Roll Call

Policy & Procedures                 No. 4.15
                                  Subject:
                   Roll Call
                                  Issuing Authority:                                       Effective Date:   Review Date:
                     Chief of Police                    10/01/2010  07/02/2023
                                                                                 References:

 Review
 Revision   01/01/2014
 Reissued   12/19/2016
 Dates:     10/15/2018
            5/06/2020

CALEA STANDARDS
41.1.1  42.2.6
41.1.2  33.5.2
1.3.9
12.1.4

             GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES

      The main purpose of Roll Call is to ensure an effective means of communication between
officers assigned to a shift and their immediate supervisors. In addition, Roll Call is utilized as a
training device; to disseminate information, directives, and documents.  It is also a means of
inspecting the dress and equipment of officers and a means to encourage constructive feedback
from personnel regarding department policy and activity. 41.1.2

      The primary method of disseminating roll call information is through a daily log that
emanates from the Station Officer. 41.1.2

     When possible, each log entry must contain as much information about the call as
possible such as the caller’s name and call back number as well as the involved party’s name and
call back number.

       Station Officers, Supervisors, and Detectives shall place the following items, incidents,
and information in the Daily Log. This list is not all-inclusive.

                1.     All vehicles stolen/recovered in Canton (include make, color, registration
                   number, and location stolen/recovered from);

              Canton Police Department’s Roll Call Policy                     Page 1

2.     All Canton housebreaks or other B&E’s or attempted breaks (include
                     exact location, name of victim, and any other info which could benefit
                        officers regarding the incident);

                3.     All information available regarding armed or unarmed robberies
                   committed in Canton;

                4.    Alarm responses;

                5.     Missing persons (include pertinent information);

                6.     Disputes including both physical and verbal;

                7.     General or specific information regarding suspected or alleged criminal
                        activity at locations or by individuals;

                8.    Any other information or crime reports which would assist officers in the
                    performance of their duties or is of particular interest to members of the
                    Department;

                9.      Notification that particular vehicles or equipment are out of service;

              10.    Identifying any actual or potential hazards such as disabled motor
                       vehicles, roadway construction or damage, or other hazardous situations
                      requiring prior knowledge.

              11. Officers calling out sick;

              12. Assistance provided by officers working a paid detail;

              13. Calls for medical assistance including sudden deaths;

              14. Youths gathering

                       PROCEDURES

                                                                         41.1.2
I.     Roll Call shall be held daily in the Roll Call Room of the Police Station promptly at the
       beginning of each shift. All officers and detectives assigned to that shift shall be required
        to attend unless so excused by the Shift Supervisor or other superior officer, for duty or
       other explicable reasons. 43.1.3; 42.2.6

       All patrol officers are required to be dressed and ready to respond to calls during roll call
       thus insuring continuous patrol coverage. 41.1.1

      There will be appropriate shift coverage 24 hours a day/7 days a week, regardless of
       holidays. This will be supported by a daily patrol shift schedule. 41.1.1

              Canton Police Department’s Roll Call Policy                     Page 2

II.    The Shift Supervisor shall conduct Roll Call. If there is no Shift Supervisor on duty or
        available, it shall be the responsibility of the on-duty Lieutenant to conduct a brief Roll
       Call in the Roll Call Room. Roll Call should last no more than 10-15 minutes; as much
       time is necessary to pass along the necessary information. 41.1.2

III.     It shall be the responsibility of officers attending Roll Call to write in their notebooks any
       information disseminated at these sessions which pertains to their individual or shift
        duties.

IV.   Summonses, restraining orders and any other legal documents needing to be served shall
      be given out at Roll Call. In addition, all warrants and restraining orders issued by the
       courts will be mentioned when possible.  41.1.2

V.     Items of special interest such as: changes in the law; composites or photos of law
       breakers or suspected law breakers; notices from outside agencies regarding crimes or
       criminal activity; and other pertinent documents from any source, shall be put on the roll
        call clip board for review. These items shall be read and discussed by the Shift Supervisor
      and made available for officers to peruse or copy.  41.1.2

VI.   The Shift Supervisor, according to the procedures of the Written Directives system, shall
       review with the officers all written directives that are signed or approved by the Chief of
        Police. These written directives shall be read and discussed by Shift Supervisors when
       they are posted.  If there are any questions or clarifications needed, it shall be the Shift
       Supervisor’s responsibility to obtain the information required for this clarification and to
       inform his/her subordinates at the next Roll Call session for his/her shift. 41.1.2

VII.   All Shift Supervisors shall encourage and be positive to constructive feedback from
        officers assigned to their shift regarding any situations, activity, or misunderstandings
        that are pertinent to the performance of their duties. Shift Supervisors shall attempt to
        clarify, answer, or seek solutions to these problems either directly or through the chain of
      command.

VIII. When any officer misses Roll Call for duty or other explicable reasons, it shall be his/her
        responsibility to obtain the daily log and make proper note of all information pertinent to
       the performance of his/her duties. This is to be done prior to assuming or resuming patrol.

IX.    Following days off, vacations, sickness, or other absences from duty, it shall be the
        responsibility of all officers to review the daily log from the days he/she was absent from
       duty, and to make proper note of all information pertinent to the performance of duties.

X.    At Roll Call, it shall be the responsibility of the Shift Supervisor to conduct informal
        visual inspections of the uniforms and equipment of the officers attending. Special
        attention should be given to neatness, cleanliness and overall uniformity.
    NO WEAPONS WILL BE INSPECTED IN THE ROLL CALL ROOM.
     When necessary, weapons are only to be inspected at locations within the station where
       the safety of others will not be jeopardized.  1.3.9

              Canton Police Department’s Roll Call Policy                     Page 3

XI.   Each month, a training email will be sent to all officers from the department’s
          Defensive Tactics Instructor. These emails, labeled “The Commanders Quarters”,
            will contain helpful tips on defensive tactics, use of force and various other police
            related topics. A different topic will be highlighted each month. The DT Instructor,
        who is a supervisor, will then conduct briefings and short trainings on the monthly
           topic at each roll call, as well as before and after roll call, to ensure the information is
           received by all officers. Training will be delivered through the use of videos, hand-
           outs and hands-on training, to name a few. The DT Instructor will document each
            training. 33.5.2

Lack of 24-hour Coverage:

In the event that the Canton Police Department cannot provide 24-hour shift coverage, our
agency has a working memorandum of understanding (MOU) with neighboring communities to
allow for assistance in providing concurrent jurisdictional coverage. 41.1.1

              Canton Police Department’s Roll Call Policy                     Page 4