ORDER:
In order to improve the accuracy, usefulness and overall quality of our Station/Departmental records, the procedure outlined below will go into effect January 5, 1992.
Watch Sergeants are responsible for reviewing digital Deputy Daily Worksheets (logs) and will ensure that all detected errors are corrected.
Prior to leaving the station following the end of each shift, each patrol/desk unit will generate a paper copy of his/her digital log and submit it to the Watch Sergeant on duty. The Watch Sergeant on duty, using the final "time-copy' in-service sheet as a guide, will ensure that a paper log is turned in by each patrol/desk unit going off duty Once all logs for the off-going shift have been accounted for, the on-duty Watch Sergeant will attach them to a copy of the final "time-copy" in-service sheet for the shift in question and place them in the concerned shift's log tray in the Watch Sergeant's office.
The Watch Sergeant of any given shift will review all logs generated on that shift during the previous day. For example, all logs generated by the PM shift on Monday will be reviewed by the PM Watch Sergeant on Tuesday. Those logs should be available along with a copy of the final "time-copy" in-service sheet in that shift's log tray
In the event there is no Watch Sergeant on duty on any particular shift due to shorthandedness or call-in, then the Field Sergeant will perform all the log related duties otherwise required of the Watch Sergeant. In the rare instance there is no Watch Sergeant on duty and the Field Sergeant is unable to spend time at the station due to the high volume of field activity requiring supervision, then the next available on-duty Watch Sergeant (or Field Sergeant) will review the previous shift's prior day logs as well as his/her own shift's prior day logs
Sergeants not familiar with the log review procedure (Detective Sergeants, etc.) who find themselves temporarily assigned to patrol duties will work the field; otherwise, the Field Sergeant will spend whatever time is necessary in the station assisting the Watch Sergeant in the review process.
Department executives have designated priority categories in the logs. The Exception Report lists any errors in those categories. Therefore, prior to reviewing any logs, the Watch Sergeant shall generate an Exception Report for the date and shift of the logs being checked. This Exception Report will be used by the Watch Sergeant to separate error-free logs from logs with errors. It will also be used as a place to record which logs have been given to individuals for correction and which logs have been re-submitted to the Watch Sergeant with errors corrected, re-reviewed and approved.
The Exception Report, when not in use by the Watch Sergeant, shall remain in the appropriate shift's log tray in the Watch Sergeant's office until all logs for that date and shift have been reviewed and approved or re-reviewed, certified as correct and approved. Once all logs for a given shift have been approved, the logs, the Exception Report with all notations, and the in-service sheet will be provided to the RAPS secretary for filing.
The log is the individual's work product. Therefore, it is the individual's responsibility to correct any errors he/she has made.
When the Exception Report reveals to the Watch Sergeant that one or more errors appear on a log, the Watch Sergeant will highlight that unit's designation on the Exception Report, indicating that the log has been returned to the individual for correction. The Watch Sergeant will also note the error on the paper log and return it to the concerned individual, in person if he/she is on duty. If the individual is on duty, he/she will correct the error(s) as soon as possible on that shift before he/she leaves the station to go home. All errors on the Exception Report, as well as errors detected, such as wrong reporting district, wrong clearance code or incomplete narratives which may not appear on the Exception Report, will be noted on the paper log. Response times of over ten minutes to emergency calls or over twenty minutes to priority calls, or no time entered for either of the above, are listed at the end of the Exception Report. These will be considered errors to also be addressed by the person generating the log. If the response time discrepancy is due to an entry error, it will be corrected. If the time is longer than the above threshold times but correct then the individual will explain the reason for it in person or by memo attached to the re-submitted paper log. The Watch Sergeant reviewing the log will either accept the explanation as valid or take appropriate remedial action and will mark the response time as correct on the paper log (for future reference).
In the event the concerned individual is not on duty the day his/her log is reviewed, the log will be held in the appropriate shift's log tray until the person returns. If an absence .of more than five days is anticipated, then the Watch Sergeant shall give the log to the person's partner, if any to correct. If the person is to be away from his assignment for more than seven days, and there is no partner available to correct the log, then the Watch Sergeant, as soon as possible, will correct only those errors on the log that he she has the knowledge to correct. The errors that cannot be corrected will simply become a permanent part of the record by operation of the system. The aim is to keep these errors to an absolute minimum
The Watch Sergeant is also responsible for reviewing the logs of any other units who have errors appearing on the Exception Report. This includes the Field Sergeant, Watch Commander and Detective/Narcotics/Oss units. These units need not submit a paper log unless the Watch Sergeant observes that they have made errors noted on the Exception Report. The Watch Sergeant will notify them in person, or will direct a memo to them, to generate a paper log, correct it and return it for review.
The Watch Sergeant will ensure that any person who has difficulty completing or correcting a log due to unfamiliarity with the system or a lack of training will be provided with necessary assistance. The Watch Sergeant will ensure that patrol/desk units correct their logs in a timely fashion. The Watch Sergeant will report to the Watch Commander of the concerned shift any other unit failing to correct a log in a timely manner. The Watch Commander will contact the supervisor of the concerned unit and resolve the problem.
Each person given his/her log to correct shall submit to the on-duty Watch Sergeant the corrected log as well as the original log with identified errors, for review and approval. In the rare instance that the log is turned in during a shift other than that which the log covers, the on-duty Watch Sergeant will cause the log to be placed in the log tray for the appropriate shift
Personnel notified to correct a log who fail to do so in a timely manner will be subject to discipline. Personnel who persist in turning in an original log with frequent or excessive errors will be subject to discipline.
A log with no errors or a paper log corrected to the Watch Sergeant's satisfaction will be marked approved and the Watch Sergeant will sign it. It will then be placed into the system by
the Watch Sergeant.