Training, Reports, and Off-the-Clock Work for Police Officers

ADKINS&PURKEY RESOURCE LIBRARY · SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

Describe the work precisely

The Department of Labor’s hours-worked guidance addresses work an employer suffers or permits, along with rules for training, travel, waiting, and other activities. Different rules can apply to different tasks. A required report completed after a shift presents a different question from a voluntary course taken for personal development. Record what you did, when, how long it took, who required or knew about it, and whether the time appeared in the system. Avoid estimating every day from memory when more reliable records exist.

Compare instructions with actual practice

Keep written instructions about approval, time entry, overtime limits, and deadlines for reports or training. If a supervisor expects completion outside scheduled hours, preserve the communication and accurately report the work through the available process. Do not deliberately understate time or create inflated entries. Counsel can review whether the activity counts, how the agency knew about it, and how the work period affects overtime. A rule requiring advance approval does not by itself resolve every question about work actually performed.

What to gather

• Keep a contemporaneous activity log with dates, duration, and instructions.
• Save training requirements, report deadlines, and overtime-approval policies.
• Compare actual work with submitted time records and payroll treatment.

Is all training outside a shift automatically unpaid?

No. Compensability depends on factors such as whether attendance is required and whether the activity is job-related, along with any applicable special rules. Review the actual course and instructions.