EDGEFIELD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Uniforms, Equipment issue and
Personal Appearance
Applicable Standard(s)
CALEA 16.4.3, 26.1.1, 41.3.5 17.5.2
Amends
I.
Date
04-15-08
Section No.
112
Page No.
1
No. Pages in Section
6
Rescinds
Re-evaluation Date
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish general guidelines on uniforms, equipment
accountability and the appearance of law enforcement and administrative personnel
within the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office.
II. Policy
The appearance of law enforcement and administrative personnel has a great bearing
on the image projected by the agency. Accountability of agency owned equipment is
important in reducing loss of equipment and replacement costs. Therefore, it is the
policy of the Sheriff’s Office to promote uniformity within functional areas of the
agency, to display a professional appearance to the public, and maintain a continuous
property inventory program.
III. Definitions
Extreme Climatic Conditions - For the purposes of this policy, extreme climatic
conditions means temperatures below freezing, and/or constant steady rainfall.
Shift - An established period of time that an employee works.
IV. Procedures
A. Clothing and Equipment Provision
1. The agency will provide the clothing necessary for full-time sworn officers
within the Patrol Division and non-sworn uniformed personnel to perform
their duties.
2. The agency will provide the equipment necessary for each sworn officer to
perform his/her duties.
3. Those sworn personnel assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division,
Administrative section, and Victim's Advocate will be provided with the
approved daily uniform to be worn according to a weekly schedule. The
sworn officers assigned to the narcotics/vice division will receive a monthly
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Uniforms, Equipment and
Personal Appearance
Date
Section No.
112
Page No.
2
clothing allowance, the amount to be established each year in the agency’s
budget.
B. Plain Clothes for Sworn/non sworn Personnel
1. Members occupying positions where civilian clothing is the uniform of the
day will report for duty in appropriate clothing. Males shall wear a
business suit, sports coat, or blazer with slacks. A combination of dress
shirt with tie, or “golf” shirt and slacks is suitable. Appropriate civilian
dress shoes will be worn and maintained. Females shall wear either a
blouse and skirt, dress, pants, sweater or an appropriate combination there
of may be worn with a blazer jacket. Appropriate, enclosed toe civilian
dress shoes with a heel no more than one inch in height will be worn.
2. At all times while on official business, plain-clothes personnel shall
maintain an appearance that is professional. The exceptions to this policy
will be those officers who are assigned missions that require “blend in” to
particular environments (such as drug work, or other undercover
assignments) or are called in to perform law enforcement functions while
off-duty provided they display identification readily distinguishing them as
law enforcement officers. In other instances, officers will follow the
aforementioned dress code.
3. In the event an outfit is considered by a supervisor to be too provocative,
the person will be sent home on their own time to change into suitable
attire.
4. Dress down Friday’s are permitted for non- sworn plain clothes employees.
A more casual variation of the standards mentioned in B.1, 2, and 3 is
acceptable. No jeans or sandals of any variation are allowed. (Exception to
this paragraph will include narcotics or “undercover” operatives)
C. Sworn Uniformed Officers
Officers will wear their Class B uniform only when on duty, when in a car on
the way to or from work, or when representing the Agency in an official
capacity. Generally, the uniform will be worn by all officers whose assignments
are such that it could be necessary for a citizen to recognize them as officers on
sight.
1. Class A Uniforms
a. Class A uniforms shall be worn for courthouse security and funerals
with the Captain dictating when to change between short/ long sleeves.
b. Class A uniforms shall normally consist of:
(1) short sleeved pressed shirts
(2) long sleeved pressed shirts / tie
(3) black T-shirt while in short sleeves;
(4) black T-shirt, black turtle neck or mock turtleneck in long sleeves
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Uniforms, Equipment and
Personal Appearance
Date
Section No.
112
Page No.
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(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
2.
trousers, pressed;
black socks;
black footwear (maintained and shined) with black shoe strings;
nameplate (gold), badge, collar pins and other insignias approved
by the Captain or Sheriff;
(8) agency issued coats, jackets, and sweaters with insignia may be
worn when necessary;
(9) Uniform hats may be worn on any assignment requiring high
visibility (i.e. funerals) or when ordered by the Captain or Sheriff.
(10) A black tie will be worn with the short/ long sleeve shirt at all
special events or as directed by the Patrol Captain (i.e. General
Sessions Court Appearances, Funerals).
c. Ball caps will not be worn with the class A uniform at any time.
Class B Uniform
a. Class B uniforms shall be worn during normal working shift Class B
uniforms will be referred to as field dress or (BDU).
b.
Class B uniforms shall normally consist of:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(5)
(6)
3.
BDU short / long sleeved, pressed shirt
BDU pant, pressed;
Black socks;
black footwear (maintained and shined) with black shoestrings;
proper badge, collar pins and other insignias approved by the
Sheriff when in the BDU shirt;
(7) Agency issued coats, jackets and sweaters with insignia may be
worn when necessary;
(8) Black T shirts.
c. Ball caps are permitted with Class B Uniforms.
Equipment
Officers, whose primary function is patrol, shall wear all issued equipment
while performing their duties.
a. All sworn uniformed officers shall wear or carry the following
Agency issued equipment:
(1) Duty Belt - 2 1/4 inch black, basketweave;
(2) Standard Duty Firearm / Holster – level 2, black;
(3) Double / single Magazine Pouch – black, basketweave;
(4) Handcuffs / Handcuff case – black, basketweave;
(5) Baton / Baton Holder – black, basketweave;
(6) Walkie-Talkie Holder – black, basketweave, or metal;
(7) Protective Gloves / Glove Pouch – black, basketweave;
(8) O.C. Spray / Holder - black, basketweave; and
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Subject
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Personal Appearance
Date
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Page No.
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(9) Body Armor.
b. Any non-issued equipment that an officer wishes to carry in addition
to or in replacement of issued equipment must have written approval
from the Captain and be cleared through the sheriff.
c. Issuing/Reissuing Agency Owned Property
1. The Captain will issue all agency owned
equipment to probationary employees including but not
limited to, uniforms, badges, firearms, collar insignias,
miscellaneous equipment and manuals and he/she will record and
maintain a listing of all such issued items.
2. When an employee is transferred, specially assigned or promoted
from one Division to another, it shall be the responsibility of the
exiting supervisor, when necessary, to recover all property issued
by his/her command. The receiving supervisor shall record and
maintain a listing of any additional property (i.e. uniforms,
vehicles, specialized equipment) issue to the transferred employee.
3. When an employee resigns, retires, is discharged or otherwise
leaves the agency, he/she shall surrender to their supervisor all
issued items of uniform and equipment. In case of death, his/her
supervisor shall be responsible for the recovery of all agency
property, bearing in mind the family’s sensitivity at the time.
4. Undamaged property in working order may be re-issued to
probationary employees, specially assigned personnel or other
agency personnel as the need arises.
5. Agency personnel who lose, misplace, or damage issued property
shall immediately report such loss or damage to his/her
supervisor.
6. Expendable items such as but not limited to pens, pencils, forms
office supplies, may be obtained from the Lieutenants and Office
Managers.
d.
Operational Readiness
1. Maintaining stored agency property in a state of operational
readiness shall be the responsibility of the Captain or
Training Lieutenant.
2. Equipment and property stored in the agency owned property
supply area will be kept in a condition of operational readiness.
3. Agency owned equipment and property stored and used in the
sub-station and Sheriff’s Office storage areas will be
kept in a state of operational readiness. The responsibility for
the maintenance and inspection of such property rests with the
supervisors as they frequent those areas.
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Subject
Uniforms, Equipment and
Personal Appearance
Date
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Page No.
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4. Concerns regarding the condition or maintenance of agency
owned equipment and property will be directed to the Training
Lieutenant or Captain.
5. Supervisors or employees who are issued pagers are required to
contact the agency or management when paged to do so.
Batteries will be provided by the agency.
4.
Specially Assigned Uniformed Officers
Specially assigned uniformed officers often perform tasks that require and
allow for specialized uniforms and equipment, or variations in the Class A
and B uniforms. In these cases, the Captain shall approve all such
uniforms, dress and equipment. In doing so, the Captain shall promote
uniformity by ensuring that all officers assigned to similar functions wear
the same uniform and carry the same equipment.
D. Jailers and Dispatchers.
Jailers and Dispatchers shall be provided the following clothing to be worn yearround:
1. Gray, “golf shirt” and black BDU pants, black enclosed toe footwear with
black shoestrings are to be worn with the uniform.
E. Administration and Records Personnel
1. Sworn Administration personnel shall wear the approved daily uniform.
Female records and office personnel shall wear a blouse, skirt, dress, pants,
blazer, sweater or an appropriate combination thereof. Appropriate civilian
dress shoes will be worn and maintained (no flip-flops). Jeans, of any color,
are not permitted. Skirt length shall be at least the length of the person’s arm
extended by their side or longer. No jean type or casual shorts are permitted.
Personnel shall maintain an appearance that is professional at all times.
2. In the event an outfit is considered by a supervisor to be inappropriate or
provocative, the person will be sent home on their own time to change into
suitable attire.
3. Any visible body piercing (including tongue rings) will be removed before
reporting for work.
4. Dress down Friday’s are permitted. A more casual variation of the standards
mentioned above is acceptable (jeans are acceptable on this day).
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Uniforms, Equipment and
Personal Appearance
Date
Section No.
112
Page No.
6
G. General Regulations Agency-wide
All personnel shall be aware of their personal appearance at all times.
Cleanliness, neat and pressed uniform/clothing, clean fingernails, haircut,
footwear cleaned and shined, good hygiene, etc. should be practiced at all times.
H. Medical Exceptions
Any medical exceptions to the standard uniform must be prescribed in writing
from a licensed physician and approved by the Captain.
I.
Inclement Weather
Temporary deviations from normal uniform attire may be approved by the
employee’s Supervisor in the event of extreme climatic conditions. This
includes, but is not limited to, the wearing of boots, gloves and hats.
J.
Ceremonial Attire
1. Plain Clothes Sworn Employees
Males shall wear a business suit, sports coat or blazer and slacks with tie.
Females shall wear either a blouse, skirt, dress, pants suit, or an appropriate
combination there of may be worn with a blazer or jacket.
2. Sworn Uniformed Officers
All sworn uniformed officers shall wear the Class A uniform with shined
shoes, uniform hats may be worn when ordered by the Captain or Sheriff.
3. Non-Sworn Uniformed Personnel
Non-Sworn uniformed personnel shall wear uniforms approved by the
agency, which will clearly distinguish them from sworn personnel.
K. Personal Appearance for Sworn Personnel
1. Hair
a. Male
(1) Hair shall be neat and clean and not interfere with the normal
wearing of the standard Class A and B uniform.
(2) The length of the hair shall not extend over the ear and the hair on
the neck shall not extend beyond the collar of the uniform shirt.
(3) Side burns shall not extend below 1/2 of the ear.
b.
Female
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Uniforms, Equipment and
Personal Appearance
2.
3.
4.
Date
Section No.
112
Page No.
7
(1) All female personnel shall wear their hair neat, clean and
professional in appearance.
(2) Hair length will not interfere with one’s duties or responsibilities
as a law enforcement officer.
(3) Female Officers’ hair may not extend below the uniform collar
(Class A and B) and shall not extend below the lower portion of
the ear by braiding or securing it in a manner to meet the above
guidelines.
(4) Items used to secure or fasten the hair such as bands or bobby pins
must be concealed and blend with the hair color as much as
possible.
(5) To ensure proper wearing of the uniform hat or helmet, braids and
bangs should be concealed under the hat as much as possible.
Facial Hair
Beards are not permitted, a mustache can be worn but must be neat and
trimmed while not extending below the upper lip, or the corners of the
mouth.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics, if worn, shall be subdued and blended to match the natural skin
color.
Jewelry
The only jewelry permitted by uniformed personnel are watches, finger
rings, and chains if concealed under t-shirts. Females may wear earrings
that are stud type. Any visible body piercing (including tongue rings) will
be removed prior to reporting for duty.
__________________________
ADELL DOBEY, SHERIFF
V. Documentation