SOP's - Verified

LEP stands for Limited English Proficiency.

All ___________________ shall provide free language services assistance to Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons encountered or whenever an LEP person requests language services assistance.

Every effort to ascertain an individual’s primary language will be made to ensure effective communication.

___________________ have the authority to approve the use of interpretation services to facilitate communications in the field.

The ______________________ will assist in directing personnel in the field to an appropriate interpreter.

If there are no interpreters on duty, the officer must first contact his/her immediate supervisor for approval to use a contracted interpreter or sign language service and then, due to the cost associated with it, receive permission from the shift commander.

Under no circumstances will an interpreter independently question an LEP individual. The interpreter’s role is to serve as a neutral third party with no perspective.

If the officer/investigator believes that there is any conflict of interest or bias by the interpreter, the officer/investigator shall consult with their immediate supervisor. The supervisor will decide if another interpreter is warranted. If another interpreter is requested, the supervisor will submit a memorandum to the department’s LAPC and make note on the daily incident log.

Upon encountering any person with whom an officer needs to communicate, the officer will not wait for the person to specifically request communication accommodation once it becomes apparent that communication difficulty exists. Rather, the officer must take the initiative to inquire as to whether the citizen feels that he or she needs communication assistance and the citizen’s preference as to the nature of the assistance needed.

When an officer or detective needs to conduct an interview for latent investigation purposes:

If there is an urgent need to conduct an immediate interview with a SPECIAL NEEDS PERSON and a designated professional is not available after a good faith effort has been made, an interview may be conducted. Officers will fully document their efforts to attempt making a designated professional available.

Special Needs Interviews: Costs, if any, related to the attendance of the designated professional will be the responsibility of the requesting parent, guardian or individual. Victims may be reimbursed by the defendant upon conviction if designated by the Courts. There is no charge for the use of The Children’s Advocacy Center for victims.

General parking complaints and calls for service will be transferred to the Parking Division.

City parking tickets will be electronically routed to the Parking Division upon issuance.

A parking ticket issued on an impounded vehicle will be provided to the wrecker driver to attach to the release paperwork. The owner will receive the ticket when the vehicle is recovered.

To request cancellation of a parking violation ticket received by departmental personnel while on official police business, the employee receiving the notice will submit it for cancellation to his or her immediate supervisor, along with a brief explanation justifying the request.

Only those notices received for violation of a metered parking space will be cancelled. This does not include those prohibitedmetered spaces in the vicinity of the downtown headquarters building. Parking violations in Loading Zones, No Parking Zones, etc., will not be cancelled unless some exigent circumstance necessitated parking there.

Upon approval of the immediate supervisor, the parking ticket and explanation will be properly routed to the Division Commander.

Upon approval to cancel the parking ticket by the Division Commander, such Commander will initial the parking ticket in the space immediately above the number on the main portion of the notice.

Parking tickets appropriately approved for cancellation by the Division Commander will be submitted to their respective Deputy Chief’s Office each Friday prior to 1700 hours.

Thus, under s. 316.1955, it appears that a person with a disabled veteran parking plate with or without a wheelchair symbol may stop, stand, or park a vehicle within any specially designated and marked parking space as long as it is transporting the person to whom it was issued.

Private property parking enforcement will not be enforced by officers except as it relates to properly marked fire lanes and properly marked handicap spaces.

The ultimate goal of any criminal investigation is the exoneration of innocent persons just as much as it is the prosecution of guilty persons.

Preliminary Investigations: A supervisor acting in the capacity of sergeant or above will evaluate solvability factors, crime patterns, and seriousness of the crime to determine if assigned case will be inactivated, referred to a latent squad, unfounded, or closed by arrest.

Latent Investigations: A supervisor acting in the capacity of latent investigations sergeant or above will evaluate solvability factors, laboratory results, fingerprint comparisons, follow-up investigatory efforts, seriousness of crime and all available information to determine if a case will be inactivated, exceptionally cleared, closed by arrest, referred to a cold case administrator, or administratively cleared.

Actively monitors and reviews the Unit’s Handle queue and V-mail at least ________ a day.

At no time will the DORS system be utilized when a citizen requests the presence of a police officer, when there is evidence that could lead to the identity of the suspect, or a crime is in progress.

Officers who are dispatched or flagged down by a citizen will not refer a citizen to the online reporting system unless strict criteria are met.

An officer, with knowledge that an arrest warrant is outstanding, may arrest the person named in the arrest warrant anywhere in the city of Tampa. Note however, that entry into private structures of persons not named in the warrant is not permitted solely on the basis of the arrest warrant.

Probable Cause: That knowledge or information acquired by a law enforcement officer which would lead a reasonable and prudent person to believe that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed and that the person to be arrested, committed, is committing, or attempting to commit the crime.

Fresh Pursuit: An officer involved in fresh pursuit must either stop at the entrance gate and solicit the assistance of the Air Force Police in gaining custody of the suspect or have a TPD dispatcher contact the base by telephone and inform the base of the pursuit and seek approval for continuation onto the base. MacDill now has the ability to monitor our operational talk groups and should be contacted via radio if possible – not telephone because all radio conversation is recorded and attached with the in-progress request.

TPD and MacDill have a memorandum of understanding which allows TPD to respond to calls for service to conduct independent involuntary examinations under F.S. Chapter 394 Mental Health, to include but not limited to Baker Act and Marchman Act.

MacDill is presently in the process of “retroceding jurisdiction” to allow concurrent jurisdiction to TPD for certain criminal investigations involving civilians on base. While MacDill anticipates it will conduct the investigation, it may still contact TPD to assist with the investigation. If contacted by MacDill to aid in the investigation, officers should verify with legal that MacDill has officially retroceded jurisdiction.

Generally, no person belonging to the Armed Forces shall be arrested on any process such as may be issued by military authority while going to, remaining at or returning from any place at which they may be required to attend for military duty. However, on occasion, it will be necessary to issue a traffic citation, effect a physical arrest, or investigate a traffic crash involving a member of the Armed Forces.

Members of the U.S. Congress shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of peace, be immune from arrest during their attendance at session of their respective Houses and in going to and returning from the same and for any speech or debate in either House. They shall not be questioned in any other place.

Members of State Legislatures, in some cases, have the same immunity granted to members of Congress. The common law prevails which privileges them from traffic arrest while attending, going to or returning from, a session of their respective Houses. However, on occasion, when not in session, it will be necessary to issue a traffic citation or warning to a Senator or Representative when a traffic violation occurs.

Foreign nationals are afforded the same rights under the United States Constitution as are afforded U.S. citizens. However, because of treaty arrangements, special treatment is given to foreign nationals regarding the notification of their embassies and consulates when one is arrested or detained for any reason.

Inquiry should promptly be made to the Department of State in any case where an individual claims immunity.

If the arrested or detained foreign national is from one of the 56 mandatory notification countries, notification must immediately be sent to the foreign embassy or nearest consulate. For foreign nationals of non-mandatory countries, the officer who makes the arrest must advise them of the option for consular notification, and if requested, must immediately notify the nearest consulate or, the Embassy in Washington, D.C., of the nation concerned.