peace officer's employment in any sort of occupation that would be legal for anybody else to engage in.

Generally speaking, any activity which would produce embarrassment to the profession and agency would be prohibited. For example, a department would probably have rules forbidding its employees doing part-time work as a stripper :D

Believe it or not, security work is NOT forbidden, and in California at least provides the single largest piece of off-duty employment for cops. This is due to California cops (full-timers anyway) being allowed to carry concealed weapons 24/7.

If the security is officially endorsed by the agency, the Chief or Sheriff may even allow the officers to wear their uniforms.

Recently, there has been scrutiny focused in law enforcement officers doing off-duty security work for gangsta rappers. Rafael Perez (the officer who unleashed the Rampart Scandal) and his buddies at the LAPD reportedly did security work for Marion "Suge" Knight, the Death Row Records president and parolee with reported ties to criminal gangs.

[Sgt Lobster]

The position regarding off-duty business interests in the UK sounds exactly the same as in Australia.

There are severe restrictions placed on off duty business interests, and even what close family members do can even have an effect e.g. the spouse of a serving officer could not hold a liquor or bookmakers licence etc etc.

You also need written permission from your chief officer; and to be caught moonlighting would almost certainly lead to disciplinary action.




Lobster.:)