SOP Manual - Cleveland Fire Department

C. Weapon Security
Cleveland Fire Department
Operations Manual
a. All members will be required to secure Fire Department weapons in a safe and secure
area when not in service. Each member is issued a gun locking device for their issued
handgun for this purpose. The area selected to store and secure said weapons should be
considered reasonably safe to avoid accidental discharges or the tampering with firearms
from unauthorized personnel.
b. Members are expressly prohibited from loaning Fire Department weapons to anyone
without prior approval of the Fire Chief.
c. Members are prohibited from allowing anyone to fire a Fire Department weapon without
prior approval of the Fire Chief. This includes close friends and family members.
D. Standards for Qualification
1. Each member shall qualify at the firing range of the Cleveland Police Department or the
Bradley County Sheriff’s Department annually.
2. Each member must meet the minimum qualifications of the agencies listed above or they
will not be allowed to carry a firearm.
E. Unauthorized or Accidental Firearms Discharge
1. Unauthorized or accidental firearms discharge shall be reported to the Fire Chief
immediately. The unauthorized or accidental discharge of a weapon may be the subject of
an internal investigation and result in disciplinary action.
2. When an unauthorized or accidental discharge of a weapon occurs, the weapon shall be
inspected for malfunctions. If the discharge was the result of a malfunction, the weapon
shall be either repaired or replaced.
F. Ballistics Testing
1. In incidents involving use of force with a weapon, the firearm shall be taken from the
member. The weapon shall be forwarded to the Fire Chief for inspection and any
ballistics testing that may be required.
2. The Department may require ballistics testing of all Department issued weapons at any
time. Off-duty weapons that are owned by the officer may be inspected and ballistics
testing performed under the same requirements and procedures as Department owned
weapons, for the purpose of determining the safety or proper function of the weapon.
Effective: June 1, 1997 Revised: 5/14/2009 Page | 307
Approved by: Chief Chuck Atchley