(A) Except as set forth in subsection (B), all employees of the City of Palm Bay shall be issued a security card from the Human Resources Department.
(1) The security card shall, at a minimum, depict on the front of the card an accurate picture of the employee, state the employee's first name, state the employee's job title and identify the bearer as an employee of the City.
(2) The security card shall depict, on either the front or the back, the employee's full name, the employee's date of hire, and the employee's assigned department.
(3) The back of every City issued security card shall read: "UNAUTHORIZED POSSESSION OF THIS CARD IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE PURSUANT TO ORD. CHAPTER 98." The back of every City-issued security card shall also read: "IF FOUND, DROP IN THE NEAREST MAIL BOX. POSTMASTER, POSTAGE GUARANTEED. PLEASE DELIVER TO: CITY HALL, 120 MALABAR ROAD SE, PALM BAY, FL 32907."
(B) Any department within the City which issues its own identification card, approved by the Department Director and the City Manager, may substitute its own identification card in lieu of the security card issued by the Human Resources Department. The department issued identification must meet the minimum requirements set forth in subsections (A)(2) through (A)(3).
(C) Reference to a "security card" within this Chapter shall apply equally whether the employee possesses a City issued security card from the Human Resources Department or an identification card issued by his or her department. Where the term "identification card" is used in this Chapter, it shall equally apply to the City issued security card.
(D) Except as set forth herein, every employee shall display his or her City issued security card at all times while on-duty or on City property.
(1) Any employee who is issued an official metal or embroidered City badge (police officers, firefighters, fire inspectors, code compliance officers, V-COPS, building inspectors, or parking enforcement specialists) may display his or her official City badge in lieu of the City issued security card;
(2) Any sworn law enforcement officer who is engaged in an assignment where the display of an official identification would be counterproductive, unsafe, or undermine the officer's assignment, as determined by the Chief of Police, shall not be required to display his or her security card or badge;
(3) Any certified firefighter who is responding to, or engaged in, an emergency call for service and who is wearing bunker gear shall not be required to display his or her security card or badge;
(4) Each Department Director may establish for his or her respective department a policy identifying specific job assignments where the wearing of a security card poses an unusual risk of harm.
(a) Prior to implementation, the individual Department policy shall be reviewed and approved by the City's Risk Manager.
(b) The exceptions to the wearing of a security card in the individual Department policy shall be narrowly tailored to avoid the specific hazard and the security card shall be worn at all other times.
(c) The exception in the individual Department policy shall only be allowed where the employee is wearing a uniform that clearly and distinctly displays the City of Palm Bay logo or name and the employee's name and department.
(5) Except as set forth in subsection (D)(2), an employee who falls under any exception listed herein shall have his or her security card in his or her possession at all times while on-duty.
(6) An employee who is off-duty, but on City property for a purely personal reason unrelated to his or her employment, and only located within areas open to the general public (i.e., in a City park on a Saturday with his or her family) shall not be required to display or carry his or her City issued security card.
(E) An employee shall have the City issued security card attached to his or her person, located on the front-side of such employee at the beltline or above, with the front of the card plainly visible. The employee shall not hide the card or otherwise make it less than plainly visible at any time, especially when a citizen is attempting to see the picture and information contained thereupon.
(F) Failure to comply with this Chapter by an employee shall not constitute a criminal offense. Habitual failure to comply may be dealt with as a disciplinary matter by the employee's supervisor.
(Ord. 2008-48, passed 6-21-07)