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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20101206 - VI-04 City Council Memorandum To: Mayor Hicks & City Councilmembers From: Melanie Mesko Lee, Assistant City Administrator Date: December 1, 2010 Item: Approve City Ride Along Policy Council Action Requested: Approve the attached Ride Along Program Policy Background Information: As many cities do, the City of Hastings offers the citizens the opportunity to participate in ride along programs with the Police and Fire Departments. While there are certainly great opportunities from having such a program, there are also some risks associated. Over the last few months, staff has reviewed recommendations from the City's insurance provider, League of Minnesota Cities, to draft an updated ride along policy that will attempt to better manage the risk to both the City and participants in the progam. Both Chief Schnell and Chief Schutt have been instrumental in providing comments on the policy now before the Council. Upon approval by the Council, the associated application materials and release forms will begin to be implemented in compliance with the policy. Financial Impact: None. Advisory Commission Discussion: N/A Council Committee Discussion: N/A Attachments:  Proposed Ride Along Program Policy RIDE-ALONG PROGRAM POLICY I. OBJECTIVE The City’s ride-along program is established to provide a standardized process for determining participation for individuals to observe the day-to-day operations of the City’s public safety departments and its officers. II. POLICY The City has a goal to maintain community ride-along programs. Those persons that meet the eligibility requirements and who have received written permission from the Fire & EMS Director or the Police Chief (or designee) may be allowed to accompany the City personnel of their official duties. III. ELIGIBILITY a. To participate, the applicant shall meet the following criteria or fall within the exceptions provided by Section VII: Age Limit Exceptions or Section VIII: City Employees. i. Each participant must be a least eighteen (18) years of age or older. ii. Priority for program participation will be granted to individuals who reside, work or attend school within the department’s jurisdiction. iii. Each participant should be in good health and not have any conditions that may restrict department personnel from performing their official duties. The Fire Department and the Police Department will, to the extent possible, make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations to any person interested in participating in the program. b. Prospective individuals must read and complete any and all written applications, waivers, and releases prior to being permitted to participate. c. Participants will be subject to and comply with a background check and shall not have been convicted of a felony; a serious criminal or traffic offense or order for protection/restraining order within the past three years; or under active court supervision or involved in a pending criminal case. d. Each participant shall agree to follow all the rules of the ride-along program and the directions of the department to which they are assigned. e. The Fire & EMS Director or the Police Chief will determine the frequency, timing, and schedule of ride-alongs. IV. APPLICATION a. An individual who wishes to participate in the City’s Ride-Along Program will: i. Complete a City Ride-Along Program Application at least ten days prior to the desired date requested for the ride-along. ii. Complete a Confidentiality Agreement and a City Ride-Along Program Waivers of Claims and Release of Liability prior to the desired date requested for the ride- along. . iii. Complete all documents fullyInterested individuals who do not completely fill out the paperwork cannot participate in the ride-along. iv. A completed application will be forwarded to the Fire & EMS Director or the Police Chief (or designee) for processing and review to determine eligibility. All documents related to the request, including application materials, shall be maintained in an administrative file pursuant to the city records retention schedule and applicable state law. V. GUIDELINES a. Only one participant shall be permitted to ride along at any one station house, in one emergency response vehicle, or in any one police vehicle at one time. b. Immediate family members and/or significant others of department members may not be paired together during a ride-along. c. The Fire & EMS Director or Police Chief (or designee) shall determine which department member a ride-along participant will be assigned to. The officer assigned a ride-along will log the participant in and out. d. Individuals will not be allowed to ride-along with officers performing raids or with plainclothes units without specific advanced coordination and the approval of the Fire & EMS Director or Police Chief (or designee). e. Department members shall not allow ride-along participants to participate, directly or indirectly, in situations that may jeopardize the safety of the ride-along, that department member, other department staff, or the general public. f. Ride-along participants will not be allowed to enter into private homes or on medical ithout the explicit authorization of the department member emergency responses w providing the ride-along . g. Once approved, ride-along guidelines may be altered or changed if deemed necessary by the City. h. Department personnel may terminate a ride-along at any time and transport the ride-along participant back to the location of origin. Reasons may include, but are not limited to ride-along conduct, safety, violation of the rules of conduct, or department response needs. City staff shall notify their department head that the ride-along has been terminated. The Fire & EMS Director or Police Chief (or designee) shall indicate the termination and the reasons for termination on the application form. VI. RULES OF CONDUCT a. City staff will explain the potential hazards that may be encountered and the necessity for participants to immediately obey all instructions. Participants shall follow the rules of the program as well as any directions of the department to which they are assigned. b. All ride-along participants are only observers to department operations. They shall not become involved in any incidents unless specifically instructed to do so by an authorized department member. c. Participants shall respect and preserve the confidentiality of all names of persons or information learned through the program, unless otherwise authorized. d. Participants shall not operate any vehicle during their ride-along. e. Participants shall not use department equipment, including computers, except when directly authorized by department staff or in extreme emergencies. f. Participants shall be required to wear seatbelts at all times and remain within the department’s vehicle unless otherwise directed by the assigned supervising department member. (with g. Participants are prohibited from possessing or carrying a firearm or other weapon the exception of licensed peace officers) , camera, tape recorder, or other type of recording device during a ride-along. If a ride-along is authorized to carry his or her cellular phone, it may only be used in cases of emergency. h. Participants shall not smell of, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages or other controlled substances before or during the ride-along. i. All City equipment and vehicles are tobacco free. j. Participants shall wear appropriate dress: business or business casual attire, with supportive shoes or boots. Unless provided by the department, ride-along participants shall not wear any clothing that implies direct association with the department. k. Participants may be provided department-issued identification that shall be displayed prominently during the entire ride-along. VII. SPECIAL PARTICIPANTS – AGE LIMIT EXCEPTIONS a. Programs sponsored by national organizations which provide personal liability and medical insurance coverage for its members may be exempt from the minimum age requirement. b. The department may grant permission for youths involved in department-sponsored law enforcement programs or special community events to participate in ride-along activities on emergency response vehicles or tour department facilities. c. For any program that allows a ride-along participant under the age of eighteen (18), the written permission of a parent or legal guardian shall be obtained on the required Waiver of Claims and Release of Liability Agreement. VIII. SPECIAL PARTICIPANTS – CITY EMPLOYEES/VOLUNTEERS a. The Fire & EMS Director and the Police Chief may authorize non-sworn department members to participate in the ride-along program on a regular basis, or more often than this policy normally allows, as deemed necessary to obtain job-related expertise. City employees required to participate in the ride-along program may participate without signing the Waiver of Claims and Release of Liability Agreement. b. Members of the Hastings Police Reserve Program may participate in the ride-along program at any time with the authorization of the sworn department member they will ride with and/or the on-duty shift supervisor. Hastings Police Reserve Unit officers are not required to complete the Waiver of Claims and Release of Liability Agreement. IX. HIPAA COMPLIANCE a. Under the requirements of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ride-along participants who may come into contact with private health- related information will agree in writing, to keep all confidential information learned during their ride-along participation confidential.