Question 1

What is "Off Duty Service?"

Accepted Answer

The term “off-duty service” refers to police officers working private jobs when they’re not on-duty, serving their city, county or state. Many police officers work when they’re off duty as a means to supplement their income and continue building safer, stronger communities in their own backyards. Summit works with more than 1,400 law enforcement agencies and has over 60,000 officers in its nationwide network of law enforcement professionals.

A lot of people don’t know that police officers are available to hire for security, or how to go about setting up a program. Summit takes all the headache and hassle out of hiring off-duty officers by managing the process. Whether that’s an event venue or retailer who needs an elevated security solution, or a hospital in need of supplemental security staffing, Summit provides security services for a host of needs.

Question 2

How do you hire a police officer? Can I go to the agency myself for the service?

Accepted Answer

Working directly with the law enforcement agency is always an option. Most agencies appoint a coordinator to manage off duty; that’s who you need to contact with your request for off-duty services.

Doing it yourself can be very time consuming, however, so plan accordingly. In general, here’s what to expect:

1) Find the right officer for the task and location, coordinate their availability, and have a backup plan for call offs. Given the increasingly limited number of police officers available, finding officers through the police department can be a challenge.

2) After that, there’s onboarding paperwork (applications, tax and banking forms, liability release forms, etc.) for each officer supporting the business.

3) and billing (tracking hours, preparing and submitting invoices, making sure an officer is paid on time). Come tax season, the business will need to provide contractor tax forms to each officer.

Summit has an automated platform for managing this process and a network of over 60,000 officers from 1,400 law enforcement agencies to draw upon.

Question 3

Do off-duty officers cost more than security guards?

Accepted Answer

In most markets, yes, it costs more to hire an officer compared to a security guard. Though, that divide is becoming narrower given the staffing challenges of today’s market and the need to pay more to hire security guards. The data shows, police officers are more effective at deterring and stopping crime, but for low-risk security needs, guards may be an effective solution. Summit charges a low, flat hourly rate for managing off-duty programs for businesses. The rate depends on a few factors, including: notice for service booking, hours committed and whether or not the service is recurring.

Question 4

How can an officer protect my business?

Accepted Answer

Officers provide a full suite of security expertise, from traffic control to arrest. They also bring with them a calming comfort to employees and customers who may be feeling threatened or vulnerable.

Uniformed officers have a presence and authority that can stop a potential criminal in his/her tracks. They’re also skilled and trained in de-escalation techniques and able to prevent a tense situation from turning into a more serious threat to the business’s loyal customers and long-term reputation. Off-duty officers also offer a flexible solution to supplement traditional security teams.

Here are a few examples of how off-duty officers support businesses.
- One international telecom retailer virtually eliminated product theft by stationing an officer in its stores.
- A large hospital network is able to ensure all security posts are fulfilled with supplemental staffing from Summit.
- Off-duty officers can provide support in times of natural disaster, when local police are consumed with response.
- Officers can keep traffic flowing smoothly in congested areas such a manufacturing facility, events, construction sites and more.

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