FBINAA Magazine Q1-2022-final-v4

F B I N A A . O R G | Q 1 2 0 2 2

THE BLIND SPOT OF ADMINISTERING OFF-DUTY EMPLOYMENT

BRIAN MANLEY

Secondary employment is referred to by many names in law enforcement agencies nationwide. Sometimes referred to as off-duty details, special duty, overtime, or extra jobs, the vocabulary used to define these jobs is as varied as the state and agency policies that administer them. The risks associated with off-duty job employment are a blind spot for most agencies, and they often can get buried at the bottom of the priority list. T housands of officers across the nation start their day on duty, then end it by working a supple - mental off-duty assignment to further support their families. It only takes a single off-duty mistake to land them on the front page of newspapers. Negative press not only misrepresents the nature of off-duty jobs and tarnishes reputations but also diminishes trust in police departments and the jurisdictions that employ them. The potential risk and liability officers face while working off-duty jobs is not usually a concern for agency leaders today. It is a blind spot that many leaders don’t recognize or just don’t have the bandwidth to address. Many administrators are unaware of the physical, legal, and liability dangers officers may bring upon themselves and their agency when working extra jobs until it’s too late.

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