Duty Time
Duty Time provisions are found in Regulation 22 and Annex E of Police Regulations 2003.
Different provisions apply for members working full-time, on part-time arrangements, and/or on variable shifts. The following is a summary of duty time provisions for officers working full-time and on regulation eight hour or Variable Shift Arrangements (VSAs).
Duty Rosters
Duty rosters must set out members' rest days, free days, public holidays on which they are required to work and specific start and finish times of scheduled periods of duty for at least three months from when it comes into effect and must be published at least one month before they commence.
The roster should only be changed due to exigencies of duty. In terms of good practice, PNB Circular 10/1 states at paragraph 20 that "Subject to exigencies of duty any changes should be notified to officers one month in advance."
Normal Period of Duty
The normal daily period of duty (including an interval for refreshment of 45 minutes) is eight hours which, as far as exigencies of duty permit, will be performed in one tour.
Where a normal duty period is performed in more than one tour and the member does not travel to and from home between tours, the refreshment break should normally be included at the beginning or end of one of those tours. The refreshment break is not allowed when a member takes a half-day's annual leave.
Variable Shift Arrangements
Variable shift arrangements (VSAs) must provide for hours of duty equivalent to those of a member with a normal daily period of duty of eight hours and who receives a day's leave on each public holiday and two rest days per week.
A chief officer may announce that s/he intends to bring into operation variable shift arrangements for all, or a group of, constables and sergeants.
Before making the announcement the chief officer must consult the JBB and the members affected, allowing them at least 30 days to make representations and must take into account the likely effects of the new arrangements on their personal circumstances. The chief officer may only bring the arrangements into operation
Inspectors and Chief Inspectors Duty Time
The regulations do not require rosters to be published for full-time members of the rank of Inspector and Chief Inspector. Inspectors and Chief inspectors are not entitled to overtime allowances or public holiday/rest day working allowances.
Where an inspector or chief inspector has been prevented from taking a day's leave on a public holiday, or from taking two rest days in any week, within the next twelve months, subject to exigencies of duty, s/he should be granted a day's leave in lieu of any public holiday or rest day not taken.
Travelling Time Treated as Duty Federated Ranks
Travelling time between the member's home and his/her usual place of duty is generally not treated as duty time.
Where a member is required to perform the normal daily period of duty, or rostered shift, in more than one tour and travels home between tours, subject to any reasonable limit imposed by the chief officer the time occupied in travelling to and from home is treated as duty time.
When a member is recalled to duty between two tours of duty, or two rostered shifts, travelling time to and from home (as a consequence of the recall) also counts as Duty Time duty time, subject to any reasonable limit.
Where a member is held in reserve and is required to travel, other than during his/her normal daily period of duty or rostered shift, travelling to and from home is treated as duty time.
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