IA Investigations of Off Duty Conduct

Supervisors and internal affairs investigators are regularly tasked with investigating allegations of misconduct stemming from “off the clock” conduct by officers. These investigations can prove more difficult than investigations of on-duty conduct, as they often require investigators to look into intimate aspects of the personal lives of fellow members of the department. 

Furthermore, there is often hesitation or confusion on the part of agency leaders in taking disciplinary action in the face of officers’ contention that their private lives are not relevant to their professional obligations. But the essential role that IA investigations play in protecting the integrity of agency operations and maintaining the public trust does not end when an officer “clocks out.” In fact, a long history of court decisions clearly indicates that off-duty misconduct can lawfully provide the grounds for police discipline—up to and including termination.

In this two-hour webinar, Attorney Matt Dolan will address issues including:

• Avoiding the unlawful infringement of officers’ rights in conducting investigations of off-duty conduct
• Remembering the purpose of Conduct Unbecoming an Officer policies—back to basics
• Examining any potential nexus to on-duty activity when investigating off-duty conduct
• Investigating social media activity in light of its impact on agency operations
• Pro-actively training and instructing new officers on the kinds of off-duty conduct likely to trigger agency investigations