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- Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 1 ALBANY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT 165 HENRY JOHNSON BOULEVARD ALBANY, NEW YORK 12210 AUXILIARY PROGRAMS GENERAL ORDER NO: 2.3.55 Issue Date: August 8, 2015 Effective Date: August 8, 2015 Revision Date: N/A CALEA: 45.3.1, 45.3.2, 45.3.3 Volume 2: Logistics Chapter 3: Personnel Distribution: All Personnel NYSLEAP: N/A Issuing Authority: Chief Eric Hawkins Page: 1 of 15 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the operation of auxiliary components and programs within the department, including the scope of duties and limitations of authority. POLICY: It is the policy of the Albany Police Department to provide auxiliary programs which are designed to provide education and insight into the Albany Police Department and/or the law enforcement field. The programs are devised to improve the relations between the youth of the community and the Albany Police Department. Auxiliary members are not commissioned with sworn officer status. Furthermore, department policy prohibits the assignment of auxiliaries to duties requiring sworn police officer status. DEFINITIONS: Auxiliary – An auxiliary is a civilian affiliated with the department in a part-time, non-sworn capacity, because of his/her interest in contributing to the department’s role in a support capacity, without compensation. Examples include, Cadets, Explorers, Volunteers, and Interns. Cadet – A Cadet is a person who is between fourteen (14) and eighteen (18) years of age, who is employed by the City of Albany Summer Youth Workforce Program, and who has applied and been accepted to the Albany Police Department’s Summer Cadet Program. Explorer – An Explorer is person who is between fourteen (14) and twenty (20) years of age, who has applied for and been accepted to the Albany Police Department/Police Athletic League Explorers Post. Citizen Police Academy – The Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is a unique opportunity for citizens who live in or work in the City of Albany. The purpose of the CPA is to create a better understanding and communication between the department and the community through education. Albany Police Community Policing Advisory Committee – Members of the Albany Police Community Policing Advisory Committee (ACPAC) are charged with reviewing and addressing items that would potentially reinvigorate and continue the relationship between the residents and communities of the City of Eric Hawkins Chief of Police 1789 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 2 Albany and the Albany Police Department. Members are appointed by the Common Council of the City of Albany to ensure that all fifteen (15) wards of the City are equally represented. Student Interns – Student interns are individuals from high schools or institutions of higher learning who are working on an academic program for personal improvement. Interns may receive academic credit and/or receive compensation from outside sources, but will not be compensated by the City of Albany. Ride-Along Program – The Ride-Along Program is a department sponsored program for individuals who wish to ride as an observer with patrol personnel. I. SUMMER CADET PROGRAM A. The Summer Cadet Program is part of the City of Albany Summer Youth Program. Interested youth from the City must apply to the City of Albany’s Summer Youth Work Force Program. Additionally, they will need to apply for the Albany Police Department’s Cadet Program. Potential candidates will also need to go through an interview process. 1. The Summer Cadets shall follow the schedule of, and be compensated by, the City of Albany Summer Youth Work Program. 2. Cadets shall participate in different community programs, and attend various trainings within the department and throughout the community. 3. Cadets conducting such activities shall be under the direct supervision of an assigned member and are to obey all directions provided. 4. The Albany Police Department Youth Aide, in coordination with the Training Unit, shall oversee the Cadet Program for the duration. B. Cadets are not certified law enforcement members. Accordingly, Cadets shall not present themselves as such, they shall not interfere with the duties of a law enforcement member, and they shall not carry any weapon, either lethal or non- lethal, while participating in department activities. C. Cadets shall receive training that is delivered by personnel of the Albany Police Department, its law enforcement partners, and other related first responders. 1. Training topics shall include, but not be limited to the following: a. Introduction to Law; b. Forensic Investigations; c. Criminal Investigations; d. Bicycle Safety/Patrol; e. Boaters Safety; f. CPR; g. Choices 301; h. Community Policing; and i. The Ride-Along Program. 2. Cadets shall also receive training regarding the following policies and ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 3 procedures: a. Code of Ethics, General Order 1.1.10; and b. Harassment in the Workplace, General Order 2.2.15. 3. The program supervisor/instructor shall be responsible for ensuring that all participants read and sign an Albany Police Department Auxiliary Programs Receipt of Policy Issuance Form, APD Form # 338 shown on page 15 of this order. a. Completed Receipt of Policy Issuance Forms shall be forwarded to the Training Unit and stored with department training records. 4. No firearms training shall be provided. D. Albany Police Cadets shall be issued and wear the Albany Police Cadet blue t- shirt, which clearly distinguishes them from sworn officers. II. ALBANY POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM A. The Albany Police Explorers, also known as the Albany Police Law Enforcement Explorer Post 101, is a program in which the Albany Police Department works in conjunction with the Albany Police Athletic League (PAL). 1. The purpose of the Explorer’s Post is to bring together the youth of the City in an effort to further their knowledge and understanding of law enforcement, as well as to improve relations between the youth of the community and the Albany Police Department. 2. Explorers shall attend classroom instruction, participate in physical exercise, and assist the Albany Police Department in carrying out special assigned duties, community events, and parades. 3. Potential candidates are required to complete applications and attend scheduled meetings. Meetings shall take place on a bi-weekly schedule. 4. The Explorer Post will be administered by PAL, in conjunction with the Neighborhood Engagement Unit (NEU). B. Explorers are not certified law enforcement members. Accordingly, Explorers shall not present themselves as such, they shall not interfere with the duties of a law enforcement member, and they shall not carry any weapon, either lethal or non-lethal, while participating in department activities. C. Explorers shall attend classroom instruction that is delivered by personnel of the Albany Police Department and its law enforcement partners. 1. Training topics shall include, but not be limited to the following: a. Introduction to Law; b. Forensic Investigations; c. Criminal Investigations; d. Bicycle Safety/Patrol; e. Boaters Safety; ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 4 f. CPR; g. Choices 301; h. Community Policing; and i. The Ride-Along Program. 2. Explorers shall also receive training of the following policies and procedures: a. Code of Ethics, General Order 1.1.10; and b. Harassment in the Workplace, General Order 2.2.15. 3. The program supervisor/instructor shall be responsible for ensuring that all participants read and sign an Albany Police Department Auxiliary Programs Receipt of Policy Issuance Form, APD Form # 338 shown on page 15 of this order. a. Completed Receipt of Policy Issuance Forms shall be forwarded to the Training Unit and stored with department training records. 4. No firearms training shall be provided. 5. Explorers are required to obtain points for completing certain tasks, which will allow them to participate in further training related opportunities, such as a ride-along. D. Explorers shall be required to wear the following uniforms, which shall be designated for specific functions. The uniforms shall clearly distinguish them from sworn officers: 1. Class A uniform, which shall consist of the following: a. Dress Slacks; b. Button Down Shirt; c. Black Leather Shoes; d. Blazer; e. Name Tag; f. Shield; g. Whistle; h. Aiguillette; i. Tie; j. Gloves; and k. Eight Point Hat. 2. Duty uniform, which shall consist of the following: a. Dress Slacks; b. Button Down Shirt; c. Black Leather Shoes or Boots; d. Name Tag; e. Shield; and f. Duty Belt. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 5 3. Meeting uniform, which shall consist of the following: a. Black Pants; b. Black Leather Shoes or Boots; and c. Albany Police Department Explorer Polo Shirt. III. CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY A. The Citizen Police Academy (CPA) is a sanctioned program of the City of Albany Police Department. The objective of the program is to introduce community members to the operations of the agency in order to increase understanding between citizens and police through education. Candidates must complete an application, be at least eighteen (18) years of age, reside or work in the City of Albany, and receive a satisfactory background investigation by the department. 1. The department shall make available training aids, materials, facilities, equipment, and personnel for the proper training of participants. 2. The curriculum shall include forty-two (42) hours of scheduled classroom instruction. This instruction shall be conducted one night a week for hours a night for a total of fourteen (14) weeks. Class size shall be limited to twenty (20) participants. 3. CPA participants shall participate in different community programs, and attend various trainings within the department and throughout the community. 4. CPA participants conducting such activities shall be under the direct supervision of an assigned member, and are to follow all directions provided. 5. The Citizens Police Academy will be administered by the Training Unit. B. CPA participants are not certified law enforcement members. Accordingly, CPA participants shall not present themselves as such, they shall not interfere with the duties of a law enforcement member, and they shall not carry any weapon, either lethal or non-lethal, while participating in department activities. C. CPA participants shall receive training that is delivered by personnel of this department, and shall consist of lectures, tours, demonstrations, and hands on practice. 1. Training topics shall include, but not be limited to the following: a. Introduction to Law; b. Forensic Investigations; c. Criminal Investigations; d. Narcotics Investigations; e. K-9 Unit; f. Mounted Unit; g. The Emergency Services Team; h. Firearms training; i. Community Policing; j. EVOC; and k. The Ride-Along Program. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 6 2. CPA participants shall also receive training of the following policies and procedures: a. Code of Ethics, General Order 1.1.10; and b. Harassment in the Workplace, General Order 2.2.15. 3. The program supervisor/instructor shall be responsible for ensuring that all participants read and sign an Albany Police Department Auxiliary Programs Receipt of Policy Issuance Form, APD Form # 338 shown on page 15 of this order. a. Completed Receipt of Policy Issuance Forms shall be forwarded to the Training Unit and stored with department training records. D. CPA participants do not wear uniforms. CPA participants shall wear appropriate civilian attire while engaged in department activities. This attire shall clearly distinguish them from sworn officers. IV. ALBANY COMMUNITY POLICING ADVISORY COMMITTEE A. Members of the Albany Community Policing Advisory Committee (ACPAC) are charged with reviewing and addressing items that would potentially reinvigorate and continue the relationship between the residents and communities of the City of Albany and the Albany Police Department. Members are appointed by the Common Council of the City of Albany to ensure that all fifteen (15) wards of the City are equally represented. 1. ACPAC encourages citizen and Albany Police Department participation in committee activities, which provides a forum for discussion of community healing and community building. 2. ACPAC strives to promote partnerships between community organizations, businesses, and the Albany Police Department. In turn, these partnerships serve as a catalyst for organizational changes within the Albany Police Department and supporting the community policing model of law enforcement in the City of Albany. B. ACPAC participants are not certified law enforcement members. Accordingly, ACPAC participants shall not present themselves as such, they shall not interfere with the duties of a law enforcement member, and they shall not carry any weapon, either lethal or non-lethal, while participating in department activities. C. ACPAC participants wear civilian attire while engaged in department activities. This attire clearly distinguishes them from sworn officers. V. STUDENT INTERNS/VOLUNTEERS A. The Chief of Police or his/her designee may authorize intern positions designed for training purposes, and intended for students attending accredited schools or educational institutions, within an established student intern program. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 7 1. Acceptance to an intern positions does not afford any person rights by virtue of such acceptance, and said position shall terminate immediately upon completion of the intern program. 2. The Chief of Police or his/her designee, upon request and for good cause, may grant an extension of such training for a specific period or may terminate the intern position/program at any time. 3. Assigned interns do not receive monetary compensation for said activities or for participation in the intern program. 4. The student intern program shall be administered by the Lieutenant of the Administrative Services Bureau. B. All student interns must complete the entry level requirements stipulated by the Chief of Police, such rules being pertinent to the security and integrity of the department, which shall consist of the following: 1. Completion of an Albany Police Department Internship Application, APD Form # 340 shown on pages 10 and 11 of this order; 2. Acknowledgement and signature of an Intern/Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement, APD Form # 464 shown on page 12 of this order; 3. Satisfactorily complete the Intern Fingerprinting Procedures; and 4. Provide a letter from the accredited school regarding the intention of internship, naming a liaison person between the department and the school. a. The liability of the intern will be covered by the accredited school. C. Applicants approved to participate in the intern program shall be required to obtain a picture identification card, which will be provided by the Forensic Investigations Unit. This identification card must be worn and adequately displayed, at all times, when on department property. 1. The intern’s supervisor shall be responsible for contacting the FIU lieutenant and arranging for the intern to respond to FIU and obtain an identification card. D. Interns shall wear proper business attire while participating in the program. Proper attire is defined as a long or short sleeved collared shirt or blouse, pants or slacks, and closed toe shoes without a heel. Shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, and sandals are not permitted. The intern’s attire shall clearly distinguish them from sworn officers. E. Interns will be under the direct supervision of the first line supervisor of the unit that they are assigned. The direct supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that the intern receives training in those assigned and authorized duties. 1. Interns shall also receive training of the following policies and procedures: a. Code of Ethics, General Order 1.1.10; and b. Harassment in the Workplace, General Order 2.2.15. 2. The program supervisor/instructor shall be responsible for ensuring that all ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 8 participants read and sign an Albany Police Department Auxiliary Programs Receipt of Policy Issuance Form, APD Form # 338 shown on page 15 of this order. a. Completed Receipt of Policy Issuance Forms shall be forwarded to the Training Unit and stored with department training records. F. Interns are not certified law enforcement members. Accordingly, interns shall not present themselves as such, they shall not interfere with the duties of a law enforcement member, and they shall not carry any weapon, either lethal or non- lethal, while participating in department activities. VI. RIDE-ALONG PROGRAM A. The department sponsors a Ride-Along Program for individuals who wish to ride as an observer with patrol personnel, and who are sixteen (16) years of age or older. 1. Applicants shall complete the following: a. An Albany Police Department Ride-Along Request Form, APD Form # 453 shown on page 13 of this order; b. An Albany Police Department Waiver of Liability Form, APD Form # 339 shown on page 14 of this order; and c. Acknowledge and sign an Intern/Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement, APD Form # 464 shown on page 12 of this order. 3. The completed forms shall be submitted to the Community Services Unit. 4. The Community Services Unit shall be responsible for screening requests and ensuring that legitimate civic or educational reasons for participation are met. 5. The Community Services Unit shall also be responsible for completing a background check on the applicant and ensuring that that the approved applicant has signed a waiver of liability and confidentiality agreement, including a parent or guardian's signature, when applicable. a. The background check will consist of a check of the department’s Records Management System (RMS) and the sex offender registry. b. The Community Services Unit shall be responsible for ensuring that all approved/denied forms are forwarded and filed with ASB. 6. The Community Services Unit is responsible for making arrangements for those approved to complete a ride-along, and for assigning the observer to a designated station during a designated time frame. B. Applicants who are approved to participate in a ride-along are required to wear a bullet proof vest, which shall be provided by this department. Applicants shall also wear proper attire while participating in the program. 1. Proper attire is defined as a long or short sleeved shirt, pants, and closed toe shoes without a heel. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 9 2. Shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, and sandals are not permitted. 3. The observer’s attire shall clearly distinguish them from sworn officers. C. Ride-along participant observers are not certified law enforcement members. Accordingly, participants shall not present themselves as such, they shall not interfere with the duties of a law enforcement member, and they shall not carry any weapon, either lethal or non-lethal, while participating in department activities. 1. Ride-alongs will be under the direct supervision of the employee with whom they are riding with and are prohibited from assisting in any criminal investigation. 2. Ride-alongs are prohibited from physical confrontations involving arrests, and are prohibited from leaving a department vehicle at a scene, unless specifically instructed to do so by the supervising employee. 3. Ride-alongs are prohibited from carrying or handling any weapons during the duration of the ride-along. D. Ride-alongs are not trained in any specific function and are only observers, but shall receive the following information prior to be allowed to participate in a ride- along: 1. Ride-alongs shall receive copies of the following policies and procedures: a. Code of Ethics, General Order 1.1.10; and b. Harassment in the Workplace, General Order 2.2.15. 2. The program supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that all participants read and sign an Albany Police Department Auxiliary Programs Receipt of Policy Issuance Form, APD Form # 338 shown on page 15 of this order. a. Completed Receipt of Policy Issuance Forms shall be forwarded to the Training Unit and stored with department training records. ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 10 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 12 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 14 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Auxiliary Programs, G.O. No. 2.3.55 Page 15