Florida Police Chiefs Association Update: Week Ending April 13, 2012
Apr 18, 2012
The following is an informational update on law enforcement news, events, legislative developments and meetings relating to the Florida Police Chiefs Association community for the week ending April 13, 2012. Click on the hyperlinks in bold type to access all information.
Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Florida Police Chiefs Association lobbyists, Colodny Fass.
NEWS
Law enforcement merger may save money, but will it protect state parks?
When state park visitors see law enforcement officers in the future, they’ll likely be state wildlife officers rather than Florida Department of Environmental Protection park police.
Florida Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Team Invites Public to Comment
Assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. will be visiting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on April 29 – May 2 to examine all aspects of the department’s policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services.
Stolen-cellphone database: Making phones useless to criminals
The largest wireless carriers are banding together with regulators and law enforcment officials to launch an effort to make stolen cellphones and other mobile devices as useless as an empty wallet.
Governor Rick Scott has proclaimed April 16-20, 2012, as Florida’s 11th Annual Environmental Crime Prevention Week to increase awareness of environmental crimes and stress the importance of reporting unlawful activities to the proper authorities.
Police Department launches new edition of trading cards
After more than a decade of anticipation, the Punta Gorda Police Department launched its third edition of trading cards Monday.
Proposed Vero Beach police reorganization would shuffle nine positions and eliminate assistant chief
The Vero Beach Police Department is poised to reorganize and revise the way it operates.
Florida A&M police chief Calvin Ross retires
The police chief at Florida A&M University is retiring less than a week after reports surfaced that the school failed to inform Tallahassee authorities of an off-campus hazing incident.
Lantana fires police chief after DUI arrest, citing 5 department violations
Lantana town officials took swift action in firing Police Chief Jeff Tyson less than 24 hours after his arrest in Boca Raton on charges of drunken driving and hit-and-run.
Standing alongside three council members and Mayor JoAnn Faiella, Port St. Lucie City Manager Greg Oravec ushered in a new era for the city’s Police Department.
Windermere seeking applicants for police chief job
Windermere is seeking candidates for police chief following the resignation of Chief Mike McCoy in February.
Associated Press wins Pulitzer for stories on New York Police Department spying
The Pulitzer Prizes are showcasing journalism’s power to shine a powerful light on the forgotten or unknown corners of people’s lives.
New York Times: Embarrassed by Bad Laws
A year ago, few people outside the world of state legislatures had heard of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a four-decade-old organization run by right-wing activists and financed by business leaders.
Ex-FBI official is new Puerto Rico police chief
A former FBI official has been sworn in as the new chief of police in Puerto Rico at a time of heightened concern about crime on the island.
REPORTS
2012 Florida Tax Watch: Turkey Watch Report
For the second year in a row, a surprisingly large number of member projects and other projects historically referred to as “turkeys” found their way into Florida’s Fiscal Year 2012-2013 state budget.
- Turkey List 2012
- Turkey List by Counties 2012
- How Florida Counties Compare
- How Does Your County Compare?
(an interactive website) - Report and Recommendations of the Florida TaxWatch Government Cost Savings Task Force for Fiscal Year 2012-13
This report examines the nature and extent of series victimization. It found that, while violent series victimizations have declined in number and proportion over time, the characteristics of these victimizations have exhibited little change. Violent series victimizations primarily consist of domestic violence, school violence, and work-related violence. Many series victims had difficulty recalling exactly how many times violent victimizations occurred within a 6-month reference period. The observed patterns of response clustering indicate that many victims provided estimates of the number of times the incidents occurred. Victim responses tended to be consistent when asked for a second time about the frequency of such victimizations.
The authors of this article used qualitative data from six representative drug courts to examine screening and admission processes in detail. Two distinct screening models were identified – the prosecutor as key initial gatekeeper in diversion drug courts and drug court staff as gatekeeper in postplea courts. Each had three stages – initial eligibility screening using formal eligibility criteria, evidence-based eligibility assessment incorporating clinical assessments and other screening, and judicial and client approval. Drug court admission is complex, with many decision points, gatekeepers, formal and informal criteria, and opportunities for rejection or refusal. The findings help explain drug courts’ low population penetration and suggest the importance of documenting admission processes to identify selection effects in evaluations and inform strategies to improve targeting and admissions.
This report presents information on developing effective educational programs for juvenile delinquents. It provides demographic data for all students served in dropout prevention programs. In addition, it describes the types of data indicators used to measure student outcomes in dropout prevention programs in each of the four major dropout prevention programs – educational alternatives, teenage parent, disciplinary, and educational services. During 2010-11, school district dropout prevention programs provided services to a total of 109,936 students. This figure includes all students reported as participating in a dropout prevention program at any time during the year. Of this total, 62% were male and 38% female, 39% were black, 30% white, 28% Hispanic, and 3% other. Although the majority of the students (71%) were enrolled in high school, 26% were enrolled in middle school, and 3% were enrolled in elementary school.
U.S. Department of Justice: Justice Assistance Grant Program, 2011
This report presents summary results of the Fiscal Year 2011 formula calculations for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. The total 2011 allocation was approximately $368.3 million, of which $359.4 million went to states and $8.9 million to territories and the District of Columbia. The five largest total state allocations included California ($41.1 million), Texas ($27.8 million), Florida ($24.8 million), New York ($19.7 million) and Illinois ($15.2 million). A total of 1,909 local governments were eligible for awards, either directly or through a joint allocation with other governments within their county. Three states had more than 100 local governments eligible to receive award funds either directly or through a joint allocation, including California (253), Florida (136) and Texas (120).
U.S. Government Accountability Office: FBI Counterterrorism: Vacancies Have Declined, but FBI Has Not Assessed the Long-Term Sustainability of Its Strategy for Addressing Vacancies
MEETINGS
May 9
Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council: The next Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Headquarters located at 2331 Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida.
May 7-10
Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission: Hilton Naples Florida Hotel, 5111 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, FL 34103
May 18
Cause Determination Hearings: 10 a.m. Click to view the Agenda. Hilton Ocala, 3600 SW 36th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34474
July 10-12
2012 Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Annual Training Symposium: Sawgrass Marriott, 1000 PGA TOUR Boulevard, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082. Toll-Free: 1-800-457-4653
Various
- Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute
- State Officer Certification Exam Review Schedule (click here for 2012 dates)
- Southeastern Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (SLEDS)
- Criminal Justice Standards Training Commission, Officer Certification and Officer Discipline Workshops