Florida Police Chiefs Association Update: Week Ending July 12, 2013
Jul 12, 2013
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 July 12, 2013. 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& Webb.
NEWS
Florida police chief ready for Zimmerman verdict
In a once-segregated Southern town where a shooting death last year ignited a dispute that polarized America, the new police chief has embraced a simple tactic. He calls it the “walk and talk.”
- New York Times: Police Chief in Sanford Tries to Ease Old Tensions
- Florida Police Urges Public To “Raise Your Voice, Not Your Hands“
- Scott Says Florida Law Enforcement Ready For Zimmerman Verdict
More than 150 Florida laws take effect, including slow-driver law
More than 150 new laws take effect in Florida beginning July 1st, including one that gives law enforcement the power to ticket drivers for going too slow.
Federal task force fights organized Florida retail theft
Federal and Florida law enforcement officials said Tuesday they are creating the nation’s first task force to tackle the growing problem of organized retail theft, which victimizes nearly every store nationwide and costs retailers some $30 billion in losses each year.
Tighter security coming for Florida prescription database
State health officials said Wednesday they were beefing up security of the statewide prescription drug database to protect patient information, a week after the American Civil Liberties Union said patients’ personal information was leaked.
Money for police training takes a hit as crime drops, Florida officers write fewer traffic tickets
As law enforcement agencies around the country are starting to recover from budget cuts in a struggling economy, Florida has found its dropping crime rate is partly responsible for a law enforcement training trust fund being at an all-time low.
Did Florida Accidentally Outlaw All Computers, Smart Phones With Internet Cafe Ban?
When Florida lawmakers recently voted to ban all Internet cafes, they worded the bill so poorly that they effectively outlawed every computer in the state, according to a recent lawsuit.
Justice Department finds Miami police used excessive force in shootings
For the first time ever, a federal judge will monitor the Miami Police Department to help prevent its officers from using excessive force after the U.S. Justice Department Tuesday found that several police-involved shootings were unjustified during a four-year period.
Law enforcement summit focuses on school safety
After a year that included one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, law enforcement officials from across North Florida gathered today to begin a two-day summit on school safety.
Florida Appeals Court Approves Weekly Check-Ins for Bay County Homeless Sex Offenders
In a case that may have ramifications beyond the Florida Panhandle, where it originated, a state appeals court Monday approved a Bay County Sheriff’s Office policy that requires homeless registered sex offenders to report by 10 a.m. each Monday about where, through a detailed log, they expect to spend the next seven nights
Melbourne Beach shuts down corruption inquiry
Residents rally for town manager, police chief at meeting
For months, Commissioner Gurecki has pursued investigations against Town Manager Bill Hoskovec and Police Chief Dan Duncan stemming from two ice-cream cart-related police reports written last summer.
More guns seized at Orlando International Airport than at any other Florida airport
OIA was 7th in U.S. last year
TSA officers have stopped more armed passengers trying to board flights at Orlando International Airport than at any other Florida airport, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Crime stoppers targets Southwest Florida’s worst of the worst
Crime Stoppers provides a valuable service by giving the Southwest Florida community a channel to report anonymously on crimes.
Boynton Beach police names interim chief
Boynton Beach police Lt. Jeffrey Katz has been named the city’s new interim police chief.
Bradenton Police Department Honored
The City of Bradenton Police Department was recently awarded the Rocky Pomerance Law Enforcement Excellence Award by the Florida Police Chiefs Association and Star & Shield Group.
Palm Bay Police Explorers among best in Florida
Palm Bay Police Explorers – a group of young adults, many of whom hope to someday work in law enforcement – is ranked second-best in the state after a competition last week.
Four South Florida Law Enforcement Officers Graduate FBI National Academy
Michael B Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Division, announces the graduation of four South Florida law enforcement officers from the FBI National Academy today at a ceremony held in Quantico, Virginia.
U.S. Postal Service Logging Mail For Law Enforcement
Leslie James Pickering noticed something odd in his mail last September: A handwritten card, apparently delivered by mistake, with instructions for postal workers to pay special attention to the letters and packages sent to his home.
REPORTS
This annual report examines crime occurring in school, as well as on the way to and from school by presenting data on crime at school from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals and the general population from an array of sources. There were 31 school associated violent deaths in the 2010-11 school year. In 2011, among students 12-18, there were about 1.2 million non-fatal victimizations at school, which include 684,600 victims of theft and 597,500 victims of violence. The crime victimization rate of students ages 12-18 at school increased from 35 victimizations per 1,000 students in 2010 to 49 victimizations per 1,000 students in 2011. In 2011, about 28% of 12- to 18-year-old students reported being bullied at school during the year. The percentage of students in grades 9-12 who reported that illegal drugs were offered, sold, or given to them decreased from 32% in 1995 to 26% in 2011. Between 1993 and 2011, the percentage of students who reported carrying a weapon on school property on at least one day declined from 12% to 5%. In 2011, about 77% of students ages 12-18 reported observing one or more security cameras at their school and 70% reported the presence of security guards or assigned police officers.
U.S. Department of Justice: Household Burglary, 1994-2011
The rate of household burglary decreased 56% from 1994 to 2011, from a peak of 63.4 victimizations per 1,000 U.S. households in 1994 to 27.6 victimizations per 1,000 households in 2011. From 1994 to 2011, the rate of completed burglary decreased by at least half across households headed by persons of all races and Hispanic origin. Among all completed burglaries, those involving the theft of an electronic device or household appliance increased from 28% in 2001 to 34% in 2011.
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics: Jails in Indian Country, 2012
This study presents findings from the 2012 Survey of Jails in Indian Country, an enumeration of 79 jails, confinement facilities, detention centers, and other correctional facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. At midyear 2012, a total of 2,364 inmates were confined in Indian country jails–a 5.6% increase from the 2,239 inmates confined at midyear 2011. The number of inmates admitted into Indian country jails during June 2012 (12,502) was more than five times the size of the average daily population (2,253). Fourteen jails held 51% of the total inmate population in Indian country at midyear 2012. For the 79 facilities operating in June 2012, the average expected length of stay at admission for inmates was five days. Nearly a third of inmates in Indian country jails were confined for a violent offense at midyear 2012. Domestic violence (15%) and aggravated or simple assault (9%) accounted for the largest percentage of violent offenders.
In 2010, there were 79,165 youth being held in 2,259 juvenile residential facilities in the United States. Since 1997, the number of juvenile offenders in residential placement has decreased by 32%. Key findings indicate that the population of juvenile offenders in custody has declined by one-third since 1997, the custody rate for black youth was more than 4.5 times the rate for white youth, and the custody rate for Hispanic youth was 1.8 times the rate for white youth. For the point-in-time count in 2010, Florida had 4,815 juvenile offenders in custody.
U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice: Review of Gun Safety Technologies
This review of current developments in firearms presents integrated safety technologies – firearms known by terms such as smart guns, user-authorized handguns, childproof guns, and personalized firearms. These firearms incorporate components that only permit an authorized user or group of users to fire the gun thus reducing the chances of accidental or purposeful use by an unauthorized user. The author notes the information presented is not an endorsement or disparagement of any particular technology, developer, patent, company, or approach; nor should it be construed with other conversations concerning firearms outside of the perspective of gun safety technology.
This report provides a blueprint for local and state policymakers and practitioners to implement best practices in providing effective family drug court (FDC) services. Well-functioning FDCs bring together substance abuse treatment (in lieu of incarceration), mental health, and social services agencies with the court and attorneys to meet the diverse needs of high-risk families in which parental substance use disorders contribute to child maltreatment. The document provides guidance for implementing an FDC, including the development of FDC partnerships and a common vocabulary for describing FDC components, with a focus on improving services to families who are involved with the child welfare system and are affected by substance use disorders.
Vera Institute: Measuring Success — A Guide to Becoming an Evidence-Based Practice
Demonstrating that a program accomplishes its stated goals is increasingly important for social service organizations; funders and clients want to see the evidence of successful outcomes. Although a full-scale evaluation can be a costly and overwhelming goal, adopting the information-gathering and self-reflective approaches that lead up to an evaluation can strengthen an agency’s focus and procedural consistency. This guide describes the process that assesses whether a program qualifies as evidence-based, which often determines an organization’s funding and the growth of its client pool and explains how programs can prepare to be evaluated.
REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission
Rule 11B-27.002: Certification, Employment or Appointment, Reactivation, and Terminating Employment or Appointment of Officers
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, on June 14, 2013, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission received a petition for a permanent waiver of subsection 11B-27.002(4), F.A.C., by Jose Jimenez. The Rule requires candidates to become employed within four years of beginning a basic recruit training course. The Petitioner wishes to add enough time to the four years for Hialeah Gardens Police Department to process his application for employment as a law enforcement officer. Petitioner is currently employed as a certified correctional officer. The Petitioner began law enforcement basic recruit training on February 23, 2009, and his four years to gain employment in law enforcement expired February 23, 2013. The Petitioner asserts that he has finally begun processing to become employed as a reserve law enforcement officer with Hialeah Gardens Police Department and he wishes to have additional time to complete the process to become employed.
To view the complete Notice, click here.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, on June 14, 2013, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission received a petition for a temporary emergency waiver of paragraphs 11B-27.002(4)(a), (b) F.A.C., by Justin Tolbert. The rule requires candidates to become employed within four years of beginning a basic recruit training course. The Petitioner began basic recruit training on August 3, 2009, and his four years to gain employment in law enforcement expires August 3, 2013. The Petitioner has completed the background verification and other aspects of the hiring process with Greenacres Public Safety Department. He is on the eligible to hire list for law enforcement employment with the City before April of 2014. The Petitioner wishes to have additional time to become employed and petitions for a waiver of the rule until August 3, 2014.
To view the complete Notice, click here.
Rule 11B-18.005 Establishment of Regional Training Councils
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on June 14, 2013, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training, received a petition for a permanent waiver of paragraphs 11B-18.005(5)(b), (d), F.A.C., by Linda Wood, Broward College, and Region XIII Training Council. The rule requires training councils to be comprised of a specific number and type of members with limitations on how many voting members an agency may have on the council. The Petitioner wishes to waive that portion of the rule requiring a certain composition of the council and limiting the number of voting members an agency may have on the council. The Petitioner states that Broward Sheriff’s Office conducts most of the duties associated with the council members for the council area. Broward Sheriff’s Office, therefore, must be permitted to have more than two voting members on the council because it performs nearly all of the functions required of members of the council.
To view the complete Notice, click here.
Meetings
July 18
Florida Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys public teleconference.
DATE AND TIME: July 18, 2013, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
PLACE: Toll Free Dial in Number: 1 (888) 670-3525; Conference Code: 1937102943
GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: The Council shall make a systematic study of the conditions affecting black men and boys, including, but not limited to, homicide rates, arrest and incarceration rate, poverty, violence, drug abuse, death rates, disparate annual income levels, school performance in all grade levels including postsecondary levels, and health issues.
The following Council meetings previously scheduled in Fort Myers, Florida, have been cancelled:
- Executive & Business Meeting (July 18-19, 2013, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.)
- Public Forum (July 18, 2013, 6:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m.)
- Business Meeting (July 19, 2013, 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m.)
July 23
The Florida Department of Management Services’ Division of Communications will hold a public workshop to capture and document the long-term user needs of the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) from the Law Enforcement Community.
DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, July 23, 2013, 9:30 a.m.
PLACE: CCOC- Betty Easley Center, Room 166, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399
A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Debi Smith at (850)922-7435 or email at debi.smith@dms.myflorida.com.
July 24
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Health Facility and Agency Licensing will hold a hearing on Rule 59A-35.090 Background Screening; Prohibited Offenses
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Rule 59A-35.090, Florida Administrative Code, is undergoing a proposed rule that will amend language on how fingerprint background screenings are processed and submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement due to recently passed legislation. The amended rule language will also repeal all Level I background screening language as it is no longer required. The Rule amendments would make changes to the way background screenings are processed and submitted to Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the repeal of all Level I background screening language. AHCA Form #3100-0008, October 2009 and AHCA Form #3110-0019, October 2009 are updated to reflect current legislation.
DATE AND TIME: July 24, 2013, 9:00 a.m., EST
PLACE: Agency for Healthcare Administration, 2727 Mahan Drive, Building #3, Conference Room B, Tallahassee, FL 32308
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Bob Reifinger, Bureau of Central Services, 2727 Mahan Drive, MS#40, Tallahassee, Florida, (850)412-4527. email: Robert.reifinger@ahca.myflorida.com
To view the complete hearing notice and full text of the proposed Rule, click here.
August 1
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Region XIV Trust Fund Advisory Council public meeting.
DATE AND TIME: August 1, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
PLACE: Miami Dade College, North Campus, Room 9118.
GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: Discussion of Region XIV Reports and other Region XIV business matters.
A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Maevis Pierre, Interim, Region XIV Secretary O., (305)237-1329, email: mpierre6@mdc.edu.
August 6
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission announces public meetings on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 at 8:30 a.m.
- Training Center Director Board Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
- Training Center Director Basic Recruit Committee Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
- Training Center Director Officer Wellness Committee Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
- Training Center Director Advanced Training Committee Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 3:00 p.m.
- Training Center Director Rules Committee Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 3:00 p.m.
- Training Center Director Technology Committee Meeting, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 3:00 p.m.
- Training Center Director Open Forum, Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 4:00 p.m.
- Training Center Directors Association Business Meeting, Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 8:30 a.m.
- Probable Cause Determination Hearings, Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
- Workshop: Introduction of the 2014 Law Enforcement Basic Recruit Training Program, Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
- Regional Criminal Justice Selection Center Directors Association, Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
- Commission Workshop: Review of Trust Fund Revenue Initiatives, Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 2:30 p.m.
- Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Business Meeting, Thursday, August 8, 2013, 8:00 a.m.
- Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Officer Discipline Hearings, Thursday, August 8, 2013, 9:30 a.m.
PLACE: Sawgrass Marriott, 1000 PGA Tour Boulevard, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082 (for reservation information, click here)
GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: The above meetings are held to discuss issues relating to standards, training, examinations, certification, de-certification, record management for law enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation officers, Commission rules, officer discipline penalty guidelines, and certification and recertification of criminal justice training schools. The Commission packet will be posted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Web site by July 23, 2013.
A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Donna Hunt at (850)410-8615 or email at donnahunt@fdle.state.fl.us if you have questions about the above meetings. If you have questions about the Officer Discipline Agenda, please contact Lori Morea at (850)410-8625 or e-mail at lorimorea@fdle.state.fl.us. If you have questions about hotel accommodations, please contact Cheryl Taylor at (850)410-8657 or email at cheryltaylor@fdle.state.fl.us. The Commission packet can be viewed or downloaded after July 23, 2013, at: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/getdoc/91a75023-5a74-40ef-814d-8e7e5b622d4d/CJSTC-Home-Page.aspx.
August 19-23
The Florida Police Chiefs Association, in cooperation with the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, has scheduled an Advanced Future Law Enforcement Executives Seminar from August 19 – 23, 2013, at the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista in Orlando, Florida. This training is structured as a sequel course for graduates of the FPCA/FCJEI’s Future LE Executives Seminar or for those who have been in a command position for three or more years. For more information, click here.
August 22
The Region XII Training Council announces a public meeting on Florida Department of Law Enforcement Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission updates: Palm Beach State College/Criminal Justice Institute Assessment Center Updates; Region XII budget approval and any other business.
DATE AND TIME: August 22, 2013, 8:45 a.m.
PLACE: Clayton Hutchison Agricultural Center, Exhibit Hall “A,” 559 Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL
A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Sue Voccola at (561) 868-3403.
September 16-20
The Florida Police Chiefs Association, in cooperation with the Florida Criminal Justice Institute, has scheduled a Future Law Enforcement Executives Seminar from September 16 – 20, 2013, at the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista, 8100 Lake Street in Orlando, Florida. For more information, click here.