Department Policies on Drive Time

[MN_Muzzy]

I'm nearing the end of a process and found out the dept. policy is "must live within 20 min of pd", really a deal breaker for me considering the wife would have to commute an hour plus to work. Just curious what your dept policy is......is this normal??

[sigcopper]

30 minutes and normal? These drive time limits appear in union contracts and in policy. They can change through the bargaining process though.

[gopherpuckfan]

That sucks man. We have quite a few officers that live 50+ minutes away.

[TrueBlueMN]

I'm nearing the end of a process and found out the dept. policy is "must live within 20 min of pd", really a deal breaker for me considering the wife would have to commute an hour plus to work. Just curious what your dept policy is......is this normal??

It isn't unusual to see this in labor contracts, especially in dept outside the metro area. I don't know how frequently they are enforced though, especially after Minneapolis and i believe St. Paul stopped requiring residency.

I would have a sit down with your prospective employer and explain your personal situation, especially if you received a conditional offer. Sometimes depts only require that you establish residency within first year.

Worth a shot. It seems odd that dept still require residency since the copper isn't normally required to respond in on a day off unless you are paid to be on-call as part of your job responsibilities. I understand why depts would like their coppers to live close by in case of a need for an emergency call-in of a group of copper...but if that's the case, depts should be happy just to get bodies in there regardless of whether it takes 20 mins or 40 mins.

[The State]

you can live as far away as you want as long as you get to work on time and do your job.

[Jhelrey]

I know of a few that require you to do that. I had to live in the town once, never again!

[sigcopper]

Is it the pd or city limits? Im about 15 minutes from my pd but still in the city limits. The city pushes its limits out further and based on traffic during different times of the day, i could see in the near future a 20 min drive time in the city limits. You might want to check that. Also, mileage to a city is based on where the post office is in most cases.

[OneAdam12]

Years ago, the department I wanted to apply with 50K population, had a three year residency requirement.
You had to live there three years before you could even apply.

[Jim1648]

Minnesota Department Policies on Drive Time

There is some case law on this in case anybody wants to research this. If I recall correctly, the straight up residency requirements were abolished in Minnesota, BUT they can establish a response time if it is valid, legitimate, and job related. For example, in the past the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office used to specify that you live within 30 minutes normal drive time of the Adult Detention Center in the event of a callback (riot!). Ironically, you could live in many Dakota County cities and have a shorter response time than if you lived in some Ramsey County cities, but I digress. Anyway, while they cannot specify that you live in the jurisdiction, per se', they can specify a response time, if it is a valid job related requirement.

[MN_Muzzy]

Is it the pd or city limits? Im about 15 minutes from my pd but still in the city limits. The city pushes its limits out further and based on traffic during different times of the day, i could see in the near future a 20 min drive time in the city limits. You might want to check that. Also, mileage to a city is based on where the post office is in most cases.

Not sure about city limits or pd, will have to delve into this further. I guess beggars can't be choosers but cripes why can't it be something a little more reasonable.

[Jim1648]

Minnesota Residency Requirement

It looks to me as if the key words are ".....may impose a reasonable area or response time residency requirement if there is a demonstrated, job-related necessity....." However, that begs the question in my mind as far as what is a demonstrated, job-related necessity. If I recall correctly, they can't just come up with something unless they have indeed demonstrated that it is, in fact, a job-related necessity. For example, if you are a K-9 handler and are on call, maybe that is a job-related necessity. If the job in the 7 county metro or beyond the metro? Also note the about about fire service. For example, you could live in South Saint Paul, but be a member of the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department, provided that you meet the response time requirement.



https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=415.16

415.16 EMPLOYMENT; CITY OR COUNTY RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT.
Subdivision 1.No exception for on-premises residence.Notwithstanding any contrary provision of other law, home rule charter, ordinance or resolution, no statutory or home rule charter city or county shall require that a person be a resident of the city or county as a condition of employment by the city or county except for positions which by their duties require the employee to live on the premises of the person's place of employment.

Subd. 2.Reasonable area or response time requirement.A statutory or home rule charter city or county, except if it is located in the area defined in section 473F.02, subdivision 2, may impose a reasonable area or response time residency requirement if there is a demonstrated, job-related necessity.

Subd. 3.Volunteer or nonprofit firefighters.A statutory or home rule charter city or county may impose a reasonable residency requirement on persons employed as volunteers or as members of a nonprofit firefighting corporation if there is a demonstrated, job-related necessity. The residency requirement must be related to response time and established without regard to political subdivision boundaries.

History: 1981 c 181 s 1; 1984 c 585 s 1; 1985 c 197 s 1

[Jhelrey]

I am guessing you applied to PI?