DATE: April 2, 2007
FROM: PATRICK E. MAXWELL, CAPTAIN TO: ALL PERSONNEL
NORWALK STATION NORWALK STATION
SUBJECT: NORWALK STATION MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE 04-03
GUIDELINES FOR NORWALK CITY PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER PROGRAM
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for utilizing the Norwalk Public Safety Officers (PSO) to handle report calls.
On March 1, 2004, the Norwalk Department of Public Safety and Norwalk Sheriff’s Station agreed to provide a Public Safety Officer to handle report calls on a limited basis. Deputy personnel would then be able to remain in the field to handle higher priority calls for service as well as maintain a higher patrol visibility in the community.
PROCEDURES
Norwalk Public Safety Officers assigned to take report calls will be designated call sign 43Z. They will be available daily from 0645 - 1445 hours and 1345 - 2115 hours with a thirty minute break during their shift. During the break, they will not answer calls for service nor shall desk personnel assign them calls. Additionally, desk personnel shall not place calls on hold when the PSO is on their break.
All calls handled by the PSO shall be dispatched from Norwalk Station. Desk personnel shall not hold report calls before the PSO begins their shift. The PSO shall not be dispatched calls for service one hour before the end of their shift. Deputies shall not reassign calls to the Public Safety Officer in the field.
The PSO shall not be assigned more than three report calls during their shift unless cleared by the Norwalk Public Safety Supervisor who will monitor the status of their reports to ensure they have been approved and processed. They will be limited to handling the following type of reports:
‒ non-workable misdemeanor reports
‒ non-workable vehicle burglaries
‒ non-workable felony vandalism
‒ non-workable residential burglaries
‒ non-workable grand theft auto reports
‒ lost and found property reports
‒ illegal parking calls
‒ inoperable vehicles
Any type of report call that may result in a future court appearance shall not be dispatched to a PSO. Missing Person Reports will not be handled by a PSO.
When a PSO receives a call and determines that the incident has workable information, they shall notify the Norwalk Station dispatcher, who shall then reassign a the call to a deputy sheriff.
The Norwalk Department of Public Safety utilizes a different report writing format than the Sheriff’s Department. Their reports contain headers and are usually a longer version of the format utilized by the Sheriff’s Department. Reports that contain all the elements of the crime being investigated should be approved.
Any performance issues regarding this directive shall be brought to the attention of the Watch Sergeant who shall advise the Norwalk Public Safety supervisor on duty.