Personal cell phones on duty

[richb]

ok so my roommate recently got a "notice" from the chief (as well as the other officers in the dept) that cell phones are not to be had on their person while on duty and that it must be locked up in the locker at the dept and they can use the phone when on break or once they are off the clock. if it is an emergency then there is a # for us (or me in my case since i am his roommate) to call if i need to speak with him asap. he found this BS and i did too as i see many other dept officers using their cell phones while on duty. i think its a NECESSITY to have your personal cell phone on you at all times as i'm sure 99% of most cops have a family to tend to and need to be able to be reached at anytime while on duty.

whats your opinion on this?

[PhilipCal]

At the time of my retirement, Troopers were permitted personal cell phones. The provision was that they l listened to the car radio, were availabe for calls etc. I really can't comment on the agency you reference, except to say, the Chief must have felt he had a reason for his action. It's his agency, thus his call.

[StudChris]

While I disagree, the Chief is the Chief and if he says you can't have personal cell phones you can't have personal cell phones.

[Radarjunkie]

I always see this kind of approach as a knee jerk response... To punish, and yes I use the word punish, those who respectfully use their personal phone on duty by putting out an order via it be a policy, Genreal Order or email, I think this sends the wrong message...

Family is important to me and pretty much the majority of us humans... When you try to seperate that link between us and our family, you can and will create poor morale that ultimately will produce far worse work ethics had you just went after those within your department that were abusing the use of their personal phone individually...

We live in a technology age... If one of my Officers on my unit was slacking due to phone use, I handle it with that officer... It's called supervising...

[Bearcat357]

One of the small agencies I worked for got cell phones taken away from them because the officers were driving around yacking on the phone and not paying attention to things....

In this case, I am thinking the Chief had a reason to do so......

I am also suspecting that the first person he finds out doing it....will be punished....

Suck it up or find a new place to work......

[LT Dangle]

Good, then I wont have to use MY phone for THEIR business anymore.

[Xerious]

That's crazy richb! I have my personal cell phone in my car with me at all times...and I'm on it quite a bit.

My department is very laid back though. We can smoke/chew in the cars, can have tatoos visible, ect ect.

[OCcop]

Good, then I wont have to use MY phone for THEIR business anymore.

Exactly. 99.9% of my cell phone use at work is work related. Its great for clearing up radio traffic.

[Sheepdog110]

Not to mention the possibility of your radio failing on you and having the need to communicate with Dispatch to get your backup rolling. I would be ROYALLY peeved if we had our phones banned. In fact, I think it's required equipment, although only command staff have department issued cell phones.

[Madball]

this seems totally unreasonable and any decent union/police officers association would fight tooth and nail against the mere notion of this becoming reality

[JKralC104]

I couldn't care less if I wasn't allowed to use my cell phone at work. If it is that big of an emergency my girlfriend can call my walkie or the radio room for me to get back to her. If I need to call someone, I'll go to the sub or call from my car radio.

[Madball]

I couldn't care less if I wasn't allowed to use my cell phone at work. If it is that big of an emergency my girlfriend can call my walkie or the radio room for me to get back to her. If I need to call someone, I'll go to the sub or call from my car radio.

yea well try getting away with that line of thought when you're MARRIED

[catcop]

I could not imagine working with out one.
What happens when you have to make a business call?

[NTxSarge]

Sounds like punishing the masses for the sins of a few.

Possibly poor management style ---- possible that things were SO amuck that Chief felt he had to do come down hard. (Which brings me back to possibly poor management style to allow things to get SO bad).

[DACP]

We just went through a huge battle over this, management said no can’t have, the union said that’s’ BS, in the end we fell somewhat in the middle, we can have them but we cannot use them if the vehicle is in motion, on a call, or actively engaged in duties. Me and the family have an understanding no calls during duty unless an emergency.