Do Non-Commissioned Officers (NSF) have law enforcement authority during off-duty hours?

Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) typically do not have law enforcement authority during off-duty hours. This is a standard practice across many military and law enforcement agencies, whereby an individual’s law enforcement powers are generally restricted to when they are on duty. When they are off duty, NCOs do not have the authority to actively enforce laws or regulations as they would while fulfilling their official responsibilities.

The rationale behind this limitation is to ensure that law enforcement duties are performed by individuals who are directly in a position of authority, trained, and under the obligations that come with being on duty. While NCOs may still have the ability to assist in emergencies or report incidents, their powers to act as law enforcement officers are curtailed when they are not officially on duty.