Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8.25
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Procedure
The airport configuration was northwind due to noise abatement procedures. NCT called me requesting ODO for an aircraft to the north to land RWY16L. I had no departures at the time; so I approved the request. Looking to the south; I saw two arrivals; one to each runway (34L and 34R). The approach controller asked if I could provide visual separation between the two aircraft landing on the parallels (the 34L arrival and the ODO to 16L). I had them in sight so I volunteered to provide visual.I looked at the distance between the two aircraft landing on the same runway and it was clear that the ODO arrival would be inside the cutoff point (15 miles) unless he was delay vectored (which I figured approach would probably do to make it work). However; they did not delay vector him and Aircraft Y was about 9 miles from the field when Aircraft X was crossing the threshold for 34R. At no point was IFR separation lost; or did I feel the aircraft came into an unsafe proximity to one another; but the required cutoff was not met.I see this a lot when running ODO; and I believe this is a case of rampant misapplication of the rules. These approach controllers seem to think that as long as the ODO aircraft is not 'established on final' within 15 miles they are good. So they bring the arrival in as usual and just left them blow through final for a mile or two and then once the first aircraft lands; they establish the ODO arrival on whatever distance final they may be on at the time. The wording; as I understand the rule is '15 miles from the airport'. That's not the same as a 15 mile final. This can be abused in this way; to basically not need to follow any of the requirements set forth in the National and Local ODO guidelines. I think if we are truly running these ODO rules for safety sake; we all need to be applying the rules the same. And I don't personally know who is applying them correctly; me or them.
SMF Local Controller reported of a violation of ODO (Opposite Direction Operation) policy. Aircraft were inside the 15 mile cutoff point. Reporter blamed the issue on NCT TRACON Controller for not following the policy.