UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT Section 1. Sworn employees of the Sheriff’s Office who are assigned to positions requiring a uniform shall receive Agency-provided uniforms and accessories in accordance with Agency policy at no cost to the employee. Uniforms worn out through normal use shall be replaced by the Sheriff’s Office as determined and approved by the supply staff. Section 2. Employees shall be permitted to purchase additional approved uniform pieces, excluding badges, from the Purchasing and Materials Division, provided sufficient quantities are on hand to cover the normal, required provision of uniforms to employees as per Section 1 above. Employees must pay for these items at the time of purchase or order. Section 3. Employees assigned to uniformed positions shall be eligible to receive a uniform maintenance allowance in the amount of $150 per year provided the employee spent at least 182 days of the calendar year in a uniform assignment. This allowance will be paid to all eligible employees in the last paycheck of the calendar year each December during the term of this Agreement. Section 4. The Sheriff’s Office shall issue body armor to employees and replace same in accordance with General Order 5-1. Section 5. In the event an employee leaves the employ of the Sheriff’s Office, he shall return to the Sheriff’s Office all equipment, uniforms and accessories, including those personally purchased by the employee in accordance with Section 2 above. Section 6. Employees whose prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or watches are lost, damaged, or destroyed in the line of duty, except in cases where employee negligence caused or contributed to same, will be reimbursed for repair or replacement subject to the criteria detailed below. The Sheriff’s Office shall not reimburse for any other personal property lost, damaged or destroyed in the line of duty. The maximum reimbursement for prescription eyeglasses or hearing aids is the actual cost to repair or replace the item or $150, whichever is less. The maximum reimbursement for contact lenses or watches is the actual cost to repair or replace the item or $50, whichever is less. Requests for reimbursement for the personal property shall be made in writing to the employee’s immediate supervisor during the work shift in which the article of personal property was lost, damaged or destroyed. Except in cases of loss or when an item is repairable, the item for which reimbursement is sought should be turned in along with the written request for reimbursement. To aid in establishing the amount to be reimbursed, the employee will be required to provide to the Sheriff’s Office the receipt for the repair or replacement prior to reimbursement which must be approved by the Sheriff or his designee.
