NCJ Number
87532
Date Published
1982
Length
604 pages
Annotation
This report analyzes the body of law governing the personal conduct of police and firefighters, as established by departmental rules, municipal ordinances, State statutes, and judicial decisions.
Abstract
By reviewing individual regulations, the text presents the rationale for subjecting police officers and firefighters to comprehensive regulations and isolates particular concerns distinguishing safety officers from other municipal employees. It also notes constitutional, procedural, and collateral challenges to and the implications of judicial rulings on local laws. The author evaluates the effects of these regulations on the lives of employees. Municipal attorneys can use the body of case law in analyzing and defending legal challenges and in drafting regulations that meet legal requirements. Specific categories of regulations addressed include personal appearance and grooming, off-duty employment, residency requirements, political activity, disciplinary procedures, and financial disclosures. Relevant constitutional issues include the right of free speech, freedom of association, search and seizure rights, and the right to due process. Special coverage is given to strike management and responses to job actions by safety officers, including operations during strikes and reorganization and remedies in their aftermath. Footnotes and an index are included.