3-310 - Limitation on Hours Worked

To establish procedures, rules and regulations regarding duty assignment, time restrictions, as well as responsibilities concerning authorization related to duty assignment.

1. A member’s primary duty assignment is the first priority. All of the primary duty assignment scheduled work hours shall be counted in the weekly total (including those not yet worked), prior to permitting any other additional hours worked.

1. Other Department duties shall be prioritized after the member’s primary duty assignment. This includes any overtime, court, and special duty.
2. Off-duty employment shall only be considered once Department duties have been satisfied.

2. This policy covers all work in any capacity (on-duty shifts, overtime, Buy-Back, special events, contract work, off-duty employment or any other work assignments), subject to the exceptions below.

Time Limits and Rest Requirements

To support both member wellness and Department readiness, members shall observe the following time restrictions on work:

Total work in a pay period

Members shall not work more than 160 hours total in a pay period.

Day off each pay period

Members shall have at least one full 24-hour day with no work shifts in any capacity in each pay period.

Rest between shifts

Members shall have at least 8 consecutive hours off within every 24-hour period.

Authorizations

Exceptions

1. Exceptions to the limitations in this policy can only be made with the approval of the Police Chief or the Chief’s designee at the level of Deputy Chief or above, in the member’s chain of command. Exceptions will involve matters beyond regular policing including large scale events or emergent investigations in homicide and other major cases.

2. Once an exception has been approved, supervisors are responsible for ensuring that members obtain the appropriate rest period as soon as reasonably practical at the conclusion of the event.
3. Members who are required to appear or reply to a matter in court or in response to a subpoena may exceed the limits only for the purpose of responding to the required matter.

Supervisors

Supervisors shall give consideration to reasonable rest periods and are authorized and expected to deny requests to work overtime and cancel or end the overtime, buyback or shift extensions that would cause any member to fall outside the requirements in this policy.

Remain at work until relieved

In accordance with P&P 3-302, members shall not leave or be absent from assigned MPD shifts until properly relieved or as ordered by a supervisor.

Off-duty employment

1. Members shall not work off-duty employment if doing so will cause them to be in violation of the provisions of this policy, including the above limitation on hours worked and required rest periods.

2. Members who violate the hours worked policy due to off-duty employment shall expect corrective action or discipline as well as having their off-duty employment privileges rescinded.

• Investigation: A structured process of gathering, examining, and evaluating facts and evidence to determine what occurred, assess compliance with laws and policies, and support appropriate actions or decisions.
• Subpoena: An official court order for an individual to appear in court. The Subpoena remains in effect until the case is over or the Issuing Authority excuses the individual under Subpoena.