PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Office of School Safety

Directive #36

SUBJECT: OFFICERS CODE OF CONDUCT
School Police Officers, Long Term and Per-Diem Substitute Officers hereinafter, Officers,
shall conduct themselves in a professional manner that reflects a positive image of the
School District of Philadelphia and the Office of School Safety.
I.

POLICY
A.

II.

Officers represent the School District of Philadelphia and the Office
of School Safety. When in the presence of school children, the
public and School District employees, Officers are to adhere to the
guidelines of the Officers Code of Conduct and the District’s Policies
and Employee Code of Ethics.

PROHIBITED CONDUCT
A.

Contact with all students by officers shall be professional and within
the scope of their duties.

B.

Inappropriate touching of a student is deemed unacceptable behavior.

C.

Inappropriate use and distribution of information about a student and
communication with any student, by electronic devices and or
transmissions by email, cell phone, texting, sexting, instant
messaging, posting lewd pictures on social media websites such as
Facebook, My Space, Twitter or Blogs are prohibited by the School
District of Philadelphia and by the Office of School Safety.

D.

Touching, pinching, grabbing, brushing up against any students (male
or female) is prohibited.

E.

Sexually-oriented gestures, sounds or remarks are also prohibited.

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 F.

Officers are expected to be familiar with and refrain from the conduct
prohibited in Policy 103 4.1.1

4.1.1 All employees and students deal fairly and courteously with one another to
ensure an educational environment free of intimidation and harassment. Ethnic,
racist or sexist slurs or other personal derogation are offensive and unacceptable
behavior. Sexual harassment is also a form of unlawful and unacceptable sex
discrimination and includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors
and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
G.

III.

Officers are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the
District’s Code of Ethics.
1.

Avoiding Appearances of Impropriety Regarding Students
School District employees are entrusted with the physical and
emotional safety and well being of School District Students.
To justify and maintain this trust, School District employees
shall not engage in any conduct that is likely to create in the
minds of reasonable, impartial observers the perception that a
relationship or interaction with one or more students is
abusive, exploitative or otherwise improper. Dating
relationships between employees and students are improper
and are strictly prohibited.

2.

Student Records and Personnel Files
A School District employee must not use or disclose
confidential, private or sensitive information acquired in the
course of official duties relating to student performance and
records, personnel files or other District records except in the
proper performance of the employee’s job and in accordance
with existing law and school policy.

OFF-DUTY POLICE ACTIONS
A.

School Officers have no authority to act as in an official capacity
when off-duty. No off-duty conduct is sanctioned by the District. In
most off-duty situations, the best action an officer can take is to be a
good witness and call 9-1-1.

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 B.

For any off-duty police action, the off-duty officer will report his
actions to their immediate supervisor and to the Office School Safety
Dispatch, 215-400-6000. The Dispatcher will make the appropriate
notifications according to the officer’s current assignment. The
message will contain the officer’s name, assignment, badge number,
DC number, defendant’s name, and circumstances of the arrest or the
incident. An additional message will be sent to the commanding
officer of the involved officer’s assignment.

All Officers are subject to Disciplinary Procedure as stated in Directive #35.
Violations of the Office of School Safety Directives or Policy and Procedure will
result in due process in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and
applicable statutes.

02-23-11
Est. 03-07-11
JUNE 2015
BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF SAFETY EXECUTIVE
OFFICE of SCHOOL SAFETY
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