office of the deputy chief - Sarasota Police Department

City of Sarasota
Demographics
Year of Incorporation: 1902
Land Area of City in Square Miles: 14.66
Persons per Square Mile: 3,541
Climate: Tropical
Avg. Temperature: 73
Avg. High: 81.8
Avg. Low: 64.2
Number of Households: 22,621
Persons per Households: 2.19
Persons below Poverty Level: 22.2%
Population: 54,214
Male: 48.6%
Female: 51.4%
Caucasian: 79%
African American: 9.8%
Native American: .4%
Asian Indian: .3%
Other Asian: 1%
Hispanic/Latino: 8.3%
Other: 1.2%
Sources: 2010 U.S. Census
2009-2013 U.S. Census Estimates
U.S. Climate Data
NOAA
City of Sarasota
City of Sarasota Officials
Willie Charles Shaw
Mayor
[email protected]
(941) 954-4115
Suzanne Atwell
Vice-Mayor
[email protected]
(941) 954-4115
Commissioner Liz Alpert
District Two
[email protected]
(941) 954-4115
Commissioner Susan Chapman
At-Large
[email protected]
(941) 954-4115
Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie
District Three
[email protected]
(941) 954-4115
Tom Barwin
City Manager
[email protected]
(941) 954-4102
Marlon Brown
Deputy City Manager
[email protected]
(941) 954-4102
2
2015 Sarasota Police Department Table of Organization
The Sarasota Police Department will
maintain
the
highest
standards
of
professional ethics and integrity. We are
committed to the philosophy of community
and neighborhood policing. We will build
partnerships and coalitions with the business,
corporate, and residential communities to
identify and recommend solutions to problems
with the goal of improving the quality of life in
our neighborhoods. We will employ timetested police methods and promising
innovative approaches to better protect our
communities. Our commitment is to provide
professional service to our citizens, residents,
and visitors.
VISION
The Sarasota Police Department utilizes a
proactive, intelligence led law enforcement
strategy to prevent and reduce crime.
MISSION
Professional, dedicated police service
in partnership with our community.
CORE VALUES (I.A.C.P.)
Integrity
Accountability
Commitment
Professionalism
Table of Contents
Message from Chief Bernadette DiPino
5
Police Advisory Panel
7
Uniformed Crime Rate Summary 2011-2015
8
Notable s
9
Office of the Deputy Chief
10-11
Partnership Policing
Communications Coordinator
12-13
Photo Gallery
14-15
Patrol Operations Division
16-19
Criminal Investigations Division
20-23
Support Services Division
24-25
Top Honors
26-27
Message From The Chief
Chief Bernadette DiPino
941-954-7001 | [email protected]
Chief of Police
Bernadette DiPino
I am proud to share with you the Sarasota Police
Department's 2015 Annual Report. Four pineapples
have dropped and three whole years have passed
since I became Chief of Police here in Sarasota.
In that time we have faced and overcome many
challenges. One surprise was the sudden departure of
Deputy Chief (Colonel) Steve Moyer who accepted a
prestigious appointment to Secretary of Public Safety
from Maryland Governor Hogan. His vacancy left a
void, but a more than capable replacement was found
from within the rank and file of the SPD. After a
nationwide search, I selected and appointed Captain
Patrick Robinson to the position of Deputy Chief. He
has served in an exemplary manner and reaffirms
there is great talent and leadership within the SPD.
He has been an invaluable asset to the office of the
Chief. I am constantly impressed with his abilities
and the progress we are making.
2015 saw significant controversy for law
enforcement nationwide. From Ferguson to my
hometown of Baltimore, unrest and accusations
of misconduct of the police dominated the news.
A glaring issue which arose from these events was
significant distrust of police and lack of police/
community relationships in these cities. I am proud to
say we don't have the same issues here. The men and
women who serve as officers and civilians within
our police department are committed to building
relationships and trust as well as providing outstanding customer service.
Over the last three years, I have seen a
distinct change in the interactions of the police and
the community we serve. Citizens feel confident
to call the police with concerns and issues and
cooperate as witnesses. Our community partners
share with us their appreciation as well as their
concerns and we are listening!
Our agency continues to help people with community
activities and grant funding. Our officers helped
children have a great Christmas with the "Shop with
a Cop" event. Our "Coffee with a Cop” and “Tea
with the Chief" programs provide social opportunities
for officers and citizens to meet in a friendly
atmosphere to ask questions and talk about current
events.
Our agency is quite progressive. I am proud our
agency is a trailblazer. Our city was one of only 40
cities invited to share our strategies at the White
House in a forum on the President’s Task Force on
21st Century Policing. Mayor Willie Shaw, City
Manager Tom Barwin, Rev. Kelvin Lumpkin and I
traveled to Washington DC to share our successes.
As a result, the Department of Justice recognized
our agency as one of eleven in the country
implementing strategies of recruiting and diversified
hiring. We are committed to hiring people of good
character who will serve our community in a proud
and respectful manner.
Keeping the public aware of breaking news, crime
trends, traffic issues, and other important events
happening in our community through social media is
just another example of the progressive and
innovative policing we offer the community. We
believe that awareness and crime prevention tips
help others avoid becoming victims of crime. All of
this is made possible through our Partnership
Policing Communications Coordinator, Genevieve
Judge. Though she makes it look like an entire team
is producing the news around the clock, she alone
handles the media requests, updating all social
media, and keeping the public informed. This year
she was awarded the “ConnectedCOPS Civilian
Award for Excellence” at the Social Media and Law
Enforcement conference in Niagara Falls, Canada.
I am so proud of her efforts.
and some of the best cultural venues and events in
the world. The dedicated officers of the Sarasota
Police Department work 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year to protect and serve all.
The relationships formed and the open communication we share is vital to our success. We still have
work to do, but I believe we are on the right path.
With the support of our community, we are accomplishing great things including another year of overall crime reduction.
I credit the officers and civilian employees for their
dedication and commitment to our community. If not
for their hard work, as well as our community partnerships and support, we would not have seen the
7.3% reduction in crime this year.
I hope that you enjoy the new format of our annual
report. The photos and facts will give year a deeper
insight and appreciation of the people who work for
the Sarasota Police Department.
Be safe.
Chief DiPino
The City of Sarasota is a popular place to live, work,
and play. Our partnership and community policing
philosophy, under the leadership of our City
Manager Tom Barwin, has made a positive impact
on our community. The roads are filled with visitors,
development is seen throughout the city, and
businesses are opening all over Sarasota. I believe
people want to live in and visit communities which
are clean and safe. Obviously Sarasota is both! It
also doesn't hurt that we have a beautiful beach, lots
parks and green space, an expansive bay front,
vibrant shopping areas, a wide variety of restaurants,
6
POLICE ADVISORY PANEL
Civilian oversight of police has been highlighted
nationally during the year as a desirable aspect of
policing. The City of Sarasota is fortunate to have
two established and accepted citizen volunteer
organizations which assist the department to partner
with the community to achieve the high standards
expected of law enforcement.
The Independent Police Advisory Panel, whose five
volunteer members are assisted by staff support from
the City Manager, the City Attorney, the Chief of
Police, and the Administrator, Police Advisory
Panels (PAP), meets six times each year to
consider and if necessary make recommendations to
the City Commission on major policy aspects of
policing within the City and other global police
issues. The Panel’s remit also empowers it to advise
and make recommendations on administrative issues
referred to it by the City Commission, the City
Manager or the Chief. This broad capability has
served the department well this year during
which the Panel carried out a review of the
recommendations by the President’s Task Force on
21st Century Policing as they apply to the SPD. The
Panel concluded that appropriate steps have been
taken, many of them in advance of the Report by the
Task Force, to meet the perceived challenges of 21st
Century policing, including partnership policing.
Other aspects covered by the Panel during the year
included recommendations on recruitment standards,
procedures and training, and proposals to improve
outcome measurement. The Panel also reviewed and
commented on the annual report by the Chief on the
Use of Force.
The five members of the Police Complaint
Committee, supported by the Administrator and the
Commander, Internal Affairs and Complaint Section,
in their monthly meetings, have reviewed 72 Inquiry
and 72 Divisional reports of our investigation of
complaints made against officers and procedures.
Reports of formal investigations by the Internal
Affairs and Complaint Section have also come under
their scrutiny. As required by the ordinance
governing the committee, the attention of the Chief
has been drawn to aspects of complaint processing,
procedures and practices which members consider
need to be addressed and have been informed of the
result. In addition, the committee has drawn up a
handout for distribution to officers and citizens to
advertise issues which arise during contact between
them and which have led to complaint in the past.
The committee hopes that this will improve mutual
understanding and restraint and thus reduce
complaints in future.
The department appreciates the voluntary work
performed by our oversight bodies and looks forward
to continuation of the benefits they deliver to us and
the community we both serve.
To Contact Peter Graham
111 S. Orange Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-951-3622
[email protected]
Internal Affairs
The Internal Affairs Section is staffed with one
Lieutenant and one Sergeant. The section receives
and documents all internal and external inquiries
and complaints. They thoroughly and fairly
investigate all Administrative cases. Once
completed, they provide recommendations and
possible disciplinary actions to the Chief.
The Section utilizes programs to randomly
select employees for drug screening and monitor
employees with the Early Intervention System.
Personnel within the section also provide requested
documents in accordance with Public Records
Law. In 2015, the section completed the following:
Complaints Received
175
Formal Administrative Investigations
19
Division Level Investigations
92
Inquiries Investigated
64
Public Records Requests Completed
47
Random Drug Tests Administered
118
Early Intervention System Alerts Processed
42
Intelligence Unit
The Intelligence Unit consists of two
detectives and a Crime Analyst responsible
for collecting and disseminating criminal
intelligence information. The Detectives
conduct investigations and maintain
liaisons with other regional intelligence
units in the State of Florida. In addition,
they participate in the Regional District
Six and F.B.I. Terrorism Task Forces.
The Crime Analyst assists sworn personnel
in identifying crime trends occurring in the
community. Statistics are based on factors
such as crime types, locations, dates and
times, as well as suspect descriptions.
The chart to the right shows Part 1 crimes
have decreased by 7.3% in the City of
Sarasota . Over the past five years, the City
has seen a 28.1% decrease in crimes.
Want to see the
crime mapping
for your neighborhood?
Log on to www.sarasotapd.org
and select Crime Mapping.
UNIFORMED CRIME RATE SUMMARY FROM 2011-2015
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Murder
8
4
4
2
5
Forcible Sex Offenses
36
39
39
34
34
Robbery
172
136
151
108
112
Aggravated Assault
297
246
219
213
206
Total Violent
513
425
413
357
357
Burglary
698
705
564
479
417
Larceny
2,414
2,093
2,023
1,947
1,798
Motor Vehicle Theft
114
99
155
111
111
Total Non-Violent
3,226
2,897
2,742
2,537
2,326
Total Index
3,736
3,322
3,155
2,895
2,683
2015 Notable Mentions
 In 2015, a total of 22 new officers were sworn-in
and three more were sponsored to attend the
Criminal Justice Academy.
 A grant was received to purchase new ballistic
vests for Officers through the Bulletproof Vest
Partnership.
 The Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) was received
in order to purchase new gas masks for Officers.
 Adams Lane was dedicated in honor of fallen
Officer Warren Jones on the 40th anniversary of
his memorial.
 The SPD lobby was designated as a “Safe Place”
to conduct online sale transactions (such as EBay
or Craigslist).
 The 7-11 chain partnered with SPD for “Operation
Chill” offering free slurpee coupons to kids caught
in act of kindness.
 Lt. Lori Jaress, Sgt. Richie Schwieterman,
Sgt. Demetri Konstantopoulos, and Sgt. Derek
Galbraith graduated from the Southern Police
Institute’s Command Officers Development
Course. This is an intensive four month course
that requires 400 hours to complete.
 Formed the Collateral Traffic Homicide Response
Team with four Officers completing the necessary
training.
 In 2015, initiated the “Stop, Walk, and Talk”
program that encourages officers to walk their
beat and stop and talk to residents, visitors, and
store owners.
 SPD participated in a Boating Safety event in
coordination with the United States Coast Guard
and the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office, Longboat Key
PD, and Florida Fish and Wildlife.
 In Coordination with the Sarasota Housing
Authority, SPD participated in the “Book ‘Em”
Cops and Kids Literacy
Event sponsored by the
Community Foundation
and Early Learning
Coalition
 In partnership with
the I Am More Foundation, 17 year old Tyler
Babcock was named an
Honorary Officer for a
day. (Pictured Left)
 The US Department of Justice Office of
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
named SPD the winner of the 20th Anniversary
“Community Policing in Action” photo contest.
(Pictured above)
OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF
Deputy Chief Pat Robinson
941-954-7006 | [email protected]
In 2015, after an extensive nationwide search, Chief
DiPino proudly announced the promotion of then
Captain Pat Robinson to the Rank of Deputy Chief.
The Office of the Deputy Chief has supervisory
oversight of the daily police operations of the
department and reports directly to the Chief of
Police.
He is responsible for implementing
directives and orders as provided by the Chief
and ensuring the vision and mission of the
department is carried out by coordinating the efforts
of all divisions.
The Deputy Chief oversees the budget and personnel
allocation of the financial and personnel assets of the
department. He supervises the division commanders
of the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations
Division, and the Support Services Division as well
as the Emergency Manager, Intelligence and
Crime Analyst, Planning & Research Manager,
Accreditation Manager, and the Chaplain. The
Deputy Chief also acts as the head of the Agency in
the absence of the Chief.
Deputy Chief Pat Robinson
Accreditation. The accreditation process is an
on-going project that requires constant monitoring
and periodic updating of policies and procedures to
ensure continued standards compliance.
ACCREDITATION UNIT
The Accreditation Unit is currently staffed with
one civilian accreditation manager responsible for
maintaining files on more than 250 standards
that prove the department’s compliance with
the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement
Accreditation Manager
Cheryl Houpt
10
PLANNING AND RESEARCH
The Sarasota Police Department’s Planning and
Research Unit is responsible for coordinating policy
development and state accreditation compliance.
The unit also conducts all requested research and
contributes to the development of new programs
and initiatives.
The unit manages the detailed
development of all written directives and ensures that
all policies are consistent with applicable laws,
departmental goals, accreditation standards and the
latest in law enforcement practices.
POLICE CHAPLAIN SERVICES
The Chaplain Program was designed to assist our
officers in dealing with the emotional and physical
challenges inherent to law enforcement. Officers are
exposed to critical and traumatic incidents throughout
their careers that
often go unseen by
the public we serve.
Chaplain Dwayne
Geib provides support, guidance and
resources to our
officers. He has
worked with the
International Critical Incident Stress
Foundation to bring
Peer Support Training to the Sarasota
Police Department.
Chaplain Dwayne Geib
Emergency Operations Manager
Todd Kerkering
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The Emergency Manager works with all Charter
Officials and their subordinate departments to develop
and maintain programs to save lives and protect
property in the event of natural or man-made
disasters. The Emergency Manager serves as the
City’s representative for planning and coordination
with Sarasota County and other jurisdictions within
our region.
In 2015, the City of Sarasota was recognized as being
“Storm Ready” by the National Weather Service.
This program recognizes communities for their efforts
in building community resilience in the face of
increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water
events. The City of Sarasota is one of 23 cities
statewide, and one of 845 cities nationwide to receive
this recognition.
Other accomplishments in Emergency Management
include: the training of over 300 city and other
government agency employees in Incident Command
System, Emergency Operations Center operations, and
Hazardous Materials Operations; the participation in
eight training exercises with a focus on emergency
management and other planned events; and a 5-year
update of the City of Sarasota’s Flood Plain
Management Plan was completed as part of FEMA’s
Community Rating System.
Partnership Policing Communications
Coordinator Genevieve Judge
941-954-7094 | [email protected]
The Public Information Office is led by our
Partnership Policing Communications Coordinator
(PPCC) and is responsible for all internal and external
communications of the Sarasota Police Department to
both news media and city employees. Currently,
Genevieve Judge serves as the PPCC. She joined the
Sarasota Police Department in May 2013 and is on
call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Genevieve is a
member of NIOA (National Information Officers
Association) and FLEPIOA (Florida Law Enforcement Public Information Officers Association). She
coordinates all inquiries from local and national media
outlets, serves as the police department’s
spokeswoman and arranges interviews between the
media and members of the Sarasota Police
Department.
The PPCC reports to the Chief of Police and works to
develop programs which communicate strategic
objectives and accomplishments of the men and women of the Sarasota Police Department. The duties of
the PPCC include media and public relations,
management of social media accounts and is on call
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The PPCC works to strengthen the partnerships and
relationships between the Sarasota Police Department
and the community by providing direct and timely
communications using all available media venues
including TV, radio, newspaper and radio outlets as
well as social media platforms including Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. The PPCC also
Partnership Policing Communications
Coordinator Genevieve Judge
serves as the Public Information Officer liaison for the
Sarasota County Emergency Operations Center and
the City Operations Center when activated.
Sarasota Police Department Social Media accounts of
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, continue
to be a valuable resource and tool for getting
information out to the public and media in a timely
manner. In 2015, Sarasota Police Department Social
Media accounts continued to grow, helping to keep an
open dialogue between the Sarasota Police
Department and community. Social Media is also
used to promote community events such as Coffee
with a Cop, National Night Out, Blue + You Movie
Night and Tweet from the Beat community programs.
Our Social Media accounts help share information
with our community and media including: road
closures, traffic delays noteworthy crimes taking place
and when Officers need assistance in investigation a
case, by sharing video or photos with our followers.
The Social Media accounts are also a way for the
public to communicate with the Sarasota Police
Department by asking questions or giving praise for
the work our Officers do every day.
12
with resources and information in the realm of social
media. Genevieve also served as the opening speaker
for the Social Media The Internet and Law
Enforcement (SMILE) Conference where she received
her award.
In 2015, the Partnership Policing Communications
Coordinator issued nearly 300 news releases, fielded
public record requests from the media and members
from the Sarasota Police Department took part in
more than 200 interviews.
The Sarasota Police Department continued to gain
momentum throughout Social Media on an
international platform in 2015. In October, Genevieve
Judge received the International ‘2015 ConnectedCOPS Civilian Award of Excellence’ award presented
by ConnectedCOPS.net, an organization dedicated to
providing law enforcement agencies across the globe
SOCIAL MEDIA
2013
2014
2015
Twitter
1,129
3,874
7,686
Facebook
1,679
4,219
8,667
YouTube
67
376
473
Instagram
257
1,110
3,264
Partnership Policing Communications Coordinator
Genevieve Judge received the international award
“ConnectedCOPS Civilian Award for Excellence” from the
Social Media the Internet and Law Enforcement
Conference in Niagara Falls, Canada.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police
(IACP) also recognized the Social Media work of the
Sarasota Police Department by inviting us to be a
guest writer to the ‘Social Media Beat’ blog. The
entry featured our honorary holiday Officer, Officer
Elf on the Shelf. The blog can be read on the IACP
website.
14
Patrol Operations Division
Captain Kevin Stiff
941-954-7011 | [email protected]
In 2015, with the promotion of Deputy Chief Pat
Robinson, then Lieutenant Kevin Stiff was promoted
to Captain over the Patrol Operations Division.
Patrol Operations is commanded by a Captain and one
Deputy Commander who holds the rank of Lieutenant.
Patrol Operations directs the Traffic/Motor Unit, K-9
Unit, Marine Unit, Homeless Outreach Team, and the
Community Relations Unit comprised of the Crime
Prevention Officers, School Resource Officers, and the
Citizen’s Volunteer Program.
There are four 12-hour Patrol Shifts. Each shift is
supervised by a Lieutenant and three Sergeants.
Uniformed Officers are placed into three districts within the City of Sarasota—North, Central, and South.
Each officer is assigned to one of four
Walking Beats or one of ten Patrol Zones in the
City of Sarasota.
Patrol Operations
Captain Kevin Stiff
The Deputy Commander of the Patrol Operations
Division is also assigned as the Commander of
Traffic/Motor Unit, K-9 Unit, Marine Unit, Homeless
Outreach Team, School Resource Officer Unit, Crime
Prevention Unit, and the Citizens Volunteer Program.
Arrests Made
4,475
Citations Written
6,351
Warnings Written
4,783
Vehicle Crashes Investigated
3,382
Field Interviews Conducted
814
Employee Observations
113
Marine Patrol Call-Outs
13
CNU Call-Outs
6
SWAT Call-Outs
6
Traffic Unit Call-Outs
21
Honor Guard Events
15
Officer Tim Bales conducting traffic enforcement
16
K-9 UNIT
PROJECT LIFESAVER
The K-9 Unit is part
of Patrol Operations
and is comprised
of three Uniformed
Officers, one Sergeant
and
their
K-9
Partners.
The Sarasota Police Department is proud to offer
Project Lifesaver to the citizens of Sarasota County.
This program is a resource for those who
are
caregivers of patients suffering from
Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Autism. It is designed
to quickly help locate those patients who wander
away from their caregivers.
In 2015, SPD added
two new K-9’s to their
unit, Coti and Bronson.
Officer Jake Nelson and
K-9 Partner Bronson
To help keep them safe, the Retired Law
Enforcement Association of South West Florida
generously donated K-9 ballistic vests.
Calls for Service
754
Arrests
42
Time Deployed for Patrol
101
Narcotic Searches
13
Public Demonstrations
26
Apprehensions
27
Officer Nick Dominis and K-9 Partner Coti
Citizens enrolled in the Project Lifesaver Program
wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or
ankle that emits
an individualized
tracking signal. If
an enrolled client
goes missing, the
caregiver notifies
their local Project
Lifesaver agency
and
a
trained
emergency team
responds to the
wanderer’s area.
Most who wander
are found within a few miles from home. As a
result of this program, search times have been
reduced from hours and days to minutes.
Total Clients
65
Call-Outs/Rescues
8
Visits to Clients
963
Community Presentations
50
Volunteer Hours
1,300
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
The School Resource Officer Program provides
police presence in the two high schools and one
middle school within the City of Sarasota. Each
School Resource Officer is actively engaged in
school activities and provides each school with law
enforcement services and coordination.
The School Resource Officers are active and engaged
with the student body at each of their campuses.
Homeless Outreach Team Members
Officer David Dubendorf, Lt. Lori Jaress,
Case Worker Sherree Brown, Case Worker
Calvin Collins, and Sgt. Michael Schwieterman
Sergeant Eric Bolden: SRO Unit Supervisor
Officer Todd Perna: Brookside Middle School
Officer Sheldon Cantrell: Sarasota High School
Officer Dominic Harris: Booker High School
HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM
Comprised of one Sergeant, one Officer, and
two Case Managers, the purpose of the Homeless
Outreach Team is to interact with the City of
Sarasota’s homeless population.
By building
relationships and trust, they are able to educate and
encourage interested individuals on the assistance
available in the Continuum of Care as well as other
local social services while making referrals to
such programs. While working with the team,
individuals are referred to services at the Salvation
Army for shelter, security, and provisions. The
members of the team also provide training to all
Officers on homeless services, City Ordinances,
and interactions with the homeless population.
(Pictured right) SRO Dominic Harris,
SRO Todd Perna, Sgt. Eric Bolden,
& Sgt. Christopher Devaney
18
In 2015, The School Resource Officers received the
National Association of School Resource Officers
(NASRO) Model Agency Award. This is presented
to agencies that exemplify the NASRO triad concept
in training, policies and standards and that
demonstrate creative and innovative approaches to
school-based policing.
CITIZEN’S VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
The Citizen Volunteer Program is an excellent
opportunity to join others who are committed to the
community that we live in and the police department
that serves them. Our volunteers serve as additional
eyes and ears for the Sarasota Police Department.
Our program provides a resource of qualified
volunteers to assist the Sarasota Police Department
in maintaining and improving the quality of service
provided to the citizens of the City of Sarasota.
CRIME PREVENTION
The department currently has
two
Crime
Prevention
Officers. Both officers are
certified Crime Prevention
Practitioners who perform
some of the most important tasks as part of Sarasota
Police Department’s overall community policing and
crime prevention efforts. These include community
outreach events such as National Night Out, giving
presentations
to
Community and Neighborhood Groups, and
organizing the Blue + You movie nights.
In December 2015, Officer Cherie McKeon
was named the president of the Suncoast Crime
Prevention Association, an organization dedicated to
develop and promote professional standards of
ethics, education, and competence in the field
of crime prevention and promote crime prevention
practices for the purpose of decreasing crime, the
fear of crime, and improving the quality of life. The
associations meet monthly and provide training.
Volunteers aid and assist the operations of the Police
Department in a variety of ways. You can find
them working as downtown Ambassadors, in support
and administrative positions, on the street during
special events and parades, or even patrolling
neighborhoods in our community.
In 2015, the 68 volunteers collectively donated more
than 16,296 hours of their time and talents back to
the community. If you would like to learn more
about becoming a Citizen Volunteer for the Sarasota
Volunteers Joan Steber, Dot Jones,
Pat Lavender, & Belinda Livingston with
Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Rinaca
Criminal Investigations Division
Captain Corinne Stannish
941-364-7367 | [email protected]
In the Fall of 2015, Captain Corinne Stannish
transferred from the Support Services Division to
become the commander of Criminal Investigations.
This division consists of one Captain, one Lieutenant,
four Sergeants, 16 Detectives, four Officers, three
Civilian Investigators, and five civilian staff.
The primary function of this division is to conduct
follow up investigations of reported crimes. These
investigations consist of interviewing suspects,
victims and witnesses; analyzing information for
validity, reliability, and accuracy; and compiling
a comprehensive and factual case file to be presented
in court.
Overall the City of Sarasota experienced a 12%
decrease in violent crime.
The Criminal
Investigations Division continues to utilize crime
analysis to practice smarter policing by identifying
crime trends and implementing the High Point
Drug Market Initiative (DMI).
In 2015, the Vice/Narcotics Unit conducted
“Operation Safe Neighborhood” focusing on the
area of Gillespie Park and the Newtown community
as part of the DMI initiative. As a result, 48 subjects
were arrested for selling narcotics. Of those arrested,
44 were aggressively prosecuted by the State
Attorney’s Office and four were deferred to the
Drug Market Initiative program.
Criminal Investigations
Captain Corinne Stannish
Criminal Investigations
1,069
Cases Per Detective
100
Felony Arrests
220
Annual Clearance Rate
39%
MAJOR CRIMES / SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
The Major Crimes Unit is comprised of one Sergeant,
five Detectives, and one Civilian Investigative aid.
Detectives are responsible for the follow-up
investigation of the following crimes: Homicide,
Aggravated Battery, Aggravated Assault, Sexual
Battery, Robbery, Home Invasion, Kidnapping,
and Crimes against children.
In 2015, the Unit handled 394 investigations.
Of those, 148 were felony cases which yielded
77 arrests.
20
Within this unit, one Detective oversees
coordination of all Sex Offender Checks within
the City of Sarasota and another is assigned to the
Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children
and FBI Child Exploitation Task Forces.
Specially trained detectives serve as members of the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Child
Abduction Response Team (CART) Region 6 in
Fort Myers.
PROPERTY CRIMES UNIT
The Property Crimes Unit has one Sergeant, five
detectives and one civilian investigative aid. The
Property Crimes Unit investigated 675 cases in 2015.
Of those, 524 were felony cases which yielded
143 arrests. These included high profile cases
listed as burglary, grand theft, dealing in stolen
property, identify theft and other types of
economic crimes.
VICE/NARCOTICS UNIT
The Vice/Narcotics Unit has the primary
responsibility for the investigation of street level and
mid and upper level drug traffickers and
smugglers. The Vice/Narcotics Unit also is primarily
responsible for the investigation of pharmaceutical
diversion crimes in the City of Sarasota.
The Nuisance Abatement Program is dedicated
to investigating both commercial and residential
properties suspected of being involved in the
use and sale of drugs, prostitution, gang activity or
dealing in stolen property. Properties involved in the
activities are cited and referred to the Nuisance
Abatement Board. This Board has the legal authority
to force landlords and property owners to abate such
nuisances and impose civil penalties.
Arrests
172
Felony Charges
182
Misdemeanor Charges
87
Search Warrants
51
Vehicles Seized
7
Money Seized
$67,411
Firearms Seized
14
Marijuana Seized
8,130
Rock Cocaine Seized
106.9g
Powder Cocaine Seized
1,326g
Prescription Pills Seized
145.70g
Heroin Seized
92.2g
MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) Seized
6g
Methamphetamine Seized
12.5g
Designer Drug (Spice) Seized
2,397.3g
STREET CRIMES UNIT
The Street Crimes Unit is proactive and high tempo
to address a multitude of issues such as prostitution,
street level drug dealing, burglary and robbery, and
quality of life issues by conducting surveillance
operations, prostitution operations, warrant/fugitive
apprehensions, etc.
The Street Crimes Unit has partnered with
community programs like Selah Freedom, to create a
prostitution diversion program called “Turn Your
Life Around”. In 2015, nine individuals participated
in the TYLA program with a 100% success rate. The
program continues to reach out to others through
support groups and case management.
CRIMINALISTICS UNIT
The Criminalistics Unit has one Civilian Manager
and four full-time technicians. Their responsibilities
include responding to various crime scenes to
process, collect and preserve evidence; receiving and
evaluating latent print cards submitted by officers;
receiving digital memory cards submitted by
officers and maintaining the original files; receiving
all Sarasota Police Department arrest booking sheets
from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and
maintaining the fingerprint and palm print files.
Automated Fingerprint ID Entries
203
Call-Outs
421
Case Photos Downloaded to CD
1,086
Evaluate Latent Requests
264
Latent Comparisons
472
Latent Hits
83
Video Collection Requests
79
Photo & Digital Requests
967
Lab Submissions to FDLE/SCSO
124
DNA Hits
17
22
VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAM
The Victim Advocate Program
(VAP) is currently staffed with two
civilian
advocates
and
one
volunteer. Advocates provide crucial
resources and assistance to victims
of crimes, witnesses of crimes, and
those experiencing crisis and trauma
in the City of Sarasota. They serve
as liaisons between the victims of
crimes and Officers/Detectives, the Office of the State
Attorney and various community groups dedicated to
helping preserve the rights of crime victims. Services
are free and focus on customer service by
assisting primary and secondary victims as well as
witnesses of crime; assistance is also provided to those
experiencing trauma or crisis that may be unrelated
to a criminal act. Both on-scene services as well as
follow up services are provided by the VAP.
In 2015, the Victim Advocate Program assisted a total
of 412 new clients and responded to 42 on-scene
call-outs to assist victims of crime and persons
experiencing trauma and crisis.
Assault
28
Battery
86
Burglary
10
Domestic Violence
107
Deaths
67
Other Crimes
40
Robbery
27
Sexual Violence
33
Other Crisis Situations
12
Victim Advocates Brandy Borling and Jude Castro
pictured with Support Services Captain James Rieser
Local Center for Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence
SPARCC (Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center),
24/7 Hotline
(941) 365-1976
Local Victim Service Agencies
Sarasota Police Department,
Victim Advocate Program
941) 954-7021
State Attorney’s Office,
Victim Rights’ Advisor
(941) 861-4449
Parents of Murdered Children
(941) 952-0936
State and National Referrals
Florida Abuse Hotline
(Elderly and Children)
1-800-962-2873
Identity Theft Hotline
1-866-966-7226
VINE (Victim Information and
Notification Everyday)
1-877-846-3435
Statewide Crime Victim
Information and Referral
1-800-226-6667
Florida Council Against
Sexual Violence
1-800-956-7273
Florida Coalition Against
Domestic Violence
1-800-500-1119
National Center for
Victims of Crime
1-800-394-4357
National Organization
for Victim Assistance
1-800-879-6682
Support Service Division
Captain James Rieser
941-364-7367 | [email protected]
In the Fall of 2015, Captain James Reiser transferred
from the Criminal Investigations Division to become
the commander of Support Services. This Division
oversees Training, Background and Recruitment,
Property and Evidence, Records, Management
Information Systems, Alarms, Payroll and Personnel,
Fiscal, Fleet, Red Light Cameras, Building
Maintenance, and Quartermaster.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS
AND RECRUITMENT
2015 was yet another
challenging year as our
agency has continued to see
an increase in retirements.
Due to retirement or other
opportunities, 22 police
officers left employment
this year (nearly double the
number in 2014).
Recruiter
Kate Meeks-Hall
Given the fact that it can take
up to one year to successfully
hire one police officer from application to training,
changes were made within the recruiting process.
ETHNICITY & GENDER
2014
2015
Caucasian
83.4%
79%
African-American
7.6%
9.8%
Hispanic
8%
9.8%
Asian/Other
1%
1.2%
Men
86%
82%
Women
14%
18%
Support Services Captain
James Rieser
Sarasota City Commissioners approved Chief
DiPino’s request to modify requirements for hiring
police officers. The minimum of an associate college
degree was removed from the list of
requirements, and instead require candidates to have a
high school diploma or GED. This measure increased
the pool of applicants and 27 new officers were hired
in 2015. Also, a greater emphasis was placed on
diversity in hiring.
RECORDS
2015 marked the implementation of the New World
Records Management System. This has enabled the
department to grow and keep pace with advances in
mobile computing technology. New World integrates
computer aided dispatch (CAD), incident, citation and
other data streams into a single database. This allows
officers to quickly retrieve actionable and relevant
information on persons, locations and incidents. The
24
new system brings the department into compliance
with State and Federal mandates of security and
reporting standards.
Cases Processed
26,205
Name/Address Checks
2,938
Public Records Requests
266
TRAINING UNIT
2015
continued
with many opportunities
for
the
department to host
training programs
with
nationally
recognized training
courses. In addition,
the Training Unit
provided all sworn
Officers with 32
hours of mandatory training
reference a variety of topics
including:



New World Training for Supervisors


RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM
The Intersection Safety Program utilizes state-of-theart digital cameras and Violation detection systems
for the purpose of decreasing Violations of the
traffic control regulations and reducing collisions.
Between 2014 and 2015, the City of Sarasota has
seen an average increase of violations of 8.86% at
the 10 most dangerous intersections.







RED LIGHT CAMERA
2014
2015
Red Light Infractions
Reviewed
27,530
28,022
Citations Issued
24,156
24,809

Hours spent reviewing
potential violators
1,177
1,166


Active Shooter
Training Drill
Annual Firearms Training / Qualifications
Active Shooter Training
Selah Freedom / Human Trafficking
Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement
Teen Court
Legal Updates / Polzak
Warrants & Warrantless Arrests
Defensive Tactics / Vascular Neck Restraint
& Distractionary Strikes
Impact Weapons, Violent Prisoner Restraint Device, Seat Belting-SUV
Domestic Violence / Victim’s Rights
Drug Market Intervention
Personal Protective Equipment , Hazmat, Gas
Mask Fit Testing
Firearms and Shotgun Training
Taser X-2 Recertification
Active Shooter Training
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
bring our Officers
and community together even more,”
said Chief DiPino.
In December 2015, the Sarasota Police Department
and the Sarasota Police Foundation unveiled a
one-of-a-kind hand painted wall mural on the
2nd floor of the Sarasota Police Department.
Chief Bernadette DiPino began working with
the Sarasota Police Foundation on several projects
earlier this year when the mural project was launched.
Artist Joe Cuffaro donated his time and talent
and the Foundation paid for the paint and supplies.
“We are so thankful to accept Joe’s contribution
to our department,” said Chief DiPino. “His spirit
shines through this mural and his work of art
captures the spirit of Sarasota. One act of
kindness can make a huge difference in other
people’s lives.
I believe his mural will help
“I was absolutely
thrilled and honored
to give back to our
Police Foundation members
police department,”
Christine Goodall and
said Joe Cuffaro,
Mike Evanoff pictured with
artist. “One of my
Chief Bernadette DiPino and
sons is a police
Artist Joe Cuffaro
officer in West Palm
Beach and I’ve gotten to know the life of law
enforcement. To be able to capture a sense of our
beautiful community and the work our Officers do
and put it together, I can’t explain what that means in
words,” said Cuffaro.
TOP HONORS
Sworn Officer of the Year
Officer J.D. Miller
Civilian of the Year
Rick Hockensmith
26
Sworn Supervisor of the Year
Sergeant Bryan Graham
The Sarasota Police Department
is very proud of all of its
employees.
Each
quarter
individuals are recognized for
outstanding service within the
department
and
in
our
community. Additionally, Units
are recognized for commendable
service. This year those recipients
were:
SWORN OFFICERS
OF THE QUARTER
Officer Timothy Bales
Officer Cherie McKeon
Officer J.D. Miller
Officer Kevin Schafer
Officer Thomas Wagonseller
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
OF THE QUARTER
Rick Hockensmith
Kathleen Meeks-Hall
Michelle Rinaca
ARMED FORCES
SERVICE MEDAL
Officer Daniel Furner
DISTINGUISHED
SERVICE MEDAL
Sergeant Bruce King
Officer Adam Arena
Officer Becky Worthington
HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Officer Derek Conley
Officer Kimberle Vespia
LIFE SAVING MEDAL
Sergeant Jeffrey Ball
Sergeant Bruce King
Sergeant Kenneth Rainey II
Sergeant Charles Riffe
Sergeant Michael Schwieterman
Sergeant Daniel Weinsberg
Officer Adam Barlow
Officer Ricardo Cannon
Officer Patrick Comac
Officer Joshua Evans
Officer Steven Fergus
Officer Sean Gleason
Officer Kenneth Goebel
Officer Juan Jaimes
Officer Steven Mayforth
Officer Luis Paris
Officer Erick Raulerson
Officer Ross Revill
Officer Michael Skinner
Officer Jessica Sullivan
Officer Jonathan Vanik
Officer Kimberle Vespia
MERITORIOUS
SERVICE AWARD
Officer Kenneth Goebel
Officer Steven Mayforth
UNIT COMMENDATIONS
Crime Prevention Unit
New World Transition Team
Patrol Shift 1A
Patrol Shift 2B
Street Crimes Unit
SWAT Team
Training Unit
CITIZENS CERTIFICATE
OF MERIT
Tina Adams
Jon Baugh
Sam Chavers
Deshawn Collins
Matthew Cramer
Jordyn Kruzel
John Lopez
Bryce Makowski
Tom Maxa
Lucy Nicandri
Brian Saum
Bob Soran
Becky Taylor
Cliff Wright
UNIT CITATION AWARD
Homeless Outreach Team
27
SARASOTA POLICE DEPARTMENT
2099 Adams Lane
Sarasota, Florida 34237
Front Desk—941-954-7025
Non-Emergency—941-316-1199
Emergency—9-1-1
www.sarasotapd.org
Social Media:
www.facebook.com/SarasotaPoliceDepartment
www.Twitter.com/SarasotaPD
www.YouTube.com/SarasotaPoliceDept
www.instagram.com/SarasotaPoliceDept
Photo Provided By:
Norm Schimmell