Questions and Answers
Criminal justice studies have revealed that approximately 6 percent of the criminals (habitual offenders) commit approximately 70 percent of all violent crimes.
True
The term “violent felony” means any crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, or any act of juvenile delinquency involving the use or carrying of a firearm, knife, or destructive device that would be punishable by imprisonment for such term if committed by an adult, that; Has an element, the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another; or Constitutes burglary, arson, or extortion; involves the use of explosives; or otherwise involves conduct that represents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another.
True
Any time contact is made with an individual who has been designated a Career Criminal, the officer will complete the required report or a field interview.
True
Telephone: Crime Stoppers 24-hour hotline is 1-800-873-TIPS (8477). The phone is a stand-alone instrument which does not provide a caller ID, and the conversations are not recorded.
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Web Tips: tips may be submitted through the Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay website at www.crimestopperstb.com. The unique integrated two-way dialogue capabilities allow the tipster to come back and provide additional information to their tip at any time. It also provides a secure means for the coordinator to ask questions or provide reward information back to the tipster through the same secure and encrypted interface.
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When a tip is to be worked at the Tampa Police Department, it will be forwarded via email to a supervisor within the affected area.
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Dispositions for cases shall be reported to the Crime Stoppers Coordinator within 45 days from assignment, or unless otherwise noted in the tip itself. A blank response form is attached to the bottom of the original tip. The response can be completed by filling out the form and replying to the original email. The investigator must provide confirmation that the tip directly led to an arrest.
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At no time shall a Crime Stoppers tip or any of its contents be included in any law enforcement record, subjecting it to public records laws.
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It is the responsibility of the Criminal Tracking Unit to conduct all latent investigations regarding violation of sexual predator or offender registration and/or parole and probation requirements. Because these offenses will many times be the result of an additional crime, the CTU will be notified upon the arrest of any sexual predator or offender in order to assist the arresting officer with any additional potential charges.
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A hate crime occurs when any committed or attempted criminal act against another person or another person’s property is motivated by hatred toward the victim based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, homeless status, or advanced age of the victim.
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In 2016, under “Carl’s Law”, the Legislature moved hate crimes for “mental or physical disability” under F.S. § 775.0863. Evidence of prejudice while committing an offense against a person with mental or physical disability is also a hate crime.
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It is an essential element of hate crime to prove the defendant perceived, knew, or had reasonable grounds to know or perceive that the victim was within the class of individuals within the definition of the covered hate crimes.
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While it may not necessarily be a hate crime, there is an enhancement for crimes involving the use or threat of physical violence against any victim while the victim is on the grounds of a “religious institution” for the purpose of participating in or attending a “religious service”. See F.S. § 775.0861.
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K-9 teams will be utilized to search structures believed burglarized and structures utilized by a felony suspect to escape police apprehension.
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Utilizing the K-9 team to search a structure minimizes the probability of an officer being injured. Patrol units will not search a structure if a K-9 team is responding. An officer may inadvertently contaminate the suspect’s scent making it more difficult to use the K-9 for tracking. Prior to utilizing a K-9 team for a structural search, patrols units will secure the perimeter of the building.
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Felony Arrest: K-9 teams may be utilized to effect felony arrests and to prevent the escape of a person whom the officer reasonably believes committed a felony. The utilization of a K-9 must be progressive force where lesser force could not reasonably accomplish the arrest.
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A supervisor shall consult with the K-9 officer prior to directing the tactical use of the K-9. Instances in which the capabilities of the K-9 is a significant consideration in the success of a task shall be guided by the opinion of the K-9 officer, or K-9 supervisor, if available, as to the ability of the K-9 to perform the required assignment.
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K-9 Teams may occasionally be called upon to assist in misdemeanor investigations. (Example – A specific felony crime pattern has been established in a specific area. Officers have received calls reference a suspicious person in that specific area and the suspicious person fled upon the arrival of units to the area.) The abilities of the K-9 to assist in the location of this misdemeanor suspect will greatly benefit the police in their investigation, and add to protection of the citizens of Tampa. This handler will utilize extreme caution, in an attempt to minimize the possibility of contact between the K-9 and the suspect. All misdemeanor searches will be approved by the K-9 supervisor or in their absence a supervisor possessing at least the rank of lieutenant.
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Deployment of K-9 teams for crowd control in situations of civil disorder may not be conducted without specific authority of the Chief of Police or a designee possessing at least the rank of captain.
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K-9 teams shall, while on duty, respond to all felony crimes in-progress within their assigned areas without specific dispatch, and shall assist patrol units in potentially violent situations.
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K9 - Requests for assistance from outside agencies shall be forwarded to the K- 9 supervisor. Emergency requests shall be forwarded to a district shift commander in the absence of the K-9 supervisor.
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Police officers shall maintain a perimeter of any area or structure to be searched by a K-9 team. Area perimeters involving several field units shall be coordinated by a squad supervisor.
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The K-9 supervisor shall notify the affected shift commander and the K-9 chain of command of all injuries or unusual events concerning a K-9 situation.
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The circuit court has jurisdiction over cases in which a child is alleged to have committed a violation of law, felony traffic offense, or is dependent. A criminal report affidavit will be utilized as the charging instrument in circuit court cases.
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The county court has jurisdiction over all traffic cases except those as punishable as felonies. The traffic citation will be utilized as the charging instrument in county court cases.
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Children alleged to be dependent will not be released to JAC, except in the case of out-of-state runaways.
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Any transportation required after delivery of the child to JAC is a responsibility of the screening officer (e.g., return trip to home, placement in a shelter.)
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The exception is that any child requiring medical treatment once the child has been accepted into the JAC and requires transportation to a local hospital; our department will provide assistance in accordance with SOP 313.5.
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Officers are afforded the use of discretion with respect to charging suspects, whether juvenile or adult, whenever they are conducting criminal investigations and may make an elective decision, many times in concert with the complainant and/or victim, concerning the need to physically arrest suspects and file formal charges.
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Generally, children under eight years of age will not be arrested and processed for any criminal act. Should a situation arise wherein the investigating officer feels an exception should be made, he or she shall, through the proper chain of command, consult with the shift or bureau commander. The shift or bureau commander shall consider the totality of the circumstances and make the decision as to whether or not an arrest will be made.
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When a child under the age of eight is a suspect in a criminal offense, the child shall be listed as a suspect in the report and shall be referred to the Criminal Investigations Division for consultation with DJJ and the State Attorney. A Criminal Report Affidavit need not be made; however, complete identifying information on the suspect should be listed in the report.
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When a child under the age 13 is a suspect in a misdemeanor and is not eligible for the Juvenile Arrest Avoidance Program, absent exigent circumstances, a misdemeanor complaint will be filed. Supervisory approval is required to make a custodial arrest.
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This department will accept runaway reports from parents, legal guardians, or DCF caseworkers of children who run away while being confined to a hospital. Reports will not be accepted from hospital personnel.
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As required by F.S. 985.101(3), when a member the Tampa Police Department takes a juvenile into custody for a violation of law and an interrogation occurs, the investigating officer will make reasonable effort to confer with the juvenile’s parent or legal guardian as soon as practical.
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Generally, there will be no more than two police officers present during the interrogation of the juvenile who is accused of a violation of the law. If circumstances warrant, a supervisor may authorize additional officers to sit in on the interrogation of a juvenile, but the number of interrogators will be limited to two investigators and the juvenile will not be subject to excessively long interrogations.
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Custodial interrogations of juveniles will not be conducted by detectives at the suspect’s school without approval of the principal, assistant principal, or their designee.
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Once convicted and sentenced as an adult, the child is thereafter treated as an adult for any subsequent violations of law (with limited exceptions).
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In those cases where the State Attorney’s Office direct files on a juvenile to adult court as an adult and capias has been issued, the child will be booked into Central booking.
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Juveniles arrested for felony traffic offense may be released by charging the child using a Criminal Report Affidavit and delivering to the Juvenile Assessment Center. Juveniles charged with a felony traffic offense will also be issued a traffic citation for the offense.
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Juveniles charged with a felony traffic offense will be charged with an eCRA and also be issued a traffic citation for the offense.
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A juvenile will not be transported in a police vehicle or other vehicle, which contains an adult prisoner unless the juvenile and adult are involved as perpetrators in the same offense.
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By federal law, juveniles must at all times, be totally separated (both sight and sound) from adult prisoners except when the juvenile and adult are involved as perpetrators in the same offense.
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Unless extenuating circumstances prohibit, any juvenile in custody of this Department who is suffering from a physical injury or illness shall be taken to Tampa General Hospital (TGH) for treatment.
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Any juvenile taken into custody by the Department that appears to be HEAVILY under the influence of alcoholic beverages, or to be suffering from a drug overdose, will be considered as suffering from a physical illness and shall be taken to TGH for treatment.
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In non-emergency situation, the child may be delivered and released to the detoxification center of the Agency for Community Treatment Services (A.C.T.S.), 8620 N. Dixon Avenue, or taken to Tampa General Hospital for treatment.
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If the child does not require hospitalization and cannot be released into the custody of a parent, guardian, or responsible adult, the officer will contact Detention Screening via telephone. The case manager will assist in placement of the child.
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The JAAP is the first step in the continuum of the juvenile justice process. This program does not decriminalize the juvenile’s actions. This program is a pre-arrest diversion intervention.
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A juvenile caught racing will qualify for JAAP.
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“Family violence” is eligible for JAAP at the discretion of law enforcement based on the nature and circumstance surrounding the offense, the potential threat to community safety, the safety and welfare of the victim and victim's family, and subject to the availability of appropriate shelter placement.
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Prior to referring a juvenile to the JAAP for a family violence offense, a law enforcement officer shall contact an approved shelter as described below to determine if the juvenile qualifies for placement and if placement is available. An officer shall obtain parental consent for shelter placement. The parent of guardian shall be provided with instructions for completing the shelter intake. An incident report and transport must be completed.
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If the arrest of a juvenile under the age of 12 is being considered, the officer must consult with a lieutenant or higher to discuss other options, giving preference to the JAAP program.
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All JAAP reports shall be closed in accordance with UCR guidelines as “Exceptionally Cleared”.
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The Tampa Police Department will only be called upon for Baker Acts where the child has already been admitted to the JAC.
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If the officer determines that the juvenile meets the criteria for a Baker Act, then the officer will deliver the juvenile to the Children’s Crisis Center located at 2212 East Henry Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610.
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If a juvenile has been accepted by JAC and is being processed for secure detention and has a medical emergency, the senior screener or designee will notify TPD to request a unit to follow the EMS transport vehicle to the St. Joseph’s Hospital.
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If a juvenile arrives at the JAC to turn himself in for a warrant, the JAC will request an officer to respond.
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The JARF is a secure, medically supervised substance abuse receiving facility providing inpatient assessment, detoxification, stabilization, shortterm (3-5 days) treatment and referral services for adolescents ages 12-17 years old who are actively using drugs and/or alcohol. This program operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and accepts voluntarily or involuntarily admitted clients.
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