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001 - USE OF COUNTY-OWNED VEHICLES ASSIGNED TO SVB


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002 - GROOMING & DRESS STANDARDS

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

  DETECTIVE DIVISION    

 

 SPECIAL VICTIMS BUREAU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bureau Order No:

 

0001

 

Subject:

 

USE OF COUNTY VEHICLE

 

 

Effective Date

 

Jan. 2023

 

Last Date Reviewed

 

Jan. 2023

 

Last Date Revised

 

Jan. 2023

 

 

PURPOSE:

 

To provide for the safe, efficient, and effective utilization of County vehicles assigned to Special Victims Bureau, the following policy shall be followed by all Bureau personnel.

 

POLICY:

 

  1. General

 

    1. Personnel assume full responsibility for the care, security, maintenance, and serviceable condition of vehicles assigned to them.

 

    1. Any problem with the operating condition of a vehicle shall be reported to a supervisor and the bureau’s law enforcement technician (LET) immediately.
    1. All employees shall become familiar with, understand, and adhere to the guidelines set forth in the Department's Manual of Policy and Procedures on the Operation of Vehicles (3-01/090.00) and (3-01/040.15) Care of County Property and Equipment.
    1. Use defensive driving techniques.
    1. Obey all traffic laws.

All occupants of a vehicle shall wear seatbelts.  Minors will be placed in a restraining car seat as dictated by the California Vehicle Code.

 

    1. Follow procedures for all damage, loss of property, and towing requirements.
    2. Safeguard all equipment and personal property.  Secure any firearm, portable radio, evidence, confidential documents, laptops, or high value County property in the vehicle’s trunk when parked and left unattended.

 

I.          All weapons, and high value County-owned property, including 480 radio equipment, cellular telephones, digital projectors, and laptop computers, shall be removed from any vehicle parked overnight outside of a secure garage. 

 

J.         Loss, damage, or theft of County-owned property and equipment under circumstances indicating negligence or misuse of County-owned property shall be grounds for disciplinary action.

 

K.        Vehicles left overnight at STARS Center will be parked in the secured area of the compound, near the gas pumps. 

 

L.         Personnel shall have appropriate identification when driving a County vehicle.

 

M.        At no time shall personnel drive a County vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.

 

  1. Driving in the Field

 

    1. Personnel driving vehicles equipped with communication equipment shall keep the vehicle radio on the dispatch frequency of the station whose jurisdiction they are in.  They shall monitor and be alert to law enforcement activity in their area.  They shall use proper radio procedures when communicating on the air.  

 

    1. Regarding vehicle stops and pursuit management, bureau personnel shall:

 

      1. Not engage in vehicle pursuits while driving vehicles not equipped with red lights and siren.

 

 

      1. Personnel shall summon uniform personnel in a marked black and white radio car to affect traffic stops.

 

      1. Adhere to Department policy guidelines regarding the operation of vehicles equipped with red lights and siren.

 

      1. Stop and render assistance to citizens as required until an appropriate response unit arrives to handle a situation.
  2. Duties and Responsibilities

 

    1. Assigned Drivers

 

      1. Enter odometer mileage reading into the SVB-RMS Vehicle spreadsheet before the 5th of each month or call/email our

bureau LET with the information.

 

      1. Maintain the vehicle in good operating condition by checking all fluid levels and safeguarding flares, fire extinguishers, and any blankets, as well as spare tire. 

 

      1. Keep the vehicle clean, washing it, whenever necessary.

 

      1. Maintain vehicle collision reporting forms within the vehicle pursuant to the County Code.

 

      1. Report all mechanical problems and damage to the team sergeant and to the bureau’s LET.  Initiate necessary reports or memorandums.

 

      1. Have the vehicle serviced as indicated by the SVB-RMS Vehicle spreadsheet.  Services are to be completed, both as to date and mileage, prior to either becoming delinquent.

 

        1. Note: The fact that the mechanic will not be able to service a vehicle for several weeks is not justification for a service being delinquent.

 

 

    1. Sergeants

 

      1. Make random inspections to ensure the vehicles are clean, serviced and equipped.

 

      1. Be responsible for seeing that all reports (accident, theft, damage, etc.) are submitted on time.

 

      1. See that detectives have serviced their vehicles prior to the service becoming delinquent.

 

      1. Sergeants shall ensure that the monthly vehicle reports have been entered electronically into the SVB Vehicle spreadsheet by the 5th of each month or provided to the bureau LET.

 

    1. Law Enforcement Technician

 

      1. Ensures that the SVB-RMS Vehicle spreadsheet is available to all personnel and working properly.

 

      1. Follow up on all mechanical problems and damage and initiate necessary reports.

 

      1. Ensure that any service campaigns’, smog inspections, and the distribution of registration tags are completed on time.

 

      1. Submit semi-annual vehicle reports, as required by Detective Division Headquarters, to SVB Operations.

 

      1. On the 5th of each month, submit to Operations the total number of miles driven by the SVB fleet for the previous month.

 

      1. On the 7th of each month, submit a list of vehicles, and their respective drivers, that are delinquent in receiving their regularly scheduled maintenance, to the Team Sergeant and respective Field Lieutenant.

 

      1. Maintain, clean, and regularly service any vehicle that has not been assigned to specific SVB personnel.

 

 

 

 

IV        Taking of County vehicles home

 

              A.       County vehicles parked overnight at an employee’s home shall be left in a secure environment, such as a garage or location out of sight of the public.

           

            B.        Vehicles shall not be parked on the street where they could be easy targets of theft, damage, or vandalism.

 

  1. Personnel shall not leave weapons and/or high value County-owned property, such as 480 radio, laptop, or cell phones in a vehicle overnight.

 

  1. County vehicles shall not be utilized off duty to conduct personal business.

 

  1. Personnel off duty but on-call may take the County vehicle to a non-departmental event, but shall not have other family members ride with them.  (A family outing would require separate modes of transportation.)

 

    1. Employees off on vacation or for any other reason for more than 5 consecutive working days shall return the vehicle to the Bureau for the time period of this absence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed and approved by:

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                       

Richard Ruiz, Captain                                                                                

Special Victims Bureau