Off-Duty Liability – Another Blind Spot

A few years ago, when I was still an active chief, I was sitting in the audience of an important discussion.  Our State Municipal League discussed risk mitigation, liability, and the like. They asked the chiefs in the audience a question. We were told to “Raise your hand if you think that your officers are covered by workers’ compensation or liability insurance if something happens to them while working an off-duty job.” I was one of those chiefs that raised my hand. Many of us were under the impression that if we were wearing a uniform, we were protected by some level of comprehensive liability insurance. I was mistaken!

– Jessica Robledo, FBINAA Session #245; Retired Chief of Police, Pflugerville, TX