4.4 Employee Evaluations

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Centreville Police Department
Title: Employee Evaluations Directive #: 4.4
Issued: 10.1.2016 Revised: 10.1.2016
Approved by: Charles M. Rhodes, Jr.
Chief of Police
A. Policy
Performance Appraisals will be completed on all CPD Employees by their Supervisor.
B. Definitions
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM:
• The system designed to evaluate the performance of CPD Personnel.
QUOTA:
• A performance expectation stated in strict numerical terms which ignores qualitative measures.
WORK:
• The performance of job tasks and duties which require the possession and exercise of police
powers.
D. Procedures
1. Applicability
All CPD Personnel are subject to and will have a work appraisal completed as outlined in this policy.
2. Performance Appraisal System
a. There is one performance appraisal period each year, beginning January 1 and ending December 31.
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b. The guideline contained in the Performance Appraisal System Handbook, will assist supervisors in
monitoring and appraising the job performance of Officers.
c. The factors and standards listed in the handbook constitute a master list of observable work
behaviors.
(1.) Supervisors will determine which job tasks and duties are applicable to a position when
completing the performance appraisal.
d. These guidelines provide a framework whereby Officers, Supervisors and Commanders will:
(1.) Develop performance expectations; and
(2.) measure individual performance during the appraisal period against predetermined expectations
for the position.
e. Expectations
(1.) A performance expectation is a statement indicating the acceptable level of performance for each
job task and duty for a specific position.
(a) The expectation is what task or duty is an officer must do and how well task or duty must be
done.
(b) When setting expectations, the supervisor will define acceptable performance for the position,
not the officer in the position.
f. Quotas
(1.) Quotas are unacceptable because they:
(a) are seldom reasonable or attainable;
(b) inhibit proactive patrol actions; and
(c) are counterproductive to achieving a balance of public safety activity.
(2.) Quotas will never be used by any supervisor, commander or the Chief when setting expectations
or when assessing an Officer’s performance.
g. Supervisors must recognize that external factors or events, over which the employee has no control,
can affect the employee's performance. External factors can be placed into one of five categories;
staffing, policies and procedures, workload, equipment and supplies, and budget. To the extent
possible, foreseeable external factors should be considered when establishing performance
expectations and when conducting the performance appraisal.
3. Officer Performance Appraisal
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a. The Officer Performance Appraisal provides a structured means of evaluating an Officer’s work
behaviors.
b. Instructions for completing the performance appraisal, as well as further information and specific
details about the performance appraisal are contained in the Performance Appraisal System
Handbook.
c. Supervisors will complete a Performance Appraisal for each subordinate and:
(1.) review the performance appraisal with the subordinate
(2.) allow the officer to make comments in the ‘Employee Comments’ section of the performance
appraisal
(3.) have the officer sign the performance appraisal
(4.) after reviewing the performance appraisal with the subordinate, discuss relevant, career-related
topics with the officer and provide guidance to him in support of his career goals.
(5.) submit the performance appraisal, through chain of command, to the Chief of Police.
4. Job Observation Report (JOR)
The Job Observation Report provides a structured means of documenting employee work behaviors and
supervisory communications.
5. Job Observation Record
The Job Observation Record is the supervisor’s log of each JOR, email, observation, letter of
commendation or complaint for the appraisal period. The Job Observation Record should be reviewed
monthly by the supervisor and subordinate to assist in early intervention of any undesirable performance
of the subordinate.
6. Personnel Counseling Record
a. Within their capabilities, supervisors are expected to formally counsel employees concerning job
related matters, and to remain aware that circumstances other than the job itself, including family or
other personal matters, may be having an impact on performance. Therefore, to effect any major
change, the cause of the unacceptable behavior or attitude must be determined and addressed. Note
that:
(1.) While normally, counseling takes place at the first line supervisory level, serious matters may
require counseling with the Lieutenant or Chief of Police.
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(2.) Supervisors should keep in mind and utilize other employees as counselors, when the other
employees have specialized areas of experience and expertise.
(3.) A variety of counseling resources are available outside the Department. Psychological resources
may be obtained through the Insurance Carrier.
b. Supervisors must let employees know how they are performing by discussing their work performance,
not only when performance evaluations are due, but on a regular basis.
c. Counseling and coaching will be employed by the rater whenever possible.
d. Counseling is a personal interview to help the employee understand and solve problems; coaching is a
personal job related discussion or demonstration conducted by the supervisor to aid the employee in
improving a subordinate's performance.
e. Whenever a supervisor documents a shortcoming, the affected employee will be allowed to comment
in writing on the Personnel Counseling Record. A copy will be supplied to the employee. The
counseling form will be sent to the Chief of Police, and will be maintained in the employee's
personnel file for two years. After two years, the employee may request that the counseling form be
removed.
f. Supervisors will be evaluated on the fairness and impartiality of their ratings and on the amount and
kind of guidance/counseling/ coaching given their subordinates.
g. Counseling and coaching is not a disciplinary action covered under the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill
of Rights. The Counseling Record is used to discuss and correct job problems and carries no punitive
action.
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