personal cell phones agency use

Anyone else have a problem with how we are forced daily to use our personal cell phones for agency business?

Daily I am called by dispatchers, SAO, supervisors, witness management and other people on my personal cell for work related use.

They refuse to give us agency cell phones yet expect to use them like the county is footing the bill.

Now that they took the pagers away my agency related cell phone bill has doubled. When they told us to take our pager numbers out of the system I put my home number in the system and took my personal cell out.

I was told to put my personal cell number back in or face reprimand because the agency must be aware of all contact numbers (not only home number but cell as well).

Supervisors blow my phone up like it doesnt bother them because they are using the agency phone.

Now as I recall the agency implemented a plan some years ago stating those with agency cell phones had to pay the agency .25 per minute for personal calls.

What would be wrong with members charging the agency .25 per minute for agency related calls on our personal cell phone bills?

This is just a subject that has bothered me for some time but being told I have to put my personal cell phone in uniplex because the agency did away with pagers is not right. When 1200 minutes of my aloud 1400 minuntes a month is used for agency related issues I deserve compensation.

AM I THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE THAT FEELS THIS WAY?

I claim 100% of my cell phone bill on my taxes as a deduction every year. I get it all back. If I'm mandated to have a phone then the government can reimburse me 100% for it's use!

I typically do my job well and keep to myself, thus, not having very many reasons for supervisors to call me. I typically have more problems from the newbies on the shift calling me asking me questions. I have since told them to just cdpd/message me on the computer with their questions.

I typically do my job well and keep to myself, thus, not having very many reasons for supervisors to call me. I typically have more problems from the newbies on the shift calling me asking me questions. I have since told them to just cdpd/message me on the computer with their questions.

I'm a dispatcher not a deputy but we were also told we had to put our cell phones in HR screen. I don't agree we should be forced to as long as there's home number listed. My supervisors have my cell and can contact me if needed.

As for us having to call deputies on their cell, we do not like it either. I prefer just paging someone. I know that may seem impersonable, but most of the time I'm so busy that I don't have time to wait for someone to answer the phone, paging was much quicker. I'd only use the cell if no one answered from a page for s77.

A pager fits easier on a deputy's gun belt than a phone, which requires the purchase of a holder with a clip so it will attach. Besides, who wants to worry about losing their phone if your chasing someone. So it's probably left more often in the patrol car which means we probably won't reach you landline for s77.

If the s.o. is going to force deputies to use their personal cell and not issue a company one, then they should have to pay for the work related phone calls.

Bring back the pagers!!!! If Judd wants to save money, take away the laptops, radios and company vehicles from alot of these non-sworn members that don't need it.
:devil:

I dont like using my cell phone while working but though on a different note. I leave my phone in my car because I do not wish to break my phone, loose my phone, someone steal my phone, or have something else happen to it. Yes, I have insurance on my phone, but I personally do not care nor wish to fix my phone (and be without one for two weeks and depending on what needs to be done to fix it) on my off time. I work really hard during shift and I know that if it broke and I had to run to the store to fix it, my shift wouldnt like that because sometimes its longer to wait then the alloted time of my lunch.

But I also do not care for EVERYONE to have knowledge or access to my phone either, pagers were much smaller and was accomodatable (sic) on my other shoulder and out of my way. Being on night shift I get phone calls from the SAO and other members (sometimes) telling me about court and other reasons.

Maybe and hopefully this without a pager is a trial period. Hopefully we can get our pagers back before someone gets hurt in a crash responding to someone not answering the radio or from being in a 'dead' radio area. It would be such a senseless injury.

What's the big deal? I was very happy to turn in that $%#@# pager! I don't HAVE to answer my cell phone or even have the thing turned on. Claim it all on your taxes and get it back at tax time! Don't we have more important to be concerned about these days???

Thank you above poster! Allow me to give some of you some pointers that may make your life easier:

1)You don't HAVE to answer the cell phone.
2)Most all cell phones have caller ID nowdays so if you see it is someone you don't want to talk to... DON'T ANSWER IT!
3)Turn it off while you are sleeping or turn all notifications off so you can see the missed calls when you wake up.
4)Leave it in the car so you don't break it.
5)Listen to your radio while you are at work for when they call you (which you should do anyway).
6)If you are in a dead radio area (and you should know where these areas are), return to your car with in 2 minutes and give the dispatcher a S77 so they won't be sending the cavalry to you 10-18.

If we use some common sense and responsibility we can remove some of the stress in our lives. We can only control what we can control.

Be safe out there!

to above poster all that is true but there are some dead areas that have been reported for years and there are times you cant get back to your unit in 2 mins why cant the dead areas be fixed with a few more towers is it going to take another deputy getting killed to get a tower how much is your life worth :cop:

i think the point of the post is that most of the bosses now expect you to call them on a routine basis. there are some bosses that have learned to trust in those who can be trusted to handle business and leave them be. however most(especially dayshift) supervisors want an update on nearly every call and usually before you have time to get the information yourself.

the simple answer is this: don't call them when they ask you to. eventually they learn to stop asking. always offer to 10-55 as an alternative.

if they have a question,10-55 with them. the reason they typically want you to call is to keep themselves off monitored radio traffic. if it needs to be said,it can be heard by all.

never use a suspect's or witness' phone,either home or cell. if a boss absulutely needs to talk to you on a phone, they'll just have to wait till you can get to a COPS station or substation. That or send a reimbursement memo in for 50 cents for payphone use.

as for turning in pagers: i think its been long overdue. i agree that people need to pay attention to their radios. the in-car radios get out everywhere in the county,even polo park and bradley junction. i am thrilled to death that when i am off,i'm off. i'm no longer required to be "available" 24\7 with my little wireless leash.