DGO11.06 Personnel Transfers (Public Review Draft)

San Francisco Police Department GENERAL ORDER 11.06 (DRAFT)

This document is not an official representation of the published policy. This is a public review draft open for public comment.

Published: XX/XX/XX
Effective: XX/XX/XX

11.06.01 PURPOSE 

The purpose of this order is to establish transparent procedures on how personnel transfers are considered and processed within the San Francisco Police Department (Department).

11.06.02 DEFINITIONS

A. P-1 Transfer – A transfer of permanent assignment at the request of the member.

B. P-2 Transfer – A temporary transfer of assignment, for a five-year period, at the request of the member.

C. Transfer Survey – A time limited notification sent to eligible members by the Staff Services Division.

D. Transfer Request List – A waitlist of transfer requests for each available assignment, commonly referred to as the “P-1 List” or “P-2 List”.

E. Extended Loan Assignment – A temporary assignment to a unit.

11.06.03 POLICY

The Department will conduct personnel transfers in a transparent, impartial, and fair manner. In all cases, the authority for personnel transfers rests with the Chief of Police.

11.06.04 PROCEDURES

A. Transfer Request List

  1. Officers and Sergeants may have up to four (4) concurrent assignment requests on the Transfer Request List.
  2. Members must complete their rank’s probationary period before being added to the Transfer Request List.
  3. Only the following assignments are included on the Transfer Request List:
    1. Eligible P-1 Transfer Assignments:
      1. District Stations
      2. Airport Bureau
    2. Eligible P-2 Transfer Assignments:
      1. Solos (Traffic Company – Motorcycle)
      2. Hondas (Tactical Company – Motorbikes)
  4. The following units are no longer eligible for P-1 or P-2 assignments and will be filled using the extended loan process, as outlined in 11.06.05 Extended Loan Assignments:
    1. Property Division
    2. Range Staff
    3. City Canine Unit
    4. Airport Canine Unit
    5. Mounted Unit
    6. Bomb Squad
    7. All assignments not listed in 11.06.04 (A)(3).
    8. Units staffed at the discretion of the Chief of Police.
  5. The Hondas Transfer Request Lists will convert from P-1 to P-2 without any change to the names on the list or their current list seniority. For purposes of the P-2 five-year transfer requirement, members currently assigned to P-2 units will have a start date reset to the date this order takes effect.
  6. Members assigned to a P-2 unit may not have their name on the Transfer Request List for that same P-2 unit. A member must first be reassigned to a different unit before being eligible to place their name back on that unit’s P-2 Transfer Request List.
  7. Transfer requests remain active on the Transfer Request List until:
    1. The member is promoted to another rank and completes probation.
    2. The request is withdrawn by the member.
    3. The member declines or fails to respond to the transfer and is surpassed. (See 11.06.04 (B)(7) & 11.06.04 (B)(8))
    4. The member is transferred to the requested unit.
    5. The member separates from the Department.
    6. In certain situations, involving multiple surveys.
  8. Transfer requests will be added to the Transfer Request List based on the date the request was received.
  9. If multiple transfer requests for the same assignment are received on the same date, the following criteria shall be applied, in order, until the tie is resolved:
    1. Highest seniority in the rank (Civil Service Commission Rule 221.3.2).
    2. Social Security Number tie-breaking procedure. 

B. Transfer Survey

  1. For P-1 and P-2 assignments, members will be selected for transfer based on the seniority of their request, i.e., the member with the oldest request on file for the assignment will be selected first.
  2. Transfer surveys will be conducted electronically.
  3. Members shall have the survey period (up to 14 calendar days) to respond and return the transfer survey. Late responses will not be accepted. Members cannot change their responses once the survey period has closed.
  4. Transfer survey responses are valid for up to 90 calendar days, beginning the day after the survey response is due, or until another transfer survey is issued. A transfer survey is not a guarantee that a transfer will be made.
    1. If, during this time, the member becomes eligible to transfer to more than one of their requested assignments, the member’s highest ranked preference will be used. The lower preference assignments that the member was eligible to transfer to will be considered a “NO” response.
  5. A “YES/ACCEPT” response to a transfer survey indicates that the member wants to transfer. If their name is reached, the member will be transferred to their requested P-1 or P-2 assignment, and their name will be removed from that Transfer Request List. If their name is not reached, the member will remain on the list.
  6. A “NO/DECLINE” response means the member does not want to transfer. If their name is reached on the list and skipped, and someone with less seniority is instead transferred, the member’s name will be removed from that Transfer Request List.
  7. A member’s failure to respond to the transfer survey by the expiration date will be treated like a “NO/DECLINE” response.
  8. If a member works at least one shift during the survey response period, they will be considered notified. Transfer survey service will be verified electronically through email and audit trails.
  9. If a member was unable to receive their survey due to a work absence (such as vacations), the member will retain their position on the Transfer Request List until the next survey cycle, despite their non-response by the deadline.
  10. Some assignments have a testing requirement. If the member does not pass the testing requirements, they will remain on the Transfer Request List and can retest on the next cycle. If they fail a second time, they will be removed from the list. After removal, the member may submit a new transfer request for that assignment.

C. Ineligible Members

  1. Lieutenant rank and above cannot submit transfer requests and are subject to transfer by the Chief of Police at any time.
  2. Members who are less than full duty will not be eligible for transfer until they become full duty or by order of the Chief of Police.
    1. Members may change their transfer requests at any time, regardless of duty status.
    2. Members who are less than full duty during the survey response period will be issued an automatic waiver and will retain their positioning on the Transfer Request List.

11.06.05 EXTENDED LOAN ASSIGNMENTS

A. Eligible Assignments – All assignments not designated as P-1 or P-2 eligible or filled by the Chief’s discretion, are designated as extended loan assignments and will be filled through an application and interview process.

B. Application and Interview Process for Extended Loan Assignments

  1. Failure to submit applications within the stated timelines shall result in disqualification.
  2. If fewer than three (3) candidates apply for a position, the Department may repost the assignment to obtain a broader candidate pool.
  3. After all applicants complete the interview process, the Staff Services Division will compile a list of candidates. Applicants will be notified of their selection status at the conclusion of the process.

C. Transfer Into Extended Loan Assignments

  1. All transfers, as a result of an application and interview / selection process, will be noted as “Extended Loan” on the Personnel Order.
  2. Extended loans shall continue until termination is sought by either the member or the member’s Commanding Officer.

D. Transfer Out of Extended Loan Assignments

  1. If a member wishes to terminate their extended loan, they shall make that request via memorandum through their chain of command to their Commanding Officer.
  2. Commanding Officers wishing to transfer a member out of their units shall make that request via a memorandum through the chain of command to their Deputy Chief.
  3. Members on extended loans can accept a transfer out of the unit at any time.

E. Transfer Surveys While on Extended Loan Assignment

  1. Members on an extended loan assignment, unless otherwise stated, shall receive an automatic waiver and will retain their position on the Transfer Request List.
  2. A “YES” response from members on extended loan will indicate that the member desires to be transferred at that time.
  3. A “NO” response or non-response from members on extended loan will indicate that the member does not desire to be transferred. Should the member be surpassed on the list, they will retain their positioning on the Transfer Request List.

F. Units Needing to Fill Staff Vacancies

  1. Units should first obtain Deputy Chief approval to fill vacancies and forward the request to the Staff Services Division.
  2. The Staff Services Division manages the qualifications requirements, job posting, and the selection process.
  3. After interviews conclude, the Staff Services Division compiles a list of applicants and notifies applicants of their selection status.

11.06.06 UNITS STAFFED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE

A. The following units are staffed at the discretion of the Chief of Police:

  1. Chief’s Office Staff
  2. Police Commission Office
  3. Internal Affairs – Administration (IAD)
  4. Internal Affairs - Investigative Services Detail (ISD)
  5. Special Investigations Division – Mayor’s Detail

B. These units are staffed solely at the Chief of Police’s discretion and do not require applications, interviews, or job announcements.