Police Schedules

[TheExpertish]

Never had to work a 5-8. Worked 12's and 10's. 12's suck. 10's are probably the best all around. 8's are easiest for working overtime for departments that have plenty of it.

Mine now works a hybrid 10 and 12 plan. Some shifts are on 10's and some are on 12's. Truth be told, we just don't have the bodies to cover every beat these days and not enough money to fill the empty ones with OT. Tell whoever is working on your schedule to put in an overlap. Especially with the swing and overnight shifts and try to get the overnight shift guys out no later than 7 AM. Watching the sun come up pretty much sucks. Driving home with the sun in your face doesnt make it easy either.

I've worked all three in the past. 8's usually turned into 10's with paperwork if allowed. 10's are the best. 12's suck. I'm sorry, but just something about those extra 2 hours that always kicked my ***.

[CaptMike]

4/10 for us. I have less cal outs, because folks use that extra day off during the week to take care of personal business. We have a 30 min overlap to allow for preparation at the beginning of shift and at the end of shift. We really like the 4/10. Nobody likes the 5/40 schedule.

[415dog!]

3/12.5 hrs shifts...1 payback a. Deployment

[Triad]

I work 4/10's and will never go back to 5/8's LOL.

Never had to work 12's

[DavidRSA]

When you guys have to work extra hours to complete paperwork, are you paid for that?

[Falconis]

I am. It's always nice when you get dispatched to a rape call an hour before you are suppose to hit off duty.

Why do you ask Dave?

[DavidRSA]

I am. It's always nice when you get dispatched to a rape call an hour before you are suppose to hit off duty.

Why do you ask Dave?

One of the departments I interviewed with said I must be prepared at times to work a 16 hour day but only be paid for 10.

[wilmamiller32]

I liked the 4-10.

[Falconis]

Yeah. something doesnt sound right about that department. they should compensate you somehow. even if it is time off on your friday to go home early or something to that effect.

There was an FTO once that never paid his rookies for overtime to write reports. it was one of his tests to see how bad the kid wanted the job among other things.

[cacop]

One of the departments I interviewed with said I must be prepared at times to work a 16 hour day but only be paid for 10.

Run very far away from that department. They are violating the law. They are violating it because it works out for them. The law doesn't work like that. You either follow it or you break it.

If you break it there better be a good reason like nuns were trapped in a van that was on fire and the only way to save them was to break the law.

[mej16489]

Run very far away from that department. They are violating the law. They are violating it because it works out for them. The law doesn't work like that. You either follow it or you break it.

If you break it there better be a good reason like nuns were trapped in a van that was on fire and the only way to save them was to break the law.

Is there some sort of a law which declares the LEOs must be paid 'per hours worked'? I've never seen it, but it wouldn't surprise me if some agency somewhere has truly 'salaried' officers/deputies

I get paid the same whether I work 1 or 100 hours in a week. I've never worked less then 40; average is likely somewhere between 50-55, 4-6 weeks a year in the 80-100+ range.

What laws would be broken if a LEO was hired in as salaried?

[Jonathan Doe]

I am paid on monthly salary, but when I work overtime, they convert my salary to houly rate and pay 1.5 times. Or, I save at 1.5 times for the overtime worked. It is FLSA rules, I guess.

[cacop]

Is there some sort of a law which declares the LEOs must be paid 'per hours worked'? I've never seen it, but it wouldn't surprise me if some agency somewhere has truly 'salaried' officers/deputies

I get paid the same whether I work 1 or 100 hours in a week. I've never worked less then 40; average is likely somewhere between 50-55, 4-6 weeks a year in the 80-100+ range.

What laws would be broken if a LEO was hired in as salaried?

FLSA. Look up exempt vs. non-exempt. During the Bush years they allowed some departments to make Sgts. exempt due to them doing a lot of managerial type duties. There are certain tests the city must pass to make people exempt.

Also keep in mind there is an exemption for public safety where cities can make you work 171 hours in a 4 week pay period before you get OT. and it has to be actual hours worked. Call in sick, vaca, holiday, etc don't count to the 171 hours. Our city used that as a stick to get us to reach an agreement by threatening imposing on us that exemption. We have it so that more than 10 hours in a day or 40 in a week (including sick, vaca, etc counts towards the total) equals OT.

[mej16489]

FLSA. Look up exempt vs. non-exempt. During the Bush years they allowed some departments to make Sgts. exempt due to them doing a lot of managerial type duties. There are certain tests the city must pass to make people exempt.

Also keep in mind there is an exemption for public safety where cities can make you work 171 hours in a 4 week pay period before you get OT. and it has to be actual hours worked. Call in sick, vaca, holiday, etc don't count to the 171 hours. Our city used that as a stick to get us to reach an agreement by threatening imposing on us that exemption. We have it so that more than 10 hours in a day or 40 in a week (including sick, vaca, etc counts towards the total) equals OT.

Ok - in this regard, the regulations actually mirror very closely the private sector with regard to exempt/non-exempt being the line in the sand. Where I suppose it differs is that 'patrol deputies' are essentially non-exempt whereas in the private sector the primarily independent nature of patrol could actually qualify for exempt status.

Non-Public Safety, I've seen scenarios for public employees where they are essentially salaried through 44 hours a week but get paid an hourly wage based on their salary for beyond 44 (including the 40 to 44 as hourly) This is paid at a 1x rate. This formula is extremely popular for Federal Contractor's who have exempt employees.

It seems kinda sad to me that it has to be so convoluted, but interesting nonetheless.