Upper Leacock Fire Company SOG's

Section 22    Code of Discipline
 

Below is a list of disciplinary actions that MAY be taken against a Fire Company Member for ANY violations of the Fire Company by-laws, standard operating guidelines, insubordination, or any other misconduct that disgraces the badge of the Fire Company;

- Verbal Warning

- Letter of Reprimand

- Suspensions from all Fire Company property and activities (10 day, 30 day, 60 day suspensions).

- Dismissal from membership

DEFINITIONS

- VERBAL WARNING- is when a Chief Officer, Fire Company President, or Board of Trustee Member verbally advises you in a private meeting of your violation of policy or misconduct. Nothing will be placed in your personnel file during this stage of disciplinary action, however the above-mentioned elected officials may document for their records of the verbal warning issued to you.

- LETTER OF REPRIMAND- is when a Chief Officer, Fire Company President, or Board of Trustee Member advises you verbally in a private meeting and in writing of your violation of policy or misconduct. The letter of reprimand SHALL document the exact violation or misconduct that you were involved in. The letter of reprimand SHALL be signed and dated by the interviewing elected official mentioned above AND the Fire Company Member involved. The letter of reprimand SHALL be filed in he personnel file of the member that has violated policy or engaged in misconduct. The elected official issuing the letter of reprimand MAY also keep a copy for his or her records.

- SUSPENSIONS FROM ALL FIRE COMPANY PROPERTY AND ACTIVITIES (10 DAY, 30 DAY, 60 DAY SUSPENSION)- is when the Fire Chief, Fire Company President, or Board of Trustee Member imposes a 10-day, 30 day, 60 day suspension from ALL Fire Company Property and ALL Fire Company Functions. These suspensions MAY be imposed against Fire Company Members who engage in serious violations of policy, repeated acts of misconduct or violations in policy, insubordination, or any other conduct, which disgraces the badge of the Fire Company. All suspensions SHALL be conducted during a private meeting with the accused Member and SHALL be documented and filed in his or her personnel file by the elected official mentioned above that is imposing the suspension.

- DISMISSAL FROM MEMBERSHIP- A Fire Company Member can be impeached from office or be terminated from membership of the Upper Leacock Fire Company for violating standard operating guidelines, insubordination, by-laws, or any other misconduct that disgraces the badge of the Fire Company, on the concurrence of two-thirds vote of the Members present at a Fire Company business meeting. The accused Member MUST be given due notice of the accusation and be given ample opportunity to make a defense. Fire Company Members on probation can be removed from membership by the Membership Committee and Board of Trustees for the following misconduct outlined above without a vote by the General Membership.

- REVIEW COMMITTEE- Is a group of Elected Officials and Members in Good Standing. The Review Committee will review every suspension imposed. The Review of the suspension WILL take place within 2-3 days of the action and be reviewed by no less than 5 members of this committee. Majority vote shall prevail. This Committee will also review the First Appeal of disciplinary action. The Committee will follow Section 14 of this Code for a first appeal. This committee shall consist of: The Elected Chiefs, Board of Trustees, The Fire Company President, The Fire Company Vice Presidents, and 4 Members in Good Standing elected by the membership at a regular business meeting will serve for a one year term.

- QUORUM- The minimum number of members who must be present for

Review committee to hold a meeting. Simple majority

The Fire Chief, Fire Company President, and Board of Trustee Members have the authority to impose any of the disciplinary actions mentioned above. The Fire Chief MAY authorize the Deputy Chief or Asst. Chief to impose disciplinary actions when needed in his absence or during the performance of their responsibilities.

The Fire Chief is expected to impose disciplinary action against Fire Company Members violating standard operating guidelines, insubordination, or misconduct pertaining to personnel issues. The Fire Company President and Board of Trustee Members are expected to impose disciplinary action against Fire Company Members violating the constitution, by-laws, and house rules.

The MOST SEVERE disciplinary action will be imposed against ANY Fire Company Member who engages in insubordination against a Fire Company Officer OR when a Fire Company Member engages in misconduct that causes bodily injury OR risk thereof to ANYONE.

The severity of disciplinary action against a Fire Company Member will depend on the following;

- Severity of misconduct

- Circumstances surrounding the misconduct

- Past history of misconduct

- Past disciplinary actions imposed

- Age and seniority of the accused

- Repeated acts of misconduct

- Defiance of prior warnings

- Demeanor of the accused

- Any others not mentioned above

Line Officers appointed by the Fire Chief may be demoted from their appointed positions at ANY time for insubordination, violations of the by-laws, house rules, constitution, and standard operating guidelines. Line Officers MAY also be demoted for failing to complete their responsibilities or misconduct that disgraces the Fire Company badge.

Any Fire Company Member that has charges pending and or is charged for a criminal offense of a MISDEMEANOR, or FELONY grading WILL be placed on suspension from Fire Company property and events pending action of the Review Committee, OR until the Fire Company Member is found to be guilty or not guilty of a criminal charge. Fire Company Members found guilty of a criminal charge MAY be brought before the Fire Company for membership dismissal or MAY just be brought up on disciplinary action for disgracing the Fire Company badge as outlined in the by-laws. Members found not guilty of the criminal charge brought against them WILL be permitted to return to an active status within the Fire Company. Summary traffic citations are exempt from this rule.

Disciplinary action MAY only be imposed against Fire Company Members when one or more circumstance are present;

- A written complaint of misconduct or violations of by-laws, constitution, house rules, standard operating guidelines, or insubordination has been filed with the proper authority and the complaint is investigated and found to be valid.

- An eyewitness account of a member’s misconduct is observed by the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Asst. Chief, Fire Company President, or Board of Trustees.

The Fire Chief, Fire Company President, or Board of Trustees should impose disciplinary action when a complaint is investigated and found to be valid.

ALL written complaints shall be filed with the Deputy Fire Chief or Chief Officer in charge of personnel issues. The Deputy Fire Chief or Chief Officer assigned to personnel receiving the complaint shall issue the complaint to the appropriate authority.

Any written complaints filed against the Fire Chief will be handled by the Fire Company Board of Trustees. The Fire Company Board of Trustees will handle any written complaints filed against the Fire Company President. The Fire Chief AND Fire Company President will handle any written complaint filed against a Board of Trustee Member.

ANY elected Fire Company Officer outlined in Rule #3has the right to acquire the services of an outside agency such as Law Enforcement or other during an investigation they are conducting involving a Members misconduct.

Fire Company Members MAY BE REQUIRED to turn in their pager, turnout gear, Fire Station key, and remove their blue warning light when a suspension has been imposed against them for misconduct.

Any Fire Company Member who feels that disciplinary action imposed against them is unfair or unjust is permitted to file a written appeal within 30 days of the date disciplinary action was imposed against them. The first appeal will be heard with the suspended in a private meeting before a quorum of the Upper Leacock Fire Company Review Committee. At the conclusion of that meeting the Review Committee, by 2/3 vote, may decide to dismiss the disciplinary action taken against the member that filed the appeal.

Any suspended Fire Company Member, who is not satisfied with the decision of the Review Committee, and still under suspension, is permitted to file a second appeal and have their case presented to the general membership at the next Fire Company Business Meeting. At that point in time, the general membership, by majority vote, will decide to uphold or dismiss the disciplinary action taken against the member that filed the appeal. This is the final appeal process and whatever conclusion is reached during this process is final.

 

Version 2.0

Approved by membership vote: 04/02/03

back to previous page

Page last edited: 03/12/06

© Upper Leacock Fire Company 2003