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Atlanta Police Department

Policy Manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standard Operating

Procedure

 

Effective Date

December 1, 2007

 

 

APD.SOP.6011

Electronic Communication Devices

Applicable To: All bureau, division, section and unit commanders and affected employees

Approval Authority:  Chief Richard J. Pennington

Signature:  Signed by RJP

Date Signed:  12/5/07

       
  Table of Contents    
 

1.        PURPOSE  PAGEREF _Toc184730935 \h 1

2.        POLICY   PAGEREF _Toc184730936 \h 1

3.        RESPONSIBILITIES  PAGEREF _Toc184730937 \h 1

4.        ACTION  PAGEREF _Toc184730938 \h 2

4.1        Authorized Use of Cellular Telephones  PAGEREF _Toc184730939 \h 2

4.2        Unacceptable Usage  PAGEREF _Toc184730940 \h 2

 

4.5        Responsibility for Replacement  PAGEREF _Toc184730941 \h 3

4.7        Distribution of Monthly Cellular Telephone Bills  PAGEREF _Toc184730942 \h 4

5.        DEFINITIONS  PAGEREF _Toc184730943 \h 4

6.        CANCELLATIONS  PAGEREF _Toc184730944 \h 4

7.        REFERENCES  PAGEREF _Toc184730945 \h 4

 

1.               PURPOSE

 

To establish policy and procedures for the authorization, assignment, management, use and reimbursement of service for electronic communication devices by Atlanta Police Department employees (CALEA 81.2.10).

 

2.               POLICY

 

This directive establishes the policy for the use of cellular telephones issued by the City of Atlanta to employees of the Atlanta Police Department, including portable digital assistants (PDA’s) and cellular telephone/PDA combinations (Blackberry devices).

 

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

 

3.1              Division and section commanders will monitor implementation of this directive.

 

3.2              Supervisors will ensure the directives are implemented and administered in compliance with the approved policy. Each supervisor will manage, monitor and control the use of cellular telephones and/or the provision of a cellular phone allowance for employees within their command. Supervisors will ensure that all employees within their command reimburse the City of Atlanta for all non-business use of cellular telephones when the minimal use of the city cell phone exceeds 15% of the usage and there is an increased cost to the city for the personal use of the phone in excess of the monthly bill.

 

3.3              All employees are responsible for the enforcement of this policy. Employees are fully responsible for the cost-effective use and care of the device.

 

3.4              The Communications Section will review and retain the Department’s billing detail for cellular telephone service in accordance with state and local laws governing the retention of public documents.

 

4.               ACTION

 

4.1              Authorized Use of Cellular Telephones

 

4.1.1           The Atlanta Police Department authorizes the assignment and use of cellular telephones as a tool of productivity for the purpose of communicating for official City business when other means of communication are unavailable, impractical or inappropriate.

 

4.1.2           The Assistant Chief of Police is authorized to assign cellular telephones or provide an allowance to employees who the Department determines have a bona fide need for the use of such equipment, according to the provisions of this policy.

 

4.1.3           Authorized users are responsible for all actions associated with the use of their assigned accounts, and are prohibited from providing access to their account to another individual. In the event that permission is expressly granted, the assigned account user is accountable for actions taken by the individual using their account.

 

4.1.4           Unauthorized use will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

 

4.1.5           Devices must be password protected and may require configuration with the necessary controls and security features before being used for official business.

 

4.1.6           Devices that are highly transportable and easily lost should not be used for long-term storage of Department and personnel data.

 

4.1.7           Sensitive information should not be kept on the device, unless encrypted.

 

4.2              Unacceptable Usage

 

4.2.1           The following activities are unacceptable and are prohibited when using the electronic devices. The list below is not exhaustive, but attempts to provide a framework for activities that fall into the category of unacceptable and prohibited use.

 

1.    Unlawful activities

 

2.    Personal gain

 

3.    Fraudulent offers

 

4.    Intellectual property infringement

 

5.    Discrimination

 

6.    Insensitive language

 

7     Harassment

 

8.    Profanity

 

9.    Objectionable material

 

4.4              Assignment and Issuance of Cellular Telephones

 

4.4.1           Supervisors must submit a Wireless Device Request and Assignment Form to the Communications Section requesting the assignment of a cellular telephone.

 

4.4.2           Supervisors must clearly state the bona fide need for the cellular equipment.

 

4.4.3           All requests must be approved by the Assistant Chief of Police.

 

4.4.4           Upon approval, the Department of Technology will issue the cellular telephone to the requesting employee, accompanied by a completed Equipment Recipt Form. A copy of this form will be retained by the Department of Information Technology in accordance with state and local laws governing the retention of public documents.

 

4.4.5           If cellular equipment is relocated, reassigned, lost or removed from the inventory of the user Department, the supervisor is responsible for notifying the Department of Information Technology within twenty-four hours of the status change. The Department of Information Technology will note the change in status on the Wireless Device Request and Assignment Form.

 

4.4.6           The Department of Information Technology will review the process for accurate records and retention on a monthly basis.

 

4.5              Responsibility for Replacement Due to Damage, Loss or Theft

 

4.5.1           If the cellular telephone is damaged, lost or stolen, the City employee may be responsible for the cost to repair or replace the unit if the Department of Information Technology deems it is the responsibility of the employee to do so.

 

4.6              Reimbursement for Non-Business Use by City Employees

 

4.6.1           All City-issued cellular telephones are to be used for official City business.

 

4.6.2           Non-business calls will be charged to the user if the non-business calls are in excess of 15% of usage and there is an increased cost to the City in excess of the monthly minimum bill.

 

4.6.3           City employees are responsible for timely reimbursement for non-business use of the cellular telephone.

 

4.6.4           Reimbursement is required within 30 days of receipt of the cellular telephone billing detail.

 

4.6.5           All appropriate reimbursement payments should be submitted to the supervisor or higher authority. Failure to reimburse the City of Atlanta may result in punitive action

 

4.6.6           If the employee desires and the Assistant Chief of Police deems appropriate, the employee may receive reimbursement for City-business use of a personal cell phone in lieu of the assignment of a City-issued cellular phone as long as the City has full access to the personal cell phone for city business.

 

4.6.7           In no case will the reimbursement to the employee be greater than the cost to the City to provide the employee a City-issued cellular phone and without special considerations the reimbursement cost should not exceed $30.00 per month.

 

4.6.8           Upon receipt of copies of cellular telephone bills from the Department of Information Technology, the Communications Section will review the bills to determine if there are any excess charges (i.e., charges above the monthly minimum bill). If there are excess charges, the bill must be reviewed to determine if the charges are due to non-business calls in excess of 15% of usage, which must be paid in accordance with this directive.

 

4.6.9           Within thirty days of receipt of the cellular telephone bills, the Communications Section will forward all cellular billing certification forms and payments to the Department of Information Technology.

 

4.6.10         After posting reimbursement information, the Department of Information Technology will deposit the reimbursement payments with the Department of Finance.

 

4.6.11         The Department of Information Technology will maintain a continuous file of the monthly costs and reimbursements for all cellular telephones issued to City of Atlanta employees. Such certification forms and files are to be retained in accordance with the state and local laws governing the retention of public documents.

 

4.7              Distribution of Monthly Cellular Telephone Bills

 

4.7.1           The Department of Information Technology is responsible for the monthly distribution of individual cellular billing data for all Department users to the Communications Section.

 

4.7.2           The Communications Section will maintain a continuous inventory of all cellular telephones and cellular usage, which will be submitted to the Department of Information Technology for quarterly review. Any errors contained in this quarterly report will be resolved within ten working days of receipt.

 

5.               DEFINITIONS

 

                  None

 

6.               CANCELLATIONS

 

                  None

 

7.               REFERENCES

 

                  City of Atlanta Administrative Order No. 2004-3

 

                  City of Atlanta Electronics Communication Policy

 

                  City of Atlanta Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Guidelines for Electronic Mail (e-mail) and Use of the Internet

 

                  Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) 5th Edition Standard 81.2.10

 

                  Equipment Receipt Form

 

                  Wireless Request and Device Reassignment Form