What is a collateral duty?

A collateral duty refers to an additional responsibility or role that is assigned to an individual, particularly a division officer, without being part of their principal job within the division. This adds extra duties on top of the individual’s main responsibilities. These collateral duties are often important for the overall functioning of the unit, as they can cover areas such as training, safety, and administrative tasks that support the division’s objectives.

While other roles and tasks might involve additional duties or responsibilities, they do not capture the essence of what defines a collateral duty. Collateral duties are purposely designed to distribute responsibilities across personnel, ensuring that the key roles are supported and that individuals can contribute to different aspects of the organization as needed.