Unit Order #4 - Vehicle Fleet Tracking and Usage

It is the policy of the Crescenta Valley Station that all vehicles assigned to the Unit shall be tracked on a daily basis. To facilitate this order, the following procedures have been put into place:

VEHICLE USE

Per Manual Section 3-01/090-.05, “A member shall not use a county vehicle without the knowledge or permission of his supervisor.” As this section relates to Crescenta Valley Station, the approving supervisor shall hold the rank of Sergeant or above.

ROUTINE PATROL VEHICLE USE                       

Deputies shall use their assigned vehicle unless a change is authorized by the watch sergeant. Vehicle assignments shall not be changed without prior approval by the watch sergeant or appropriate field sergeant. Prior to use, all shift personnel driving a county vehicle shall completely and accurately fill out the Tour of Duty slip and submit it to either a field sergeant or the watch sergeant for approval. 

Any driver discovering what appears to be fresh damage during the routine vehicle check shall immediately make a verbal report of the damage to the watch sergeant. The watch sergeant shall personally inspect the alleged fresh damage and inspect prior Tour of Duty slips for the involved vehicle. This will ensure that the damage is in fact new and has not been previously reported. If the watch sergeant determines that the damage is new, he/she shall instruct the notifying driver to submit a memorandum detailing the discovery of the damage. The watch sergeant shall also ensure that the damaged area is photographed as soon as possible.

All identified unreported damage shall be documented per Department Policy by the individual Department member who has observed/reported the damage. Generally, it is not required that the reporting member list themselves as the “driver” of the vehicle for this part of the reporting process, since doing so would add an unnecessary and unwarranted entry into the individual’s PPI.

After completing a preliminary inquiry into the new and previously unreported damage, the watch sergeant shall notify the watch commander of the circumstances, along with a recommendation as to whether or not a unit level inquiry is warranted.

It cannot be stressed strongly enough that any Department member who damages a county vehicle, or who has the vehicle damaged in any manner during their tour of duty, and who subsequently fails to follow Department reporting requirements shall be subject to discipline.

UNIT ORDER #4

TOUR OF DUTY SLIPS

All personnel scheduled to use a county vehicle during their shift shall complete a Tour of Duty slip and submit it either to the watch sergeant or appropriate field sergeant prior to using the vehicle. All Tour of Duty slips received shall be inspected for accuracy/completeness. The approved forms shall then be filed by vehicle number for reference as may be needed. During the inspection process of the Tour of Duty slips, the watch sergeant shall compare the newly submitted slip with the one submitted from the shift prior for that same vehicle. If any discrepancies are noted between the two slips (i.e. new and previously reported damage), the watch sergeant shall immediately conduct an inquiry into the circumstances. If warranted, the watch sergeant shall notify the watch commander of the situation with a recommendation as to whether or not further inquiry is required.

The watch commander shall monitor this process to ensure compliance. Additionally, the watch commander, the watch sergeant and the field sergeants shall make periodic checks of the vehicles in the fleet (at least once per week). As deemed necessary, any noted damage to a vehicle shall be compared to the most recent Tour of Duty slip.

            NOTE:  Under no circumstances shall a Department member use any vehicle assigned to Crescenta Valley Station without first obtaining permission from the watch sergeant and completing a Tour of Duty slip for the vehicle they intend to use.

COMPLETION OF VEHICLE USE

Vehicles are expected to be returned to the lower parking lot, clean and with a full fuel tank.  All trash will be removed from the interior.  Weapons (shotgun, rifle, stun-bag, taser) will not be left with the vehicle, unless it is a physical handoff to the next assigned deputy.  Radio batteries will be returned to the dispatcher.  Outside of regular shift assignment, the Watch Sergeant will be advised of the vehicle’s return.

WATCH SERGEANT RESPONSIBILITY

In addition to the duties noted above, the watch sergeant shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the Fleet Status Board in a timely manner. The Fleet Status Board tracks the status of all Patrol, Search and Rescue, and other specific vehicles assigned to the Crescenta Valley Station.

Under normal circumstances, when a vehicle is being used in its intended capacity, no action is needed regarding the “status” of that particular vehicle. When a vehicle is checked out or is otherwise unavailable, however, the information is to be noted:

1. The driver’s name, purpose and estimated time of return will be written adjacent to the vehicle number.  (i.e. Smith/GLN Court/1200)
2. If the vehicle is down for repair, the problem will be noted adjacent to the vehicle number.  (i.e. trans / radio / flat / dealer / etc.)
3. Vehicles reserved for a special detail will have the name, date, time noted adjacent to the vehicle number.  (i.e. Rose Parade 12/30 1800)

UNIT ORDER #4

The watch sergeant shall assure that personnel are using their assigned vehicle.

VEHICLE REPAIR ORDERS

Vehicle repair orders shall be made available on the lower right corner of the Fleet Status Board.  They are to be completed in triplicate with one copy going to the watch sergeant, one to the fleet law enforcement technician (LET) and one to be left on the dashboard of the vehicle.  This distribution also applies radio / MDT-MDC repairs (which are reported on-line).

NON-PATROL VEHICLE USE

Arrangements for the use of vehicles assigned to the Detective Bureau, Reserves, or other details with vehicles assigned exclusively for their use shall be made directly through the supervisor of the particular detail in question.  No Department member shall use or attempt to use any of the above listed vehicles without first obtaining specific permission to do so.

Permission to use one of the above listed vehicles after normal business hours shall be obtained from the watch sergeant prior to any attempted use. Additionally, the driver of any vehicle listed above who has obtained permission to use a particular vehicle shall complete and submit a Tour of Duty slip for that vehicle before its use. The approved slip shall be forwarded to the detail having responsibility for the vehicle. There will be no exceptions to this order unless specifically approved by the watch commander.

FLEET SERGEANT RESPONSIBILITY

The Fleet Sergeant shall maintain a file of all vehicles assigned to Crescenta Valley Station. The file shall contain any information, including damage reports and photographs of each individual vehicle. These reports and photos will assist any inquiry into whether or not any observed damage is “unreported”.  If any damage is determined to be previously unreported, the Fleet Sergeant shall immediately initiate an inquiry into the matter which shall include an attempt to determine who is responsible for the damage.

FLEET LIEUTENANT RESPONSIBILITY

The Fleet Lieutenant shall monitor the overall fleet program, ensure that the various assigned responsibilities are being carried out, and ensure that the vehicle fleet is being properly and adequately tracked and supervised. The Fleet Lieutenant will also ensure that any necessary changes to this Unit Order are made and approved by the Unit Commander in a timely manner.