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02/26/1979 , " Numerous methods arc used to assist victims to identify perpetrators of crimes, including photo-packs of individuals who may have been arrested for a similar crime in the past or the use of an ident-i-kit with which the witness may pick out facial characteristics of the suspect and then develop a composite picture resembling the wanted person. The polygraph is also used as a law enforcement tool. Both psychological1y and physically, it reduces incidents of false crime reports and assists in preventing witnesses from fabricating state- ments. Juvenile delinquency is, unquestionably, one of the na- tionts serious problems. Fifteen hundred young people were charged last year, 75% being between the ages of 14 and 17 years. The Vice and Intelligence Unit investigates crimes in- . volving narcotics, prostitution, pornography, organized crime, and gathers information concerning criminal activity in the community. Radio communication with investigators and the Consoli- dated Dispatch Center is maintained by the detective office staff. The investigators respond immediately to scenes of major crimes. Crime Scene Processing - Physical evidence, properly collected, marked, processed, analyzed and stored, stands on its own merit in criminal rand civil courts and can help cor- roborate or contradict the testimony of witnesses, persons with vested interests, or investigative agents. The mobile crime laboratory is equipped with various types of equipment, materials, and containers necessary for proper processing of crime scenes, and collection of physical evidence. The laboratory technicians are proficient in the use of camera equipment for overall crime scene and close-up photo- graphy. Last year, 700 crime scenes were processed by depart- ment personnel. Human bodies are considered physical evidence and must be processed for identification. The duties of the evidence technician encompass a wide range of responsibliities, mainly directed at the recogni- tion, collection and preservation of evidence at the scene of crime. Footprints and fingerprints are frequently used as a means of identification. Tiremarks and otherimentations in the surface of the earth may also be preserved by making a cast of the print. The Jail Operation is a responsibility of the police agencies for detention of persons taken into custody for circumscribed periods ranging from a few hours to a month or more. Persons taken into custody arc handcuffed for the safety of the officer, other people, and the person arrested. Last year, 4,503 persons were arrested by Clearwater police officers. The operation of the jail has been made a responsibility of the County government and all prisoners. arc now housed in the County facility. ~rime Lab and Fingerprint Ana~y~is - Crime scene photos are developed, printed and enlarge y technicians in the 2. 2/26/79 .'J crime ln~. Fingerprints arc compared and identified with known prints on file. Pro~erty and Evidence Control ~ All items of evidence, abandoned, or found property acquired by members of the police department, must be turned into the Property Clerk to be tag- ged, marked, packaged, and property inventory forms and re- ports prepared. It is then stored under locked vault condi- tions until withdrawn by the investigator for court or returned to the rightful owner. Contraband such as narcotics or marijuana arc destroyed by court order. The Victim Assistance Program provides services to vic- tims in need of assistance in recoverinc from the impact of a crime and arc provided counseling and guidance. TIle police department is the first phase and the most important in the criminal justice system. A decision made instantly by a police officer in the performance of his duty may be argued in court for years. Every official act of a police officer has the potential of court action. Court ap- pearances require many hours of a police officer's time, and subsequently, City funds. Traffic Enforcement ~ The department has operational 'responsibilities to help keep automobile traffic moving safe- ly and expeditiously along a network of arterial roads and various categories of lesser streets and roads by monitoring and enforcing state and local laws or ordinances. There are 322 miles of streets in the City covering a total of 22.2 square miles of land area. Clearwater has its share of automobile traffic congestion. Traffic congestion has become a nationwide problem that is a serious challenge to city and police administrators. Over 100,000 cars pass through the u.s. 19 and GUlf-to-Dny inter- section every day. ' Traffic violations cause accidents and traffic speed en- forcement is necessary in residential neighborhoods as well as arterial highways. Speed is a contributing factor to the seriousness of accidents. When an arrest is made and a person is removed from his vehicle, the vehicle must be impounded. The majority of these arrests are for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which is a serious problem in society today. Traffic Regulation - The objective of traffic regulation is to provide road use information for compliance by drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Officers manually direct traffic at accident scenes, traf- fic light malfunctions, parades, special events, and where traffic volume increases temporarily. The officer, while performing traffic duties, is a highly visahle ambassador for the City. He is the only contact many people have with the Police Department and the manner is which he handles the truffic direction reflects the professionalism and efficiency of the department. Traffic pedestrian safety programs have been developed by the department and arc presented to groups in mobile home parks, condominiums, etc. Accident Investigation - A police officer responds to every veh1cle collision reported to the department within his jurisdiction. Data collected is the prime source of informa~ tion for accident prevention programs and must be accurate and precise. Accidents are investigated and reports made for tho protection of thc citizens. Even minor accidents, under cer- tain conditions, rcquire indepth investigation. Bicycles and bicycle related accidcnts havc increascd at an alarming rate in rccent years. Parking Enforccmcnt - Supcrvision of strcct parking and enforcement of parking regulations arc also rcsponsibilitics of the p0lice department and provides adequatc street space for the movement of traffic and ensurcs equitable usc of parking facilities. School Crossing Regulation - School crossing guards pro- tect and supervise the crosswalks in the arc a of schools. Mobile Patrol - Thc patrol operation is the most visiblc of poI1ce services and the patrol officcr, the real backbone of the organization, performs the primary and basic functions of the Police Department. The one-man mobilc patrol unit is the most effective and economical type of patrol. The highly visiblc patrol officer is a symbol of safety and protcction to the public and intended to deter and prevent cr~me. Each officer is responsible for the safety of persons and property within the assigned area and uses every legal and reasonable method at his disposal to keep the zone free of crime and arrests violators of the law. Shopping center and mall parking lots are principal crime target areas. A police car on patrol in the parking lot pro- vides the citizen with a secure feeling. Preventive patrol in residential neighborhoods is provided in evcry section in town. Criminal activity dictates the need for increased patrol in particular sectors or zones of the City. Last year, over 800 residences weEe the targets of burglars. The Mobile Patrol Unit includes specialized vehicles for patrollinc the Beach and Sand Key. A beach community is con- ducive to high crime unless it is heavily and effectivcly policed. The beach patrol unit polices the public be~ch and assists with the patrol responsibility of the resort motels, parking lots, and surrounding area. Silent business alarms require a response from patrol of- ficers. Officers make frequent checks of business establish- ments during the evening and night hours in an effort to pre- vent burglaries. Marine Patrol ~ There are 8.5 squarc miles of water area surrounding the City of Clearwater. The Policc Department has the responsibility of policing the bays and coastal waters within the corporate limits. Walk in, Patrol - The downtown walking patrol officcr per- forms a var1ety of services and is responsible for moving traffic through congested intersections, assisting pedestrians at crosswalks, providing information and assistance to visitors of the City, and is a deterrcnt to crime in his assigned area. In times of natural disasters, the Police Department copes with and handlcs problems that occur. The department has a mobilization and evacuation plan which is periodically revised. Disaster preparedness is a part of departmental in-service training for all officers. 4 . 2/26/79 Communications - The cntire police opcration depends on communications and information systems. The command centcr is staffed with professional personnel, properly traincd to perform under stress. Calls arc received in the ccntor for assistance nnd this is where action begins in response to citizen requests for police scrvice. The request is for- warded to the radio dispatcher, who is closely monitoring activity of police officers and the availability of field units to respond to the call. The information dispatcher, opcrating on n frequency separate from th6 primary dispatch channel, is available for all radio equipped field units to obtain neccssary data for assistance in investigations. The dispatcher is a "life line" to the officer on the street. Records - The effectiveness of n police department is directly related to the quality of its records. Investiga- tion reports of crimes and other matters of concern to the pol ice, \'then class ified, indexed and filed, provide the in- formation needed by officers in the field. The records of- fice is the information center of the departmcnt and informa- tion from crime and police incident reports is entered into computer terminals. Police departments nationwide are linked together. Crime reports are cross-indexed and cards are stored in rcvolving filcs for rapid retrieval. Each offense report re- quires a manually prepared codc sheet for computerization of desired data. Many reports and records arc stored on micro- film. This process reduces storage space requirements and provides instant r~trieval of information. Daily reports are copied for distribution to detective units for follow~up investigation and review. Administrative decisions are based on information ob- tained from records and summary reports of prcsent conditions and statistics gathered by the rccords section. Community Relations - Therc are three basic levels on which Police community relatiuns are promoted. The first. is the manner in which the police carry out th~ir functions. The second level is the development of specific programs to in- crease public awarness of police policies, operations and pro- cedures. The third level involves the police officer as a. private citizen taking part in the P.T.A., civic clubs, church, community councils and other community activities. Officer Friendly is a part of the community relations program and he visits the elementary classrooms. Adult groups also receive information concerning the operation of the Police Department. . The Police Explorer Post is made up of interested youths between the ages of 15 and 20. They assist in community af- fairs while learning police skills under the guidance of police officers. The Christmas Cheer Program has been an ongoing venture of the department for several years and provides food and toys for needy famil~es on Christmas Eve each year. Traffic information is disseMinated each weekday morning through a local radio station. 5. 2/26/79 Police officers assist local civic associations In con- ductingbicycle safety programs. Crime Analysis - Crime analysis supports police Ol)era~ tion through Strategy planning, manpower deployment and inves- tigation assistance. Crime analysis involves studying crime reports and data collected for similarities such as neographi- cal arens, days of weck time of day, type of crime, etc. and disseminating this information to operational units and plan- ners for predicting occurrences. Planning and Researcll ~ The planning and research task is assigned to the Administration Division of the Policc De- partment and provides research, analytical and planning ser- vices to the Chief of Police and his staff for the making of competent management decisions which result in sound policies and procedures. Facilities Maintenance - The Police Department physical facility is in operation around the clock, 365 days a year, and requires continuous maintenance and cleaning. A clean, well~maintained police building has a direct influence on morale and efficiency of all pcrsonnnel. Trainin& - The Clearwater police in-service training program ~s pro~active, people oriented, and based on the individual and group needs of the department. The purpose of this training is to make sure the officer is instructed in the method to perform all tasks with ease, and in such a way as to insure his safety and the safety and satisfaction of the public. Many outside agencies assist in training projects. Recruits receive a minimum of 640 hours of training prior to assignment to regular duty. Manual direction of traffic at a busy intersection is required training to control traffic without causing or contributing to accidents. Training is conducted for specialized units within the department and discipline is an intricate part of all training and included in each program. Police dogs have been in use by the department for several years. The dogs are used for tracking and building searches and have been successful in assisting the apprehension of criminals. They are well trained to protect their master, but are not used for attack dogs. Firearms training is an important program and the officers are trained in the proper and safe handling of their weapons and, more importantly, when they may be used. Training begins in the Police Academy and continues throughout the officer's entire police career. Personnel Selection - The recruitment program is designed to attract the best qualified candidates, with special emphasis on college educated applicants and on ethnic groups and minori- ties. The department conducts extensive background investiga- tions on each applicant prior to hiring and physical fitness is a basic requirement. Officers must be agile and able to perform under stress- ful conditions. Training facili tics and programs are avail ~ able to the officers. Physical fitness and conditioning is en- couraged for officcrs throughout their careers. A complete gym is provided and the equipmen~ was acquired through State training funds and at no direct cost to the City. Internal Affairs - The department has an internal affairs investigation unit. Thorough investigations are conducted on . {f.;.1'1ns:t ~~~:~.!~f.;;r'~~~'i~\~~',~i~"'f.'j'~ :;,~'J".. ..,.':,.",-" ,:.~\., c~,:~~'t';':;"i!~~at'"i';"j!J:i;~.~~~;; 'i~j:,1' ~~ ~;~ ~I:'"~"~.~~,,..;., :;"~'r..,c:n{'~'';,''''~f>}. '~"t~~~',;":~, 'l\ ;tr.'~'}.:tkw ,><"1 .> c'" '''. .. . .~tt~4'~~~~?:}~~d~~~]W~;~~~~7{1;::~'i'{~~\~.~"(~);Jt~f.i, "'~T'~' T~ ,~,<:,:"j'~"'''.<~.~>''i.I~~.;~~.';;:,1..~:':('~'.':-:~::~..~."'-.:..<j. I"~.~"" . ....:..,....:.L .~...'.l" .~:.l:~. \~.J.~'c' J ~ ~ any and 011 complaints or accusations towaru conduct or wrong doing, by a police officer or other pe~sonnel employed by the depo rtrnen t. ' , Deportment Management - The Chief of Police nnd his exe- cutive staff confer doily to review the activity of the depart~ ' rnent and develop the necossary direction for efficient operation. The leadership qualities required for these positions include the ability to manage time, resources and events, molding them 011 into the police sdrvices within the frnmework of public policy. ,A question and answer period followed. The meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m. ( d ,. 'J. , .iI 'd ,., , " !