In 2007 the Field Operations Bureau was divided into two primary patrol districts commanded by a Captain, District 1 North Captain Mary Olsen and District 2 South Captain Kim Myers. This two district deployment had been in place since early the1990’s. Residential housing and population growth in the western communities created an increased demand in policing services. Commanders recognized the need for a geographical based re-design of policing responsibilities and accountability to accommodate demand for police service calls, decrease response times and increase officer safety.

The department invested in a comprehensive staffing study by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) and developed a new patrol district deployment plan using the staffing recommendations of PERF for Field Operations.

Recommendations:

The Department should create a third patrol district, the West District, to accommodate new growth in the west as well as to enhance its disaster response planning. District One should receive approximately 40% of the existing patrol officers, District Two 32% and District Three 27% to keep the ratio of patrol CFS workload to patrol officers about equal. Each district should be commanded by a captain requiring one additional captain’s position to be added to the Department.

Division 1 North- Captain Mary Olsen

The division is bounded on the south by Banyan and Quadrille Blvds.; the west by I-95; the north by the city boundary; and the east by the Intracoastal Waterway. The western boundary runs along the east side of I-95 along the west side of Clear Lake just north of Okeechobee Blvd. (7.25 sq miles)

There are six (6) primary patrol sectors. These sectors are numbered 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. Day Shift personnel will use “1110” if assigned as the primary officer in beat 11. Night Shift personnel will use “2110” if assigned as the primary officer in beat 11. The first digit is the shift designator – “1” for Dayshift and “2” for Nightshift, the “0” would indicate the primary officer in the geographic area. When additional officers are assigned to an area, or as cover officers, the last digit will change such as “2111,” indicating this officer is in area 11 on the night shift, and is not the primary officer. The system will allow up to 10 officers in each sector – last digits 0 thru 9.

Dayshift platoons will be assigned 12 officers, nightshift platoons will have 19 officers.

Division 2 South-Captain Kim Myers

The division includes the area south of Okeechobee Blvd. - inclusive of incorporated areas west of I-95 and east of Florida Mango Road - and the central downtown business district, bounded on the north by Banyan and Quadrille Blvds. The division is bounded along the east by the Intracoastal Waterway. (8.0 sq miles)

There are five (5) primary patrol sectors. These sectors are numbered 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Day Shift personnel will use “1210” if assigned as the primary officer in beat 21. Night Shift personnel will use “2210” if assigned as the primary officer in beat 21. The first digit is the shift designator – “1” for Dayshift and “2” for Nightshift, the “0” would indicate the primary officer in the geographic area. When additional officers are assigned to an area, or as cover officers, the last digit will change such as “2211,” indicating this officer is in area 21 on the night shift, and is not the primary officer. The system will allow up to 10 officers in each sector – last digits 0 thru 9.

Dayshift platoons will be assigned 8 officers, nightshift platoons will have 10 officers.

Division 2 also encompassed the newly created Entertainment District Unit (EDU). This unit was created to address unique policing issues in the Downtown area associated with the various entertainment venues (restaurant and nightclubs, shopping).

The Entertainment District Officers will work 11.5 hour shifts determined by the needs of the department as set by the Division Commander, and EDU Lieutenant. Five officers will be assigned to each EDU Squad. One Sergeant will be assigned to the Entertainment District on each platoon rotation. Their hours will be set by the Entertainment District Lieutenant. The sergeants will be identified by the call signs “701” on platoon 1, and “702” on platoon 2.

Division 3-West-Captain Gary Carroll

The division is bounded on the south by the city boundary along the south side of Okeechobee Blvd.; the west by the city boundary; the north by city boundary; and the east by I-95. All of the incorporated area south of Okeechobee Blvd. and west of I-95 is part of division 2. (41.5 sq miles)

There are seven (7) primary patrol sectors. These sectors are numbered 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37. Day Shift personnel will use “1310” if assigned as the primary officer in beat 31. Night Shift personnel will use “2310” if assigned as the primary officer in beat 31. The first digit is the shift designator – “1” for Dayshift and “2” for Nightshift, the “0” would indicate the primary officer in the geographic area. When additional officers are assigned to an area, or as cover officers, the last digit will change such as “2311,” indicating this officer is in area 31 on the night shift, and is not the primary officer. The system will allow up to 10 officers in each sector – last digits 0 thru 9.

Dayshift platoons will be assigned 8 officers, nightshift platoons will have 11 officers.

Traffic Section

The officers assigned as Motor Officers, Traffic Homicide Investigators, and as DUI Enforcement Officers will continue to be assigned geographically with city-wide responsibility when the need arises. Motor Officers will work weekdays, with 8 or 10 hour shift schedules as determined by the Traffic Section Sergeant. One DUI Officer will be assigned to each night shift platoon, and will mirror the 11.5 hour shift rotation. Two THI officers will be assigned to each day shift platoon, and will mirror the 11.5 hour shift rotation. Aggressive driving enforcement efforts will continue to be conducted in support of grant funded initiatives, with officers volunteering for the assignment, or taking rotations in the Mustang Interceptors.

The Community Service Aides will continue work weekday schedules as determined by the Traffic Section Sergeant, and will provide coverage between 0830 and 2200 hours. The School Crossing Guard Supervisor will continue to oversee the activity of the
36 PTE Crossing Guards assigned throughout the city, and will report to the Traffic Section Sergeant.

Special Services Section

This section is separated into three units: Aviation, Canine and Water Catchment. These units are supervised by one Sergeant.

Aviation: Operates a Schweizer Model 330 turbine helicopter. This unit will continue to provide air support to this agency for ground searches, vehicle pursuits, surveillance and patrolling the water shed (water catchment) by air. This unit is staffed by three pilots and one observer.

Canine: This unit consists of 5 patrol dog/handler combinations. Two of these combinations have been cross trained for apprehension and drug detection. One pair has been cross-trained in apprehension and bomb detection. This unit will continue to be utilized in searches for felons, bomb and drug detection.

Water Catchment: This unit is staffed by two officers. This unit will continue to patrol the City water reservoir by utilizing four wheel drive vehicles as well as all terrain vehicles and an airboat. This unit also routinely patrols the Intracoastal Waterway in a 25 ft rigid hull inflatable boat. The unit will be participating in a multiagency Grant from Palm Beach County to patrol the Intracoastal Waterway for manatee zone violations.

COMPSTAT Policing

The Field Operations Bureau uses the COMPSTAT crime analysis model for Crime reduction strategies. Each day crime threshold alerts are issued by Janet Fairchild of our Crime Analysis Unit to watch commanders. Threshold alerts identify crime patterns in each of the patrol sectors. Watch commanders and sector officers use this data along with Crime View Web to focus patrol activity on the identified crime issues researching type of crime, day of week, and time of day occurrences.

Information on suspects is disseminated to officers and detectives through daily information bulletins and e-mail. Each week crime Hot Spot, week to date, month to date and year to date statistics are sent out to Division Commanders monitoring progress of the crime reduction strategies implemented. On the second Tuesday of each month supervisors from each of the three Department Bureaus (Field Operations, Investigative Services and Community Services) meet for a COMPSTAT session to review data, discuss crime reduction strategies, and significant arrests from the previous four week period.

Burglary and Robbery Reduction Initiatives

In addition to regular police patrol activities officers were assigned to bicycle details and deployed in areas identified through COMPSTAT to deter and reduce criminal activity. Teams of bicycle officers were deployed in each of the districts to identified hot spots and were assigned to patrol these areas. Officers on bicycles were less visible to criminals and able to check alleys and areas that criminals normally enjoyed concealment. Officers had the time to speak with citizens, make street contacts and concentrate on identified crime issues. These details have resulted in numerous arrests and the identification of several suspected burglars including a reduction in property/burglary crimes. A highlight was the apprehension of a career criminal burglar who was responsible for over twenty–five residential burglaries in our western gated communities.

Operation “Hand to Hand” was developed by Lt. Yates as a crime prevention and educational program for neighborhoods that may have active residential and auto burglary problems. Officers in our recruit training program, volunteers, police explorers and Community Policing officers would walk door to door and hand out crime prevention materials, make CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) suggestions, and request for citizens not to leave valuables visible in their cars.

Hispanic Outreach Program

Several officers and supervisors contributed to the program creation: Captain Mary Santos-Olsen, Sgt. Bowersock, Officer Fred Naranjo, Detective Rodriguez, Officer Salvador, Officer Cazanas, Officer McGinley, Officer Ed Chaparro, Officer Regis, Officer Guevarez and Officer Cajiges.

This program was created to reduce Hispanic and immigrant victimization for robbery and other related crimes. The programs objectives were to build trust through communications with police officers, develop confidential contacts and sources, crime prevention through education, crime reduction through arrests, victim follow–up in prosecutions and community outreach for available social services. In addition to robbery reduction officers were able to close down five houses of prostitution with arrests.

During our Hispanic Outreach Day with the assistance of The Guatemalan Consulate, local banks, Bank of America, Washington Mutual and Fidelity Federal, 150 bank accounts were opened. Over 1000 immigrants were processed by the consulate and provided with health services information. We are looking forward to another successful Outreach Day this year.

Sexual Offender Accountability Program (SOAP)

The Sexual Offender Accountability Program (S.O.A.P.) first instituted by the City of Port Orange Police Department offered an interesting solution to an almost overwhelming task of tracking and maintaining accountability of registered sexual offenders that may reside within the city’s jurisdiction. This department adopted and instituted this program this year.

The basis for the program is to take the entire responsibility from a limited number of detectives to track and control sexual offenders and distribute the responsibility throughout the entire police department particularly to the uniformed patrol officers. The theory behind the program is one officer will be assigned one sexual offender and be required to perform a monthly random person to person contact with the offender and an address verification check of the offenders address location.

The only requirement of the officer would be to complete a sexual offender contact form and forward the information to detectives who would then enter the information into an excel spread sheet for accountability. If the officers encounter a situation or violation by the sexual offender they can contact the detectives who are familiar with sexual offender laws for immediate follow up investigation.

This program has several advantages; officers on patrol would have personal contact with sexual offenders in their zones. They would get to know the offender, be able to identify them and monitor any activities that may violate terms of the probation. They would have first hand knowledge should any sexual offenses occur in their areas of responsibility. They would also be aware of attempts by a sexual offender to change their appearance in order to avoid detection. Officer could take a digital photo of the offenders changed appearance for offender information updates. Some offenders have curfews and those offenders could be assigned to night shift personnel to monitor curfew violations. This would also let the sexual offenders know that they are being monitored on a regular basis and deter any potential criminal activity.

Community Partnerships

The Patrol Divisions continue to build community partnerships with all active Neighborhood Associations. Officers and supervisors attend any Neighborhood Association meeting upon request in order to address any police related inquiries and community crime statistics. Monthly meetings of both (SENA) South End Neighborhood Assoc. and (NCON) the North End Coalition of Neighborhoods are attended by Division Commanders. Patrol Lieutenants in conjunction with our Crime Prevention Unit send out neighborhood alerts when COMPSTAT identified crime issues and Hot Spots occur in the in a specific neighborhood