The probationary period for deputy sheriff generalists and custody assistants begins the first Sunday after graduating the academy or being hired laterally. Within six (6) months of a probationary employee's initial assignment to a unit, the unit commander (or their designees) shall review the employee's initial work habits, performance, and training records, per Manual of Policy and Procedures (MPP) section 3-02/090.07, "Probationary Employees - Unit Commander's Responsibilities."
The six (6) month review shall be documented in a memorandum and tracked through the electronic Line Operations Tracking System (e-LOTS) by creating an entry under the "Probationary Assessment" drop-down box and documenting the assessment in the notes section. The memorandum shall document the successful completion of the standard custody training program or outline a detailed remediation plan to address specific issues. The memorandum shall be placed in the training file belonging to the employee on probation.
Prior to the completion of probation or transfer to another Sheriff’s Department division, the unit commander shall conduct a face-to-face assessment of the employee’s overall career performance. This shall be documented in the existing "probationary assessment" e-LOTS project by creating an entry in the notes section. The face-to-face assessment shall include but is not limited to:
In addition to the unit commander's review within six (6) months of assignment, probationary employees shall also be evaluated prior to the end of their one year probationary period, per MPP section 3-02/090.10, "Probationary Evaluation."
If at any time during the standard custody training program, the probationary employee's conduct is found to be in potential violation of Department policy and procedures and/or the employee performs below the standards for performance specified in the Custody Division Training Manual, the unit commander shall be notified by their facility training staff. The unit commander, in conjunction with the probationary employee's training staff, shall outline a detailed remediation plan to address the specific issues.
In instances wherein a probationary employee's training program and/or probationary period becomes extended, the Custody Services Division Compliance Lieutenant shall be notified and will monitor the employee's performance for the duration of the employee's training program/remediation. At the completion of the probationary employee's training program/remediation, the employee shall meet with their respective commander or the commander's designee to discuss the employee's overall performance and approval for the completion of the custody training program.
If at any time during an employee's probationary period one of the following conditions for the employee exists, the unit commander shall immediately contact the Personnel Administration Bureau - Employee Performance Evaluation and Tracking Systems (EPETS) coordinator and notify the Advocacy Unit to ensure that the employee's probationary period is extended pending final disposition of the relevant condition(s):
NOTE: If the employee meets any of the above criteria, the employee must be personally served with the probationary extension documents. If a dispute regarding an extension of employee probationary period arises, the employee may file a grievance in accordance with MPP sections 3-02/150.00, "Employee Grievance Procedure," 3-02/150.05, "General Provisions," and 3-02/150.15, "Formal Procedure."
For administrative and criminal investigations, the employee's probationary status shall be reviewed by the concerned division chief for the purpose of determining if the employee shall complete their probationary period. Refer to MPP section 3-02/090.07 "Probationary Employees - Unit Commander's Responsibilities."
All meetings and training records shall be documented and retained by each facility's training unit for recordkeeping and inspection purposes per CDM section 4-13/000.00, "Retention of Records."
Negative evaluations of an employee must be substantiated by evidence of consistent failures and/or incompetence, per MPP section 3-01/050.10, "Performance to Standards." Such evaluations shall contain specific dates, times, and circumstances of actual incidents to show when and how the probationary employee failed to perform in a satisfactory manner.
All final performance evaluations on probationary employees should be completed by the assigned evaluator at least 60 days prior to the end of the probationary period and submitted through the administrative approval process at the probationary employee's unit of assignment. Subsequently, the final performance evaluations shall be forwarded to the Advocacy Unit at least 30 days prior to the end of the probationary period.