STAFF MANAGEMENT 1: Maintaining professional distance

Question 1

Maintaining professional distance policy.

Under this policy, what are the 3 things expected of Employees?

Answer 1

1. Maintain professional distance from those we deal with in our work.
2. Manage personal relationships where conflict of interest or imbalance of power arise.
3. Declare to supervisor. Avoid unethical or inappropriate relationships.

Question 2

Maintaining professional distance policy.

Maintaining professional distance policy relates to what?

Answer 2

The formation of consensual personal relationships (sexual or otherwise) and applies to ALL police employees.

Question 3

Maintaining professional distance policy.

Under this policy - What is a ‘professional’ relationship?

Answer 3

A relationship that has arisen out of the employee’s work duties. Includes relationship between: 2 police employees, employee and member of public employee and associate employee, and contractor and others

Question 4

Maintaining professional distance policy.

Professional Distance Guidelines: Professional relationships we develop with members of the public may be unequal due to what reasons? (3)

Answer 4

1. Members of the public required to disclose personal/private info, which is not reciprocated.
2. Ability and power held by us to be decision-maker.
3. A member of the Public being vulnerable due to circumstances.

Question 5

Maintaining professional distance policy.

Professional Distance Guidelines: What list of people must you avoid forming personal relationships with, in particular sexual relationships while you are dealing with them in a professional capacity? As they are considered unethical? (7)​

Answer 5

1. Offenders.
2. Victims.
3. Witnesses and their families.
4. Informants.
5. Vulnerable persons where a duty of care exists.
6. Any person in Custody.
7. Complainants.

Question 6

Maintaining professional distance policy.

Your responsibilities: If a police employee intends to enter into or is in a personal relationship with another employee, or a member of public that may be considered unethical or inappropriate, unequal or is an actual or potential conflict if interest they must report it to their Supervisor asap. What then must the Supervisor do? (1)

Answer 6

Assess whether or not steps can be taken to put in place safeguards to manage any conflict of interest or power imbalance.