No Extra Pay for Chicago SWAT Unit Members Who Take Gear Home

Chicago SWAT Unit members who take their gear home aren’t entitled to be paid for the time they spend loading, unloading and storing it, the Northern District of Illinois said.

Although having the gear at home promotes readiness if a team member is called out for an emergency incident, it isn’t an integral or indispensable part of their duties, the opinion by Judge Charles P. Kocoras of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois said.

The SWAT Unit provides a tactical response to critical incidents that are beyond the capabilities of a normal police response.

Unit members ...