Florida Police Chiefs Association Update: Week Ending May 10, 2013

May 10, 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 May 10, 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

 

The Florida Current’s 2013 Session Summary:  Law Enforcement and Justice

Florida legislators didn’t do anything about guns or touch the state’s much-discussed “Stand Your Ground” law during the 2013 session.

 

Florida Supreme Court:  Cellphone Searches Unconstitutional

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a police search of an arrested person’s mobile phone without a warrant is unconstitutional.

 

Obama administration weighs options for expanding wiretap laws

The Obama administration may seek to end a long-running debate over Internet wiretaps with proposed legislation that would enable law-enforcement agencies to tap into many types of Internet communications, U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter said.

 

Unmanned Drones Now Patrolling South Florida Skies

When you hear the word “drone” you probably think about a small unmanned military airplane flying over a battlefield that are often used overseas to do surveillance and drop missiles; but did you know that these drones have been in your backyard for years?

 

Despite Talks of Increasing, Florida School Safety Funding Mostly Stays the Same

Despite the talk of increasing school safety after the Connecticut elementary school shooting last December, Florida lawmakers left safety funding largely unchanged when they finished their annual session last week.

 

Florida Police Cash Force Shows forfeiture growth

In this upscale seaside village of about 2,500 permanent residents, the main challenges for Bal Harbour’s 30-member police force are thefts from its high-end shopping mall, speeders along Florida’s famed A1A highway and vehicle break-ins.

 

Florida tries to speed up executions as Maryland, other states repeal  death penalty

While other states move to abolish capital punishment, Florida lawmakers are taking an entirely different approach — trying to speed up executions for death row inmates.

 

Florida Department of Justice prosecutes Florida 63 million dollar healthcare fraud scheme

A psychologist plead guilty in connection with a health care fraud scheme involving Health Care Solutions Network Inc.

 

Police urge scrappers to form partnerships with local law enforcement

More communication between scrap yards and law enforcement is crucial to thwarting thieves looking to cash in on stolen material, attendees at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc.’s Convention & Exposition heard time and again.

 

Florida’s Fallen Officers Honored At Memorial Wall Ceremony

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi joined law enforcement officers Monday in paying tribute to three officers who died last year.

 

Signs of the crimes draw mixed reaction

Brian Speer thought he had completed all of his obligations when he registered in Bradford County as a convicted sex predator after serving an eight-year prison sentence for child molestation.

 

Delray’s success puts extra pressure on city cops

The success of Delray Beach has put additional pressure on a Police Department that, in spite of coming up with creative ways to fight crime, still has the same number of street cops as it did in 2007.

 

Fort Lauderdale tax man is a police detective

Fort Lauderdale found a lucrative place to put Police Detective Anthony Windes – in the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office.

 

Railroad trespassers in Palm Beach County get an expensive message

In Boynton Beach, police officers arrested people caught walking on the Florida East Coast Railway tracks rather than crossing at roadway crossings.

 

Packed house cheers Pat Dooley as new Jacksonville Beach police chief

A standing-room only crowd packed City Hall Monday night to cheer the City Council’s choice of police veteran Pat Dooley as the city’s new police chief.

 

Former Delray Beach police chief announces Huntington Beach, California retirement

Former Delray Beach Police Chief Ken Small announced his retirement from the Huntington Beach, California Police Department after 11 years with the city.

 

Panama City Police Honor Fallen Officers of 2012

The Panama City Police Department along with other Police Agencies gathered today to honor the fallen Officers from 2012.

 

Linda McDonald appointed Florida Department of Law Enforcement public information officer

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey is pleased to announce the appointment of Linda McDonald to the position of communications coordinator in the Office of External Affairs.

 

Former Florida Attorney General Director Richard Doran:  New solutions to crime will help even victims

The theme for last month’s National Crime Victims’ Week was “New Challenges. New Solutions,” and the topic should prompt all of us concerned with the criminal justice system to examine how well our approach to public safety is protecting and serving those most in need.

 

 

REPORTS

 

U.S. Government Accountability Office:  Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Safety Administration Continue to Face Challenges Developing and Acquiring Screening Technologies

The Transportation Security Administration has taken and is taking steps to address challenges related to developing, testing, and delivering screening technologies for selected aviation security programs, but challenges remain.

 

U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics:  Firearm Violence, 1993-2011

Firearm-related homicides declined 39%, from 18,253 in 1993 to 11,101 in 2011. Nonfatal firearm crimes declined 69 percent, from 1.5 million victimizations in 1993 to 467,300 victimizations in 2011. Firearm violence accounted for about 70 percent of all homicides and less than 10 percent of all nonfatal violent crime from 1993 to 2011. From 1993 to 2011, about 70 percent to 80 percent of firearm homicides and 90 percent of nonfatal firearm victimizations were committed with a handgun.

 

Center for Criminal Justice Research:  Outcome and Process Evaluation of Juvenile Drug Courts, Final Report

This report presents results of a national multi-site outcome and process evaluation involving nine juvenile drug courts from across the nation. The evaluation assessed the relative effect of each court, as well as the courts’ combined effectiveness in achieving the goals of reducing recidivism and improving youths’ social functioning. Using the Evidence-Based Correctional Program Checklist – Drug Court (CPC-DC) the evaluation determined that two of the nine courts scored “effective” in the process evaluation; four scored “needs improvement;” and three scored “ineffective.”  None of the courts scored in the “highly effective” category.  Regarding outcomes, the key study findings raise important questions about the effectiveness of drug courts for juveniles. Youth who participated in drug court had worse outcomes than youth on traditional probation.  This finding persisted after controlling for risk level, time at risk, race, gender, substance of choice, frequency of substance use, previous drug and alcohol treatment, parental substance use, and mental health problems.  There was significant variation in treatment outcomes by site, with only two drug courts showing a positive effect on recidivism in initial multivariate models. Self-report follow-up data from both groups indicate a high rate of substance use post-program for both youth who were in a drug court and youth in regular probation; however, the rate of substance use was less for drug-court youth.  Youth who were successfully terminated from either drug court or probation had significantly lower odds of a later referral and/or adjudication than those who did not successfully complete those processes.

 

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention:  An Impact Evaluation of Three Strategies Created To Reduce Disproportionate Minority Contact and the Detention Population

This study evaluated the effectiveness of three strategies developed by the Maricopa County (Arizona) Juvenile Probation Department to reduce disproportionate minority contact and the number of youth placed in detention.  The three strategies assessed were revision of a detention index or intake document, a procedural change in the review of detention decisions, and a monitoring system for detained youth.  The strategies initiated an organizational focus on detention practices and engaged staff in a re-evaluation of detention decisions, with the intention of identifying youth ideally suited for detention, and each of them contributed to a reduction in the juvenile detention population and the over-representation of minority youth in juvenile court.  Efforts also included a continual review of the proportionate representation of minority youth processed in juvenile court.  Although the strategies reduced racial/ethnic disparities in court outcomes, they did not eliminate such disparities.

 

Cost-Benefit Knowledge Bank for Criminal Justice:   Guide to Calculating Justice-System Marginal Costs

Understanding what goes into the costs of operating jails, prisons, probation and parole, courts, law enforcement agencies, treatment programs, and other segments of the criminal justice system is important for taxpayers, politicians, practitioners, and society as a whole.  Any economic study of a justice-related investment needs to use the right cost information in its calculations.  The type of cost used makes a difference in the accuracy of a study’s findings, as well as its relevance for policymaking, budgeting, and practice.  This guide to help technical users and general readers understand marginal cost, the amount of change in total cost when a unit of output changes.

 

 

MEETINGS


June 16-19

The Florida Police Chiefs Association is holding its 61st Annual Summer Training Conference and Exposition, June 16 – 19, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs.  For more information, click here

 

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.  

 

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.