Hire an Off-Duty Officer

Hire an Off-Duty Officer

We allow employees who are commissioned Peace Officers to work in a Secondary Employment Off-Duty capacity in accordance with Odessa Police Department policies, state and local laws.

An OPD Officers primary responsibility while working in an off-duty capacity is the enforcement of State and Federal laws and city ordinances; to protect life and property and to keep the peace. OPD Officers are not permitted to enforce "house rules" (such as dress code, wrist bands, etc.) those are managed by the establishment. 

All requests for Off-Duty Officers are subject to approval, and we have the right to refuse any request. Due to our primary business needs, we cannot guarantee we will be able to fulfill your request. 

OPD makes every attempt to fill positions requested from individuals and businesses, however, we cannot guarantee that all positions and roles will be filled due to the unpredictability of our agency's activities. 

Officers engaged in a secondary employment job will not refuse to assist any citizen in need and can be called away from any secondary employment job if an emergency arises or at the direction of the on-duty Watch Commander. This decision can be made without notice and is often based upon significantly high emergency call volumes, major incidents, severe weather, or specialized team callouts (i.e., SWAT, EOD, etc.). The decision to recall Off-Duty Officers is not made lightly, but necessary for the safety of Citizens and Visitors to our city. Notice to recall Officers will be communicated to the business or event point of contact in a timely manner.

Current Rates 

The minimum compensation of Off-Duty Officers is $35.00 hr, paid via Cash or Check at the conclusion of the Officers shift (unless approved during the application and approval process). Officers are not permitted to negotiate additional rates or render services not outlined in the event approval.

Rates effective April 1st, 2022

Holiday Pay: Rate of pay if the event falls on a holiday recognized by the City of Odessa where City Offices are closed, will be 1.5 times the regular rate of pay. 

Cancellation

The business or event point of contact must notify the scheduling coordinator within 24 hours of an event cancellation. Failure to do so or if cancellations occur within 24 hours, full payment of the contracted time frame must be provided. 

Example: A business contracts an Off-Duty Officer and realizes they no longer need the services upon the Officer's arrival for the scheduled shift, the business cancels the officer. 

Result: The business must remit payment for the scheduled shift in its entirety due to lack of notice of cancellation. 

Example: A business cancels three days in advance of a scheduled shift, the business or event point of contact notifies the scheduling coordinator. No payment is required. 

Prohibited Off-Duty Employment

• Any employment that constitutes a threat to the status or dignity of the police as a professional occupation such as employment at establishments that sell pornographic materials or items of a sexual nature to include establishments that provide services of a sexual nature
• Any gambling establishment
• Any employment or business interest in private investigative work or investigative work for an insurance company or attorney
• Process server, bill collector, repossessing property, towing vehicles or other similar employment in which police authority might be used
• Personal Protection aka "Body Guard" 
• Any employment not pre-authorized by the Chief of Police or scheduled directly with an Officer. All Off-Duty requests for Officers of the Odessa Police Department must be approved in advance of the event. Officers are prohibited from obtaining outside employment without approval. 

Scheduling

To request Officers for a one-time event such as a wedding, church event, school event, car show, etc. please fill out our vendor agreement and submit the completed form to our scheduling coordinator. 

For ongoing events, or establishment security, such as a bar, shopping complex, apartment complex, or other location. Please fill out the off-duty event form and the scheduling coordinator will contact you to establish a scheduling portal through Off Duty Blue (www.offdutyblue.com) to manage staffing for your business. There is no cost to use this service.  

This list is not all-encompassing, final determination related to the acceptance of an Off-Duty contract will be determined by the Chief of Police or assigned designee. If your event or business has questions, please contact the scheduling coordinator.

Scheduling Self Registration

You can register for our online scheduling software by using the link below or complete a paper agreement and call or email the scheduling coordinator. Once received, please allow for at least 7-10 business days for the application to be reviewed for approval. If the event is short notice, please contact the Scheduling Coordinator. The Department reserves the right to deny applications if sufficient notice is not provided. 

Online: Off Duty Blue Self-Registration

Print Copy: Odessa PD Application to Hire Off Duty Law Enforcement