If you're looking to let the world know what political candidates you support, you might want to check your company's e-mail policy before firing off an endorsement using your work computer.

The City of Rapid City's policy prohibits employees from using public equipment and e-mail for personal use, something a member of the bargaining unit of the police union - the Fraternal Order of Police - had to be reminded of Wednesday morning after a city employee e-mailed a news release to the media announcing an endorsement of former police chief Craig Tieszen in his bid for the District 34 State Senate seat.

Mayor Alan Hanks said the issue was addressed quickly, and the employee was advised of the city's policy. Hanks said the person meant no harm, and Hanks doesn't expect it will happen again.

Hanks said that although the city has a "tremendously good working relationship" with the police union, "it would be inappropriate for anyone within the union to use city equipment or city time to endorse a candidate," Hanks said.

Nonunion employees also should not be using city phones or e-mail accounts to make political endorsements, Hanks said.

"They have every right to do that from home or outside of work, but it's inappropriate to use public equipment or public dollars to publicly endorse a candidate," he said.