Florida Police Chiefs Association Update: Week Ending October 5, 2012
Oct 9, 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 October 5, 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
Republican police, fire leaders oppose GOP attempt to oust justices
The Republican leaders in two police and firefighter unions warned Monday that their party’s attempt to oust three of Florida’s sitting Supreme Court justices is a “chilling” development that could lead to trouble for law enforcement.
New group pushing Florida criminal justice overhaul
A diverse group of organizations is pushing for changes in Florida’s criminal justice system.
Cost of Florida’s death row easily exceeds $1 million per inmate, investigation shows
As convicted killer Steven Hayward of Fort Pierce enters his fifth year on Florida’s death row – one of 16 Treasure Coast men sentenced to die for their crimes – a decades-old debate rages over whether it takes too long and costs too much to legally challenge his capital punishment before he’s executed.
Florida’s new child abuse reporting law among nation’s toughest
Florida’s new child-abuse-reporting law, passed in the wake of the Penn State scandal, is being called the nation’s toughest, and its penalties could have wide-ranging consequences for both universities and ordinary citizens.
Ex-airport police chief sentenced for gun thefts
The former chief of police at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport has pleaded no contest to charges of stealing weapons from a Panhandle sheriff’s office.
Oak Forest Police Chief Anderson Competes for Florida Job
Floridians Friday will have a chance to meet Oak Forest Police Chief Greg Anderson, in addition to the four other candidates in the running for Sarasota police chief.
Rockledge police chief stepping down
After serving more than two years as Chief of the Rockledge Police Department, Ron Krueger announced he will resign effective Oct. 26, citing personal reasons.
Sanford police recognized for policies and standards
The Sanford Police Department has won reaccreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, a designation that the agency has achieved professional excellence in its policies and operations.
Blog: South Florida law enforcers gain new credentials
Also last month, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced graduates of its 15th senior leadership program. South Florida attendees included Maj.
Fort Lauderdale police adding high-tech fingerprinting
A background check may be increasingly commonplace in our security-conscious society, but Fort Lauderdale Police recently decided there’s no need for it to be messy.
Sheriff Shaq? Shaquille O’Neal Reportedly Eyeing Florida Law Enforcement Job
Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal received his doctorate in Education with an emphasis on Leadership from Miami Beach-area Berry University in 2012, but the “Big Aristotle” has another interest outside sports – law enforcement.
Central Florida has long history of violent biker gangs
Outlaw bikers have been around Central Florida longer than Walt Disney World.
REPORTS
An estimated 3.3 million persons age 18 or older were victims of stalking during a 12-month period. Nearly 7 in 10 stalking victims knew their offender in some capacity, and the most common offender/victim relationship was that of former spouses or boy/girlfriends. In addition, an estimated 1.5% of persons age 18 or older were victims of stalking. The percentage of stalking victims was highest for individuals who were divorced or separated (3.3%), compared to those married, never married, or widowed. A greater percentage of females were stalked than males; however, females and males were equally likely to experience harassment.
Underage drinking is a widespread offense that can have serious physical, neurological, and legal consequences. Guidelines for community supervision professionals who work with underage drinkers help them develop a plan for screening underage drinkers, determine appropriate responses, create a case plan, and provide treatment. Youth should be screened for alcohol problems regularly throughout their supervision. If they are found to be at risk for such problems, a substance abuse specialist should conduct a thorough assessment. Other assessments should identify youths’ risks, needs, and assets. In addition, justice professionals should develop an individualized case plan for each youth.
U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime: Multidisciplinary Response to Crime Victims with Disabilities–State-Level Replication Guide
This guide describes the Building Partnerships for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities Initiative (BPI), which uses a prosecution-based multidisciplinary team approach to address abuse committed against persons with disabilities. Developed in Massachusetts, BPI links law enforcement officials, prosecutors, adult protective and human services workers, self-advocates, and others. It has revolutionized the way to recognize, report, investigate, and prosecute crimes against victims with disabilities. As part of a pilot project, three states (Delaware, Ohio, and Oregon) have already replicated BPI. Other states may use this replication guide of recommended practices, modeled on the Massachusetts BPI, to develop, implement, and successfully maintain their own multidisciplinary partnerships.
DHS reported taking some steps to assess the realignment of its regional/field office structure. Since submitting an initial plan to Congress in 2004 that outlined regionalization, consolidation, and colocation opportunities, DHS officials said the agency considered the potential implementation of a unified regional field office structure through two major initiatives–the 2004 I-Staff review and the department’s 2010 BUR.
To verify license applicants’ identity, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have procedures that may detect counterfeit documents. For example, all states are now verifying key personal information, such as Social Security numbers (SSN) through online queries to a Social Security Administration (SSA) database, a significant increase from about a decade ago. This effort helps ensure that the identity information presented belongs to a valid identity and also is not associated with a deceased person.
Nearly all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program managers GAO surveyed reported their programs had experienced significant challenges. Sixty-eight of the 71 respondents reported they experienced funding instability, faced workforce shortfalls, or their planned capabilities changed after initiation, and most survey respondents reported a combination of these challenges. DHS lacks the data needed to accurately measure program performance, but GAO was able to use survey results, information DHS provided to Congress, and an internal DHS review from March 2012 to identify 42 programs that experienced cost growth, schedule slips, or both.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Legal Update: Probable Cause to Believe Pills are Contraband
A deputy was patrolling a residential neighborhood when he saw an unconscious man lying next to a truck. The deputy shined his flashlight at the man and asked for identification. The man stood up and identified himself as Smith, but he was acting strangely and, according to the deputy, “appeared to be under the influence of something.” As Mr. Smith retrieved his driver’s license from the truck, the deputy noticed a small, clear plastic bag containing several white pills on the driver’s seat. It appeared that Smith was trying to hide the pills. The deputy told Mr. Smith to step aside, and then reached into the vehicle and picked up the bag. Smith later admitted that the pills were hydrocodone and that he lacked a valid prescription.
MEETINGS
Law enforcement meetings and contact information from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
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October 16-18, 2012 |
Cape Coral, FL |
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October 29-November 1, 2012 |
Sarasota, FL |
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October 30-31, 2012 |
Sarasota, FL |