Principles for Public Safety Employment

1. Responding to the Arrest of a Public Safety Employee .........................................................................56 2. Advisement of Constitutional Rights Prior to Interrogation ..................................................................57 3. Immunity for Firefighters.......................................................................................................................58 H. Privacy Restrictions on Investigations ..........................................................................................................59 1. Workplace Searches ...............................................................................................................................60 2. Financial Disclosure...............................................................................................................................61 3. Lie Detector Tests ..................................................................................................................................61 4. Political Activity ....................................................................................................................................61 I. The Investigation Report ...............................................................................................................................61 1. Contents of the Report ...........................................................................................................................61 2. Attachments to the Report......................................................................................................................62 J. Time Limitations for Completion of Investigation and Notification to Public Safety Employee of Proposed Disciplinary Action .......................................................................................................................................62 1. The General Rule: The POBR and FBOR Have a One Year Statute of Limitations..............................62 2. The Exceptions.......................................................................................................................................64 3. Specificity of the Notice of Proposed Discipline ...................................................................................66 K. Public Safety Employees’ Rights to Investigation Materials ........................................................................66 L. Remedies for POBR or FBOR Violations.....................................................................................................67 S ECTION 4 Imposition of Discipline ..............................................................................................................................................68 A. Grounds for Discipline ..................................................................................................................................68 1. Checklist of Sources for Disciplinary Grounds......................................................................................68 2. “Good Cause” Checklist ........................................................................................................................69 3. Case Studies ...........................................................................................................................................70 4. Determining the Severity of Discipline..................................................................................................80 B. Documents Imposing Discipline ...................................................................................................................81 1. Notice of Intent ......................................................................................................................................81 2. Time Limitations for Providing the Public Safety Employee with Final Notice of Discipline ..............82 3. Final Notice of Discipline ......................................................................................................................83 4. If the Skelly Officer Decides to Sustain the Proposed Discipline...........................................................84 5. If the Skelly Officer Decides to Modify the Proposed Discipline ..........................................................84 6. If the Skelly Officer Decides to Reject the Proposed Discipline ............................................................86 S ECTION 5 Administrative Appeals ...............................................................................................................................................86 A. When is a Public Safety Employee Entitled to an Administrative Appeal under the POBR and FBOR?.....86 1. After a punitive action ............................................................................................................................86 2. What Constitutes a Punitive Action Giving Rise to an Administrative Appeal? ...................................87 a. Actions that Are Considered Punitive ....................................................................................................87 b. Actions that are Not Considered Punitive ..............................................................................................88 B. What is the Procedural Scope of an Administrative Appeal?........................................................................89 1. Administrative Appeals Under the POBR..............................................................................................89 a. Review of Discipline..............................................................................................................................89 b. Authority to Hear Pitchess Motions .......................................................................................................91 2. Administrative Appeals Under the FBOR..............................................................................................91 S ECTION 6 Fitness for Duty Examinations ....................................................................................................................................97 A. When is a Fitness for Duty Examination Allowed (or Required)?................................................................97 1. Firefighters .............................................................................................................................................98 2. Peace Officers ........................................................................................................................................98 B. What Information is an Employer Entitled to Receive Following a Fitness for Duty Examination? ............99

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