Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Annual Report - 2014

Rick Ramsay, Sheriff

Honesty Professionalism Commitment to Community

Community Partners serving Monroe County

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Table of Contents Letter from the Sheriff

Page 4

Sheriff’s Command Staff

Page 5

Jurisdictional Area and Sheriff’s Office Locations

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MCSO - Commitment to Community

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Sheriff’s Office helps kids learn and grow

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General News and Events, 2014

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Organizational Chart

Page 17

Office of the Sheriff

Page 18

Bureau of Law Enforcement

Page 19

Bureau of Administration

Page 34

Bureau of Corrections

Page 38

Employee Awards

Page 41

Employee Awards sponsors

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Important Numbers

Page 48 Annual Report Credits: Publication layout, design and editing: Media Relations Director Deputy Becky Herrin Statistics / charts: The MCSO Human Resources Division The MCSO Finance Division The Monroe County Bureau of Corrections Thanks to our Advertisers / Sponsors: Boyd’s Campground Frank’s Grill Norstar Telecom, Inc. Todd’s Garage Dot Palm, Inc. Waste Management Sunshine Printing

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is both state and nationally accredited.

As Sheriff of Monroe County, I encourage members of the Sheriff’s Office to join me in my efforts to ensure our county is a cleaner, safer place for people to live, work and play. I try to set a clear example in my day-to-day actions. I don’t ask anyone to do something I am not willing to do myself. From painting out graffiti to picking up trash alongside the highway; from pulling over a speeding motorist to backing up an officer at a crime in progress; you will see me actively protecting you, your family and

Sheriff Rick Ramsay your property. I am proud to say we strive to be an agency that operates professionally. We currently hold five state and national accreditation certificates. We were also recently granted “Triple Crown” status with the National Sheriff’s Association, one of only 38 offices in the country to hold this honor. The Triple Crown is awarded to agencies that achieve simultaneous accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA), the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC) of the American Correctional Association (ACA); and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHA). We continuously strive to remain in the forefront when it comes to technology. This year we installed a state of the art radio system that serves not only our agency, but others in the county as well, including Key West Police, fire/rescue services county wide as well as county utilities. We have in-car camera systems, in-car computers and GPS devices and are currently testing body cameras to find out which work best in the field. All of these efforts put together are paying off. Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported major crime in Monroe County decreased by 5.9% in 2014. We solved more crime as well - our “clearance rate” was an impressive 29.9% in 2014. You will see from the financial charts included in this publication we are also fiscally responsible. For instance, we rent extra bed space in our main jail to the federal government to supplement the cost of operating the facility. In 2014 we returned $2.1 million to the county from this effort. We believe in being open and transparent in our activities. If something happens - bad or good - you will hear it from us first. There are many ways to keep track of what we are doing. We have a strong presence on the internet with our web page, our blog and our social media pages. We also have our own Smartphone App for both Android and Apple phones. The app uses push notifications to let users know when something important is happening, like a serious accident or a fire. I am proud to be Sheriff of this impressive and professional agency. I think we do our very best to serve the citizens of our county. The men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Office show, on a daily basis, true commitment to our community and it has made the difference.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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Left to right: Left to right, Chief Joel Widell, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Wagner, Captain Don Fanelli, Captain Tim Age, Captain Gene Thompson, Captain Penny Phelps, Bureau Chief Mike Rice, Major Lou Caputo, Colonel Bill Cameron, Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Major Tommy Taylor, General Counsel Patrick McCullah, Captain Chad Scibilia, Captain Ted Migala, Captain Corey Bryan, Captain Don Hiller, Director Bill Martin.

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Tavernier Plantation

Key Largo

Islamorada

Layton

Big Pine Key

Marathon

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Key Colony Beach

Roth Building, Plantation Key Plantation Key Detention Center

Stock Island Key West Freeman Substation Cudjoe Key

Islamorada Substation

Key Largo storefront, Murray Nelson Building

Marathon Substation Marathon Detention Center Aviation Division Special Investigations/HIDTA

Headquarters and Stock Island Detention Center Department of Juvenile Justice

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

an office in the headquarters building. Housed separately at the courthouse complex in Key West at 500 Whitehead Street is the Sheriff’s Property Division.

Jurisdictional Area The Florida Keys are a chain of islands extending south and west from the southern tip of Florida. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency providing service to the residents of the county. The agency’s jurisdictional area extends from the Monroe County line at the 112 mile marker of U.S. One (including County Road 905 and a portion of Card Sound Road) to the island of Key West at the five mile marker of the same highway. The agency is also charged with operating county detention facilities and serving civil papers in the entire county. The Sheriff’s Office has its main headquarters building, and its main detention center just outside of Key West on Stock Island. The county is broken up into districts, including the Lower Keys (District One), the Middle Keys (Districts Four and Five), Islamorada (District Six) and the Upper Keys (District Seven). While the Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency for Monroe County, other local, state and federal agencies also operate in the Florida Keys. The Florida Highway Patrol investigates most accidents on Keys’ roadways. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission takes care of most waterborne law enforcement activities. The Naval Air Station, located in the Lower Keys, has its own security force. The city of Key West has its own police force, as does the city of Key Colony Beach. The Sheriff’s Office works closely with all law enforcement agencies in the Keys, and enjoys a good working relationship with all of them.

Department of Juvenile Justice : The DJJ building is located adjoining the sheriff’s main detention facility at 5503 College Road, Stock Island. The first floor is dedicated to a juvenile detention facility run by the Department of Juvenile Justice. The second floor houses the sheriff’s main supply office, Juvenile Programs Unit, Victim’s Advocates and an office for detectives with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit, as well as a fully equipped gymnasium used by sheriff’s employees. Freeman Substation - Cudjoe Key: The Freeman Substation, at 20950 Overseas Highway, is at the 21 mile marker of U.S. One, on Cudjoe Key. It is home to Lower Keys road patrol and two detectives who work Lower Keys cases. District One runs from the city limits of Key West at the 4 mile marker to the 40 mile marker on the Seven Mile Bridge.

Freeman Substation, Cudjoe Key

General Information The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has 546 employees, including 192 road patrol deputies, 140 corrections officers, 160 support staff and 54 employees in our South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area office.

Marathon Substation: The Marathon Substation, at 3103 Overseas Highway, mile marker 48.7 in the city of Marathon, houses Middle Keys road patrol, and detectives. There is a satellite records office and Property Division, as well as a civil deputy assigned to the substation. District Four includes the city of Marathon, from the 40 mile marker, on the Seven Mile Bridge to Tom’s Harbor Cut Bridge at the 60.5 mile marker of Highway U.S. One; and District Five runs from Tom’s Harbor Cut Bridge to the Islamorada city limits, at the 74 mile marker of Highway U.S. One. The sheriff’s communications building is also in Marathon, housed separately, in the Florida state building at 2796 Overseas Highway at the 47.5 mile marker.

Sheriff’s Office Locations Headquarters: Located at 5525 College Road on Stock Island, the sheriff’s headquarters building houses all the main administrative offices responsible for day-to-day operations, including the Finance Division, the Human Resources Division, Records and Warrants Divisions, the Civil Division, Internal Affairs, Information Systems, the Training Division, the Legal Division, the Media Relations Division and Professional Standards. Detectives working Lower Keys cases also have

Marathon Substation

Aviation Division Headquarters: The aviation hangar, home to the sheriff’s Aviation Division, is on the grounds of the Marathon Airport at 10100 Overseas Highway at the 52 mile marker. In addition to housing all Sheriff’s Office aircraft,

Headquarters Building, Stock Island

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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it also provides a home to the sheriff’s mobile command post and firearm’s trailer. The building has a fully functional and equipped training classroom, and a gymnasium used by sheriff’s employees.

Islamorada at mile marker 90.2 (Tavernier Creek Bridge), to the county line at the 112 mile marker of Highway U.S. One. The District includes Ocean Reef, parts of Card Sound Road and County Road 905. Main Detention Center: The main detention center, at 5501 College Road, holds up to 596 inmates and includes a professional-grade kitchen, sick bay and medical offices, as well a video first-appearance room and an officers’ dining room. Inmates from the Lower Keys, as well as all inmates judged to be violent or high profile are housed here. The commander of the Detention Bureau has his office in the facility and the day-to-day operations are overseen by a captain, who is the facilities commander.

Aviation Headquarters, Marathon

Special Operations Division and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area: This building, at the north end of Marathon, houses detectives assigned to work specific types of crimes. These include narcotics and major crimes including homicide, sexual battery and child abuse. Victim Advocates are housed here, as is the sheriff’s intelligence officer. The Monroe High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area group (HIDTA) also works out of this building, coordinating long-term money laundering, racketeering and other types of investigations involving the cooperative involvement of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Main Detention Center, Stock Island

Marathon Detention Center: The Marathon detention center is a satellite facility housing 52 inmates judged to be “low risk.” Located at 3981 Overseas Highway at the 49 mile marker in Marathon, the facility is run by a lieutenant who reports to the facilities commander.

Islamorada Substation

Islamorada Substation: Servicing the law enforcement needs of the Village of Islamorada, the Islamorada substation is at 86800 Overseas Highway, mile marker 86. District Six road patrol is housed here. District Six runs from the 73 mile marker, at the south end of the Channel Two Bridge, to the 90.5 mile marker at the Tavernier Creek Bridge.

Marathon Detention Center

Plantation Key Detention Center: The Upper Keys detention facility houses 47 inmates judged to be “low risk” and is located at 53 High Point Road at the 89 mile marker of U.S. One in Tavernier. The facility is run by a lieutenant who reports to the facilities commander.

The Roth Building - Plantation Key: The Roth Building, at 50 High Point Road in Tavernier, services Sheriff’s Office District Seven, which runs from the northernmost city limits of

Roth Building, Plantation Key

Plantation Key Detention Center

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

MCSO - Commitment In 2014, the Sheriff’s Office continued its commitment to Monroe County and its citizens and visitors. This annual report gives an overview of 2014 community activities. We take great pride in our community and in our commitment to keep our community clean and crime free.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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to Community

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

MCSO helps kids The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has a firm commitment to the youth of our community. Our members frequently attend youth-related events, including career days at area schools, neighborhood gettogethers, bicycle rodeos and family events throughout the Keys. Our school resource officers work full time in Florida Keys schools to keep our kids safe and to interact in a non-threatening, friendly setting with kids of all ages. We have an active Sheriff’s Office Explorer program which teaches members respect, honesty, integrity and the importance of teamwork and cooperation with others. Our Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm is a delight for kids and adults alike; Farmer Jeanne Selander and her animals are always a favorite attraction at the community events they participate in. Kids are our tomorrow - and by helping to teach them how to be good citizens, we will make tomorrow a better place.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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learn and grow

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

finding him in the early morning hours in a bedroom with his ex-girlfriend.

January •  A brush fire on Big Pine Key caused a home to be evacuated and Key Deer Boulevard to be shut down as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.

•  Human remains found in a wooded area off of College Road on Stock Island were identified as a 53 year old homeless man whose family lives in Naples, Florida. No foul play is suspected in his death.

•  A Key Largo man stole his daughter’s car, lit it on fire then car jacked a man at a nearby gas station. He was later caught in Maryland, crashing the stolen vehicle after an eight mile car chase with Fire destroyed Salty’s Bar and Grill and damaged boats at the Seven law enforcement officers.

The Sheriff’s Office participated in a Turkey Point Nuclear Plant drill in Key Largo.

Mile Marina in Marathon.

•  A Stock Island woman was charged with aggravated child abuse after throwing boiling water on a teenage girl, causing second and third degree burns on her face, neck and shoulder.

•  Sheriff Rick Ramsay announced several employee promotions and transfers, including the promotion of Al Ramirez to lieutenant in District 7 and the promotion of David Carey to lieutenant in Islamorada. Local law enforcement, working together, dismantled a major drug operation, arresting three family members. They found multiple kilos of cocaine hidden in numerous areas around property belonging to the Soca family, along with large numbers of prescription pills, illegal lobster tails and over $75,000 in cash.

March •  A Stock Island man A Key Largo road patrol squad spent was arrested on drug time stopping commercial vehicles in trafficking charges after a an attempt to increase safety on our search warrant at his 3rd Avenue apartment turned roadways. up 231 grams of cocaine.

•  A cleanup was held in Layton, with 50 people volunteering from the Sheriff’s Office, the city of Layton, Conch Key, Marathon and the Upper Keys.

•  A clean up on Sampson Road in Key Largo removed a large building which had been the frequent site of juvenile parties. The Sheriff’s Office worked together with the property owner to resolve the problem and eliminate the frequent calls for deputies to respond The Sheriff’s Office assisted with the to the area. Wounded Warrior Ride through Key Largo.

February

•  An empty semi-truck with 125 gallons of fuel in it caught fire on Crane Boulevard, Sugarloaf Key. The truck caused an explosion and was completely destroyed. Crane Boulevard was closed for four hours. •  A woman who failed to appear in court on federal charges of payroll check fraud in Kansas City 18 years ago was apprehended in Key West, living on a houseboat under another name. A traffic stop for no tag light resulted in the arrest of three Miami residents after deputies found 80 mangrove snapper in the car – 65 over the legal bag limit and several undersized.

•  A Stock Island man was arrested after he pointed a shot gun at his girlfriend and threatened to kill her.

•  The Sheriff’s Office announced a 12.5% reduction in crime in the county in 2013 when compared to the previous year.

•  A Key Largo man was arrested in North Carolina for multiple counts of armed sexual battery on a teenage girl. •  The Ragnar Relay Race was expected to impact traffic in the Lower Keys as over 500 teams with 12 runners each ran the length of the Overseas Highway over two days.

•  Old Settler’s Park in Tavernier got a face lift when the Sheriff’s Office and members of the community got together for a cleanup.

•  A Big Coppitt Key man stabbed a Sugarloaf Key man after Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

•  The Bomb Squad responded to reports of a military flare in the water offshore of the 29 mile marker of the highway.

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•  The Sheriff’s Office announced the debut of its new Mobile App for smart phones and tablets.

The Sheriff’s Office took part in an emergency drill at the Key West Airport involving many different emergency response agencies.

•  Sheriff Ramsay accepted an award for “outstanding support to the national HIDTA program”.

•  A group illegally camping near the Bahia Honda Bridge was “encouraged” to clean up their camp. The group hauled over 1,200 pounds of trash to the roadside where it was removed by ICA, a company contracted to clean the FDOT right of way. •  Sheriff Rick Ramsay accepted an award for his support of the National HIDTA Program.

April The Sheriff’s Office was named “Community Partner of the Year” by the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition.

•  Three men were arrested and a number of stolen weapons quickly recovered by detectives in the Upper Keys. The men had burglarized two homes and stolen a truck which they later destroyed by fire in Florida City. •  Diligent work by a Sheriff’s dispatchers revealed the true identity of a homeless man in Marathon as a “violent sexual predator” from Illinois. The man was stopped by deputies and gave several false names which the dispatcher used to discover who he really was. •  A woman with a suspended license fled from deputies in a stolen car. She was finally stopped using the Stinger spike system at the Snake Creek Bridge. •  The Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to lock up your fishing equipment after taking approximately 30 reports county-wide of stolen rods, reels and dive equipment. Just days later, detectives working the cases arrested two men in connection The Special Olympics Torch Run went off with some of without a hitch when local law enforcement the Lower Keys agencies ran the torch through the streets of thefts. Three Key West to kick off the upcoming Special Miami men were Olympics games. also arrested in connection with some of the Middle and Upper Keys thefts. •  A search warrant served at a Stock Island residence turned up evidence of a meth lab, and various drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and prescription medications. Four people were arrested as a result of the search.

The Sheriff’s Office and Key West Police faced off on the basketball court to raise money for Relay for Life.

•  The Sheriff’s Office participated in the Big Pine Fishing Tournament, helping with displays, parking and safety at the annual event. •  The Sheriff’s Office participated in a cleanup of Indian Key Fill in Islamorada. •  A large volunteer group from the Sheriff’s Office answered a call for help at the Peacock Supportive Living facility in Key West. •  Card Sound Road got a face lift as several trouble spots were cleaned up. Barricades and no trespassing signs were installed in areas where there are frequent calls about fights, disturbances and traffic incidents.

May •  A Stock Island man who had sexual relations with a family member and had a child with her as a result was arrested for incest. •  Deputies interrupted the theft of a boat and trailer after a Good Samaritan reported the crime taking place. The thieves took off, but crashed a short distance away. The two suspects fled on foot, but one was caught the next day walking along the highway. •  After receiving a tip, a Sheriff’s marine deputy caught a Marathon man with 212 lobster tails out of season; 145 of them were short tails. •  After a lengthy drug investigation in the Lower Keys, Sheriff’s Special Operations detectives arrested 14 people on 27 felony warrants. The warrants included 47 separate drug related charges including trafficking and sale of heroin, sale of cocaine, sale of marijuana and use of a two way communication device to facilitate a felony. •  A Grassy Key man was shot during what he said was a home invasion robbery. Investigations indicated drug activity might be involved. A subsequent undercover operation resulted in a search warrant in July. The gun-shot victim along with three others were arrested in connection with drug activity including heroin trafficking. Three men were arrested in August – two in Marathon and one in Missouri - charged with the home invasion robbery and the shooting. •  Longtime employee Captain Bruce Winegarden retired. •  Large numbers of Sheriff’s Office members turned out for a cleanup in Bahama Village in Key West. The cleanup was organized by the Health Department. •  The Sheriff’s Office announced the organization received re-accreditation nationally and its Bureau of Corrections be-

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

came accredited nationally for the first time.

A brush fire closed the 18 mile stretch of highway between Key Largo and Florida City for most of a day. All traffic was diverted onto Card Sound Road.

•  The Sheriff’s Office and other agencies came together to clean up an area called “Jet Ski Beach” on Card Sound Road. Over a ton of trash was removed.

•  Members of the Sheriff’s Office attended Police Week in Tallahassee and the Police Memorial event in Key West, remembering those officers who died in the line of duty.

June •  Detectives arrested two teenage boys in connection with the theft of 400 pounds of yellowtail from a boat docked at the Sea Lobster marina on Stock Island. The boys told detectives they sold buckets of fish at a nearby trailer park for cash.

counts animal cruelty. •  Ten boats at two different marinas in the Middle Keys were burglarized. Suspects stole GPS devices and other electronic equipment. •  The Bureau of Corrections used inmates to paint out graffiti in the city of Key West. •  The Sheriff’s Office donated security equipment to Samuel’s House. The equipment will allow the facility to better keep the women and children staying there safe. •  The Sheriff’s Office assisted the Florida Sheriff’s Association in organizing a summer camp at Gerald Adams School for Monroe County kids. •  A large group of volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office and the community cleaned up the entrance to Key Haven hauling out many truckloads of debris from the property.

August

Citizen’s Police Academies took place in the Lower, Middle and Upper Keys during the month of May.

•  A sharp eyed deputy stopped a truck towing a boat and trailer when he saw the tail lights weren’t working on the trailer. Turned out the Miami driver had just stolen the $30,000 boat from Key Largo. The suspect was arrested and the boat was returned to its owner. Two stolen GPS units from homes in Key Largo and Islamorada were found in the truck and led to more charges. •  Deputies on patrol caught two men operating a “rolling meth lab”. The van, parked at a convenience store on Stock Island, was stocked with various chemicals commonly used to manufacture methamphetamine. •  A community cleanup was held in the vicinity of Tradewinds Plaza in Key Largo.

July

The Islamorada Sheriff’s District held its quarterly cleanup of their adopted mile of highway.

•  A 24 year old Key Largo man disappeared after a solo dive trip. Detectives received several reports his boat was seen near Molasses Reef. The boat was later located, on the bottom of the ocean in that vicinity. The man’s body was not recovered.

The Sheriff’s Dive Team held a cleanup of the Boca Chica bay bottom.

•  Five Lower Keys teens told detectives they burglarized a Stock Island apartment after seeing a Snapchat video showing a large amount of money at that location. The forced their way into the apartment, but fled when they woke the couple sleeping inside. •  National Night Out events held county-wide attracted many community members who learned more about the Sheriff’s Office and other government agencies and the services they offer. •  Prior to the beginning of the school year, the Sheriff’s Office spent some time cleaning up school grounds at Stanley Switlik and Sigsbee Charter schools. •  Lieutenant Cindy Peryam retired after 34 years with the Sheriff’s Office.

•  A man who tried to commit suicide by lighting his apartment on fire was transported to the hospital. A number of other residents in the apartment building evacuated safely. The man’s two cats died in the blaze. He was later charged with two counts attempted murder, arson and two

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

•  The Sheriff’s Office Dive team helped out with a local cleanup of the Islamorada Sandbar. The cleanup was organized by several Islamorada businesses.

September •  A man wanted for attempted murder and armed burglary in Hialeah was apprehended near Geiger Key as he hid in the engine compartment of a boat anchored offshore. He was planning to flee to Cuba to avoid arrest. •  The Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to the public about truck tailgate thefts after several were stolen in various areas of the Keys. A total of seven were taken from the Lower,

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burglaries in two days in the neighborhood of Key Haven and on Lower Sugarloaf Key. Video surveillance captured the suspect and his vehicle. An alert deputy working at Fantasy Fest spotted the car and the suspect was apprehended. He later admitted to committing the crimes.

Ceremonies were held in the Lower and Upper Keys to commemorate 9/11 and to honor first responders.

Middle and Upper Keys. •  A truck belonging to a fugitive wanted in Missouri for sexually abusing minor children was found abandoned on Big Pine Key. The wanted man was later located in the Miami area and returned to Missouri to face the charges. •  The Sheriff’s Office organized a cleanup of Sea Oats Beach on Lower Matecumbe Key.

A man wanted for questioning due to the disappearance of his girlfriend in Miami was caught with his mother, hiding on Big Coppitt Key. He sustained a stab wound in his abdomen during his arrest and later died. His girlfriend’s body was later recovered in Miami, found locked in the trunk of her car.

A dog was found still alive, bound with duct tape and sealed in a plastic bag alongside the road in Key Largo in July. The dog had been savagely beaten and had to be euthanized by the Animal Shelter in the Upper Keys. In September, detectives were assigned to investigate the case. A Key Largo man was arrested later in the month, charged with torturing and beating the animal because it snored.

•  Sheriff Rick Ramsay was appointed as a member of the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. •  Sheriff Rick Ramsay was named the MARC Volunteer of the Year. •  The Wild Bird Center in Marathon got a face lift thanks to a number of Sheriff’s Office volunteers.

October •  The Sheriff’s Office and area electric utilities issued warnings about a scam. Business owners reported receiving phone calls that their electric would be shut off if they did not buy cash cards from a local store and give the caller the number off the back of the card to pay for the outstanding amount of their bill.

•  A Tip-a-Cop fund raiser was held at Boondock’s restaurant, raising $3,700 for Special Olympics. A Miami man was arrested Saturday, charged with having 267 wrung tails, 246 undersized. The man has been arrested multiple times over the past few years on the same type of violations. Due to his repeat violations, his bond was set at $1.4 million.

•  Sheriff’s Office volunteers showed up to spread mulch on the playground at Stanley Switlik School in Marathon. •  The Sheriff’s Office turned out for Halloween events at schools and other locations county-wide.

November •  The Sheriff’s Office warned boat owners about a number of boats stolen from the Middle and Upper Keys during the last month. All the stolen boats were on trailers when they were taken. •  The Sheriff’s Office warned Marathon residents of a rash of marine related thefts in the area. GPS devices, lower units from motors and propellers were taken from seven different boats parked at Marathon homes.

Throughout the month of October, volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office helped sell pumpkins at the MARC House Pumpkin Patch.

•  A Sheriff’s deputy who, on his bridge patrols came across a fish with part of a can growing through its gills, used the opportunity to educate school children about what happens when you litter in the ocean. •  Members of the Sheriff’s Office attended career day events at county High Schools.

•  Monroe County Sheriff’s detectives were instrumental in providing information which led to the bust of a chop shop in Hendry County. The chop shop was found to have stolen property from at least five different Florida jurisdictions including a stolen truck and possibly a stolen vessel and trailer from Monroe County.

A softball game between the Sheriff’s Office and Key West Police raised over $2,000 for the MARC House.

•  Sheriff’s detectives investigated at least 21 vehicle

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•  Lieutenant Mitch Horn retired from the Sheriff’s Office after 30 years with the agency.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

December •  The body of a Big Pine Key man was found by a neighbor walking his dog. Detectives were assigned to investigate. It was later determined he was the victim of a hit and run accident. The Florida Highway Patrol took over the investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Coast Guard responded to a boat fire offshore of the 76 mile marker. Six people were rescued from the burning vessel.

Eight apartments were evacuated due to a fire at a Marathon apartment complex. Families could not return to their homes and lost many of their personal possessions. Members of the Sheriff’s Office and the Marathon community came together to raise money and collected household items for the displaced families and their children.

•  More lower units, along with GPS devices and other electronics were taken from homes in the Marathon area. The Sheriff’s Office warned boat owners to check their boats and secure them against theft. •  A well-known local man – elected King of Fantasy Fest and with the nickname “Joe Weed” – was arrested after a search warrant turned up a large amount of marijuana at his home. Investigators also found ledgers at the

Two men stole coins from a vehicle in Marathon then tried to pawn the coins at a shop where the vehicle’s owner works. The victim recognized his own property when they brought the coins in and called the Sheriff’s Office. The men were arrested.

Many Sheriff’s Office members helped out county-wide collecting toys for needy families and participating in other holiday activities.

home implicating him in a large gambling operation. The investigation into the gambling operation is continuing. A man furloughed before reporting to prison failed to return on time. Warrants were issued for his arrest. He was apprehended without incident the following day in Homestead.

•  Christmas at the Animal Farm was a huge hit with over 800 people attending.

The Sheriff’s Office had a large presence in the Key West Holiday Parade.

Throughout the month of December, volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office helped to sell Christmas Trees for the MARC House. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

March 31, 2015

Grants Administration/ Risk Management

Intelligence/Court Security Lieutenant

Reserve Unit Commander

Support Services Commander / Special Investigations Commander

Human Resources Executive Director

District Seven (Upper Keys/Ocean Reef) Commander

District Six (Islamorada) Commander

Communications Services & Programs Director

Records Director

Property & Evidence Director

District Four/Five (Middle Keys) Commander

District One (Lower Keys) / Monroe HIDTA Commander

Information Management Executive Director

Accreditation

Plantation Key Site Commander

Key West Security

Operations Commander

Financial Assistant

Programs Director

Marathon Site Commander

Bureau of Corrections Major

Hostage Negotiation Team Leader

Professional Standards/ Internal Affairs/ Staff Inspections Lieutenant

Professional Standards Commander

Special Weapons and Tactics Team Leader

Airport Security Lieutenant

Bureau of Law Enforcement Major

Animal Farm/ Landscaping

Undersheriff

General Counsel

Finance Executive Director

Bureau of Administration Chief

Juvenile Diversion Supervisor

Media Relations Director

Sheriff's Aide

Sheriff

Sheriff The sheriff, by law, is the chief law enforcement officer in Monroe County with the full authority and responsibility to uphold the law and preserve the peace. The sheriff is charged with protecting the lives and property of the citizens and guests of the county. The Sheriff is ultimately responsible for every division and department in the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. He is in touch, day to day, with the activities of the Sheriff’s Office through his command staff. Most divisions and departments report to him through his second in command, the colonel or undersheriff of the agency. His aide and the sheriff’s general counsel report directly to the sheriff. Sheriff Ramsay has been in law enforcement, working for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, for 27 years. He rose through the ranks, working in all aspects of the office until he was elected sheriff in 2012. Sheriff Ramsay is the most decorated deputy in the history of the MCSO, with 93 comSheriff Rick Ramsay mendations of merit. He has received all the awards the office offers, including the medal of valor for risking his own life to save the life of another. During his time as sheriff, the office has received prestigious Triple Crown status with the National Sheriff’s Association, one of only 38 offices in the country to receive the honor. The Triple Crown is awarded to agencies that achieve simultaneous accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA), the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC) of the American Correctional Association (ACA); and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHA).

Undersheriff

Colonel Bill Cameron

Mission

The undersheriff holds the rank of colonel and is second in command of the Sheriff’s Office, He is responsible for the day to day actions of personnel and for enforcement of general orders and policy within the Sheriff’s Office. He also handles the disposition of disciplinary action. The colonel oversees all Sheriff’s Office bureaus, including operations, corrections and administrative bureaus.

It is the mission of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to suppress, prevent and deter crime with the relentless pursuit of all criminals as a top priority. We will operate safe and professional deten tion and court security services throughout the Keys. We are dedicated to keeping our communities and roadways safe while providing the highest quality of service to our residents and visitors. WE ARE committed to the Keys!

Vision Our vision is to enhance the quality of life in the Florida Keys through strong community partnerships in a way that maintains the public trust. The men and women of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Offic e will pursue the highest standards of Law Enforcement excellence in everything we do.

Legal Division The general counsel advises Sheriff Ramsay and senior command staff on a wide range of civil, criminal, and administrative matters. The general counsel serves as the chief labor and contract negotiator and liaison to outside counsel, the State Attorney’s Office, and several federal task forces. The general General Counsel counsel oversees litigation related to Patrick McCullah the forfeiture of seized assets, provides legal updates and training, and works with staff to monitor potential risk and develop policy. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Core Values H o n e st y Professionalism Commitment to Community 18

Road Patrol and Criminal Investigations: Successfully fighting crime in the Florida Keys

Bureau of Law Enforcement Major Lou Caputo

Fighting crime is the number one mission of a law enforcement agency. Our deputies on patrol in the community are there to keep people safe and our detectives work to investigate more complex crimes. We cannot do our job well, however, without a partnership

with the community we serve. The Sheriff’s Office is proud crime has steadily decreased in Monroe County over the past 25 years. In 2014, crime continued this decrease with major index crime down 5.9% for the year (see chart on the next page). “I believe the hard work of our deputies and detectives and the close working relationship we have with the community is responsible for making our county a safer place,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “I think we are on the right track with the com-

Sheriff Ramsay has set up numerous neighborhood clean ups; his deputies and detectives paint out graffiti within 24 hours of finding it; he has overseen the installation of street lights, and he is often seen himself picking up trash and painting out unsightly graffiti throughout the county. He encourages Sheriff’s Office members to practice community-oriented policing (COP) to ensure quality of life and livability factors are at the highest levels possible. Through COP, the agency promotes safety and the protection of life and property; the agency also regulates safe and efficient motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and assist sin environmental and marine law enforcement. Deputies and detectives are encouraged to act in close collaboration with groups representing the needs of the residential and business communities. We participate in the Citizens’ Crime Watch program to enlist citizen cooperation in anti-crime efforts. Members of the office regularly meet with neighborhood groups and partner with citizens for the enhancement of public safety and quality of life. Some agency efforts include watch orders on residential and business properties when owners are away or the premises are unoccupied; business checks with our “Night Eyes” program; bicycle patrols, Citizens Crime Watch, Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys, water patrols utilizing boats and Wave Runners and routine neighborhood patrols.

munity initiatives we have been concentrating on since I took office. There is no reason why this downward trend in crime cannot continue if we all work hard together to improve our streets and neighborhoods.” Reduction of crime is not the only positive aspect of these community initiatives. The Sheriff’s Office saw crime clearance rates go up as well. The clearance rate for crime in Monroe County increased from 24.4% in 2012 to 29.9% in 2014. Sheriff Ramsay has pushed hard when it comes to his community initiatives, which are primarily aimed at cleanliness and quality of life in the Keys. He has taken the well-known “Broken Windows theory” of crime and criminal behavior to heart and so have the people who work for him. The Broken Windows theory posits that the appearance of disorder – including trash on the streets, graffiti and abandoned homes and vehicles – leads to more disorder and criminal behavior. It theorizes that keeping neighborhoods clean and in good shape encourages people who live there to maintain order and discourages crime from taking place.

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Major Index Crimes - Total Crimes 4,500 4,089

4,005

4,000

3,500

3,092 3,000

2,500 2,189

2,160

2,000 1,710

1,603

1,500

1,000

500

0

1991

1995

2000

2005

2010

2013

2014

Law enforcement agencies statewide are required to report specific crime statistics to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). That agency, in turn, issues yearly summaries and detailed reports on crime, with comparisons county by county, city by city and statewide. Here is a chart showing the reduction of major crimes in Monroe County over the past 20 years.

Major Index Crimes - Clearance Rate 35.00%

30.00%

Percentage Cleared

25.00%

20.00%

15.00%

10.00%

*Monroe County Sheriff Broward County Palm Beach County

5.00%

Miami-Dade County State of Florida

0.00% 2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

*Note: Numbers for Monroe County excluding Key West.

There are two ways to clear a case: by arrest, or "cleared by exception", which means an offender has been identified but there is something beyond the agency's control which keeps the offender from being arrested. An example would be the offender is dead, extradition is denied, or the case involves a juvenile offender who cannot be charged for some reason.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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Captain Don Hiller

District One Road Patrol and Detectives

District One holds a formal inspection of its members, vehicles and weapons.

District One - Lower Keys The Lower Keys district is Monroe County’s largest district spanning from the 40 mile marker of Highway U.S. One south to the city of Key West. The sheriff’s substation for the district, the Freeman Substation, is located at the 21 mile marker on Cudjoe Key. The sheriff’s headquarters building and main jail are also located within this district, on Stock Island. Captain Don Hiller heads up the district. The captain of the district commands the 14,000 entire district, overseeing all operations in 12,814 the Lower Keys. 12,126 Station Commander Lieutenant Donato 12,000 Elomina oversees the task of supervising deputies responding to calls for service in 10,000 the district. The detective unit is headed up by Sergeant Donald Catala, a long time law 8,000 enforcement veteran who also headed up the Special Weapons and Tactics team for many years. 6,000 There are four road patrol squads, each made up of five deputies and led by a ser4,000 geant, providing customer service to county residents around-the-clock. The support staff at the Freeman Sub2,000 station on Cudjoe Key is comprised of Administrative Assistants Brenda Winegarden 0 and Colleen Carter who keep the district’s 2003 2004 records management flowing.

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District road patrol deputies and detectives regularly clean up in various areas of the Lower Keys when the need arises. County wide offense reports

12,056 11,886

2005

2006

11,470

2007

11,121

2008

10,536

2009

9,669

9,915

9,710

9,669

9,526

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Captain Gene Thompson

District Four and Five road patrol, detectives and support staff

District Four and Five Middle Keys Mile marker 42 to mile marker 72 comprises Districts Four and Five. Those boundaries include the city of Marathon, Key Colony Beach, the city of Layton and other areas of unincorporated Monroe County. These areas make up what is known as the “Heart of the Florida Keys.” In October of 2013, Captain Gene Thompson assumed the helm of the districts after a nearly four year stint in District One. He is buoyed by Station Commander Lieutenant Derek Paul who oversees day to day operations. “I came here with the goal of enhancing the already established service to our customers,” said Captain Thompson. Its that customer service aspect which Captain Thompson expects his deputies to apply equally across the spectrum to those they might encounter during the course of their duties. “Whether its a victim, suspect or whoever, you never know who you’re dealing with,” he said. Making up road patrol are four squads of five deputies each. The squads are all supervised by a sergeant. The day shifts are supervised by Sergeant Joel Slough and Sergeant Marc Maison. Sergeant Spenser Bryan and Sergeant Chuck Kellenberger supervise the night squads. District Four and Five deputies responded or initiated over 47,000 calls for service, investigated 2,574 cases and made 973 arrests in 2014. The Criminal Investigations Unit is comprised of three detectives and one reserve detective. This squad is supervised by Detective Sergeant Tom Walker. Both road patrol and the investigations unit are multifaceted. Their duties include traffic safety, responding to calls for service, conducting community and business contacts, investigating misdemeanor and felony cases and educating the public on crime prevention techniques. “They’re also tasked with developing a partnership with community members to help prevent crime in our neighborhoods,” said Captain Thompson. District Four and Five also boast a highly-active Marine Unit protecting the surrounding waters as well as bicycle patrols visible throughout the neighborhoods. Juggling all of the above requires well-trained, professional law enforcement officers. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

“The face of our station has changed. In addition to the deputies who have been here for some time, we’ve also been fortunate to have acquired some great, young, energetic talent,” said Captain Thompson. “It could be a community clean-up, painting over graffiti, visiting the schools or other The Middle Keys district has held many activities. Our cleanups and community projects as part of deputies are just the Sheriff’s community initiative. eager to get out there and help.” But the first face anyone will see walking into the Marathon substation will be Administrative Assistant Rita Hinerman. Rita handles records management, data entry and taking fingerprints for the districts.

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Captain Corey Bryan The Village of Islamorada road patrol, detectives and support staff

District Six - Islamorada

surrounding Islamorada with three patrol boats, one part-time and two full-time marine deputies. With a permanent resident population of 7 – 8,000 all deputies in the district respond to emergencies and calls for service from the community, as well as providing deterrence of criminal activity through highly visible patrol and other proac-

The Village of Islamorada contracts its law enforcement services from the Sheriff’s Office. The district substation is located 86800 Overseas Highway. The village consists of four main islands 18 miles in length altogether. The Islamorada The village’s population easily doubles during the peak tourist season, during holidays and many special events. While patrolling the streets and waters, deputies are devoted to providing the best professional service in order to make available a safe environment for everyone residing in and traveling through Islamorada. Captain Corey Bryan is the commanding officer for the Village of Islamorada Islamorada deputies are involved in many community cleanups throughout the year as the and in 2014 the second in command was strive to make the community a better, safer and cleaner place to live, Lieutenant David Carey. District 6 is comprised of 18 sworn officers and one civilian administrative assistant; all are committed to the principles tive enforcement. of Community Oriented Policing and building partnerships Village deputies have also been very proactive with bicybetween the community and law enforcement. cle patrols in the community, saving the agency on fuel costs District Six handled 28,048 calls for service in 2014. Ofand giving the community more personal contact with officers. ficers routinely and proactively identify and address areas of Events, exhibitions and participation in the community are concern and quality of life issues within the community before an essential part of successful community policing. Deputies they become a larger problem. in Islamorada participate in events throughout the year includHigh visibility and traffic enforcement along U.S. One is a ing homeowners’ association and Crime Watch meetings, local priority in order to keep the highway as safe as possible. Maholiday celebrations and other community functions. One of rine deputies enforce violations on the water with a philosophy the biggest examples of community policing is an event sponof compliance through education. Deputies patrol the waters sored by the Sheriff’s Office yearly in August. National Night Out aims to increase awareness about police programs in the community, such as drug prevention, Crime Watch and other anti-crime efforts. Building partnerships, addressing quality of life issues and involvement in the community is what makes all of the Monroe County a satisfying place to work and a safe place to live and visit.

Islamorada deputies taking part in their yearly formal inspection.

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Captain Don Fanelli

District Seven road patrol, detectives and support staff

District Seven - Upper Keys The northernmost district in Monroe County starting at the south end of Miami-Dade County is District Seven which begins at the 112 mile marker of U.S. 1 and ends at the Tavernier Creek Bridge, mile marker 90.2. District Seven also encompasses County Road 905, the Ocean Reef community, and parts of Card Sound Road to the Miami-Dade County line. The District Seven substation is located in the Roth Building 50 High Point Road, Tavernier Florida. The Roth building is a state-of-the-art facility purchased through federally forfeited drug proceeds. The building was opened in 2005 and was named after now-retired Sheriff Richard Roth, who was responsible for its purchase and renovation. District Seven patrol is comprised of a contingent of road deputies and patrol sergeants patrolling 24/7 assuring the safety of the community and carrying out the philosophies of Sheriff Rick Ramsay. Besides the patrol function, the Roth Building houses members from the Records division, Property, Criminal Investigations, Crime Scene, Juvenile Diversion, and Civil, all of which service those who live, work and visit District Six and District Seven. These components perform support duties essential to successful day to day law enforcement operations such as answering phone calls, lobby issues, dissemination

of reports, fingerprinting, data entry and a variety of related duties. Additionally, District Seven personnel are responsible for following up and investigating felony crimes, processing crime scenes, civil process and the processing and security of evidence. The District Seven commander is Captain Don Fanelli and second in charge is Station Commander Lieutenant Alberto Ramirez. Records is headed by Peggy Bryan while the Criminal Investigations supervision falls on the responsibility of Detective Sergeant Mark Coleman. Patrol deputies not only handle day-to-day calls and traffic concerns but are constantly looking for ways to deter crime and prevent citizens from becoming victims of crime. Command staff, deputies, and other community partners meet with approximately 18 Citizen Crime Watch groups regularly where they discuss any criminal issues and provide helpful tips on ways to deter crime and address quality of life issues affecting the well being of the community. The district utilizes two part time boats and bicycle officers to help patrol the community and surrounding waters. Partnering with members of the community, district personnel also assist with organizing community events such as the Wounded Warrior Project, annual Key Largo Bridge Run, the Key Largo Fourth of July parade, St. Patrick’s Day parade, National Night Out and any other events where law enforcement input is needed or where members can interact with the community in a friendly and cooperative setting. Following Sheriff Rick Ramsay’s philosophies are the driving force behind the professional and successful law enforcement our agency provides Monroe County citizens and tourists alike.

District Seven has embraced the Sheriff’s philosophy: a clean community is a safe community. They have held many cleanups, big and small throughout their large district and they paint out graffiti when they see it. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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Special Investigations Division In 2014, Captain Gene Thompson was responsible for supervision of the Special Investigations Division. He Captain is supported by Lieutenant Lee Ann Gene Thompson Holroyd in cases often sensitive and complex in nature. Lieutenant Holroyd handles the responsibility of supervising Detective Sergeant Juan Llera and six investigators in their fight against illicit narcotics and vice-related crime, inclusive of prostitution, illegal gambling and firearms violations. They are also responsible for dignitary protection, tracking crime trends, burglary details and investigating tips received through Crime Stoppers. They partner with local, state and federal agencies throughout South Florida. In 2014 alone the Narcotics/Vice Unit seized over 400 grams of crack cocaine; over 100 grams of powder cocaine; over 3,000 grams of marijuana; 137 marijuana plants; over 600 doses of prescription pills; over 70 grams of heroin as well as nine vehicles among their 114 drug arrests. There was also $36,000 seized throughout the year and 19 less firearms on the streets of Monroe County. Also under Lieutenant Holroyd’s purview is the Major Crimes Unit. This unit of five, highly-trained investigators and four Victim Advocates is supervised by Detective Sergeant James Norman who oversees cases involving sex crimes, aggravated battery, homicide, missing juveniles, child pornog-

Major Crimes Detective Manuel Cuervo accepting an award for his work on major crimes cases and for his cooperation with the State Attorney’s Office.

Professional Standards, Airport Security, SWAT, Hostage Negotiations The Professional Standards Division handles internal investigations through the Internal Affairs Unit. It also assures the agency is following policies and procedures through it’s Accreditation Unit. The division also oversees staff inspections. In addition to leading these two units, Captain Chad Scibilia also directs the agency’s airport operations, Special Weapons and Tactics team and Hostage Negotiators. Captain Chad Scibilia

Internal Affairs

raphy, sexual offender verification, cold cases and all manners of death. They also work closely with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). The Victim Advocates stay busy assisting victims of crime committed in the county; in particular, the victims of violent crimes. They also assist as victims navigate the often arduous criminal justice process. “I feel very positive 2015 is going to be a great year for those who reside in Monroe County,” predicted an optimisticsounding Captain Thompson. “We’re certainly going to do our part to make that a reality.”

Internal Affairs investigates complaints against Sheriff’s Office employees. The Sheriff’s Office has two types of investigations of employee misconduct. An internal affairs investigation is conducted when the allegation is criminal misconduct, corruption, brutality or breach of civil rights. All other complaints fall under the supervisory review category. The Internal Affairs Unit will also investigate other complaints as directed by the sheriff. IA reviews lawsuits which name Sheriff’s Office employees, and employee and citizen complaints resulting from law enforcement action including the use of force. Investigators also handle property seizures, work environment offenses and track union grievances. Captain Scibilia is the Inspector General for the Internal Affairs Unit, which is staffed by two full-time investigators and an executive assistant. The unit also accepts and tracks commendations from the public and from supervisors citing employees for exemplary performance.

Accreditation

The Sheriff’s Office is both state and federally accredited and has been for many years. Because the agency is accredited, citizens of the county can rest assured they are protected by a professional law enforcement agency that undergoes frequent inspections and is regularly reviewed by outside accreditors for compliance with required sets of standards. An accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the highest standards of professional-

25

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

These policies and procedures are the foundation of a modern, professional law enforcement agency and are also the foundation of being state and federally accredited. Inspectors from the office ensure all policies and procedures are up to date and being complied with by all members of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. They visit all offices on a regular basis, inspecting records and making sure all procedures are being followed appropriately.

Airport Security The Airport Security Unit is assigned to the Key West International Airport and is responsible for patrolling over 250 The Sheriff’s Office currently holds a total of five different profesacres of property 24 hours a day. Captain Scibilia oversees sional accreditations in the areas of law enforcement and corrections. the operation while Director of Security Lieutenant Mitch Here is Sheriff Ramsay and his staff accepting re-accreditation from Snider heads up two law enforcement sergeants, six deputies the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Association and 16 airport security technicians. (CALEA). Duties and responsibilities of the unit consist of maintaining security in and around the airport, checking vehicles and personnel in secure areas, maintaining smooth and consistent pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and processing new employees for commercial carriers and airport businesses through fingerprint and background checks. The division assists the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) with investigating weapons offenses or any crime ism. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reoccurring on airport property. The members are proactive in viewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements their efforts to identify and address any security issue they and prescribed standards. Schools, universities and hospitals are some of the most well-known organizations that are required to maintain accreditation. Accreditation is only achieved after an assessment team of law enforcement or corrections professionals from other agencies around the state and nation conduct an on-site assessment. An on-site assessment entails a review of an agencies policies and procedures for compliance with established standards, along with a review of physical facilities and documentation proving an agency is Airport Security doing what it says it is doing. For corrections, assessors also look at safety and emergency procedures, food services, rules and discimay come across. pline and other subject areas that comprise good correctional Passenger loads continue to increase and now over three practices. quarters of a million people a year move through the Key Under the direction of Lieutenant Dennis Coleman, the West International Airport. As the airport has grown, with the office of Professional Standards is in charge of managing increased number of related employees and businesses and processes required for accreditation by the Commission for with greater passenger numbers, the security demands have Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) and Commisincreased in complexity. sion on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies(CALEA). The office ensures all agency policies and procedures are in Special Weapons and Tactics compliance with accreditation standards and the agency is folThe Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team is primarlowing established policy. Members of the office of Professional Standards are Henry ily used to serve high-risk search warrants where occupants are suspected of being armed and/or dangerous. They also Hamilton, staff inspector and Rachelle Gates and Tondra Darespond, when required, to other situations such as barricaded vis, accreditation specialists. subjects, wanted suspects who might be armed and dangerThe office of Accreditation makes sure all divisions within ous, and any other time they are needed. the Sheriff’s Office, and all members of those divisions, are Team members have all completed at least one two-week aware of office policies and procedures and are in compliance SWAT course, and they train together on a regular basis to with them at all times. They draft policy at the direction of the maintain those skills and to ensure they can all work smoothly sheriff and in compliance with CFA and CALEA requirements. together. They are periodically required to participate in a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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Homeland Security, Crime Analysis, Intelligence This unit coordinates with the Regional Domestic Security Task Force and assists in the coordination of the regional strategic plan as outlined by the State of Florida Domestic Task Force. It is a liaison with various local, state and federal agencies on areas of domestic security and natural disasters. The unit is also responsible for gathering, analyzing and disseminating information concerning known or suspected criminal activity including organized crime, gang members, terrorists, extremists, any dignitary-related activity, immigrant smuggling, homeland security, convicted felons, narcotic trends, Crime Stoppers tips, and general intelligence.

Court Services The Special Weapons and Tactics team trains on a regular basis to be ready when a major case requiring their response takes place. They also regularly respond to high risk search warrants, and other cases where their equipment and skills are needed.

timed military obstacle course to remain on the team and must frequently qualify with a variety of weapons. To date, no Sheriff’s Office SWAT member has been seriously injured or killed during the performance of their duties. The team frequently works with many other agencies, local, state and federal.

Hostage Negotiation Team The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Hostage Negotiation team is a unit of specially trained people tasked to respond to crisis incidents. These incidents include but are not limited to: suicide attempts, hostage situations, sniper attacks and barricaded armed subjects with or without hostages or other victims. Each member of the unit must receive special training in crisis intervention, negotiation techniques, recognition of patterns and clusters of behavior and advanced active communication skills. These skills are used with the goal of a safer more controlled resolution to a volatile incident which poses high risk to the members of the Sheriff’s Office, persons in crisis and the general public at large. All members of the team also hold other working positions in the Sheriff’s Office and do not receive additional compensation for their presence on the team.

Major Lou Caputo

Intelligence, Homeland Security, Court Services, Civil Process, Crime Stoppers, Rapid Deployment Force

This diverse group answers directly to Operations Major Lou Caputo under the command of Lieutenant Nancy Alvarez. She performs the duties of Intelligence Officer, Homeland Security liaison and Crime Stoppers liaison herself and oversees the Court Services Unit and Civil Process Unit.

Our courthouse staff assists in ensuring the safety of our judicial staff and public. They conduct scans and searches of each person and their property as they enter the building. Deputies Key West Court Security work closely with the court staff and bureau of Corrections to ensure safety for everyone, especially during court proceedings. Our Key West Courthouse is supervised by Sergeant Gerald Fisher. The current deputies assigned to this courthouse are: Deputy Auviana Lawson, Deputy Edgar Pineiro, Deputy Jeff Chandler, Civilian Concorde Penunia, Desliles Mompoint, Deputy Jose Alvarez, Deputy Jennifer Hughes, Deputy Adam Careaga, Deputy Richard Rohrer, Not pictured; Sergeant Jay Fisher , Deputy Thomas Fricke, and Deputy Frank Madiedo Our Marathon Courthouse Marathon Court Security is supervised by Sergeant Amanda Coleman. The current deputies in Marathon are Deputy Abraham Vallejo and Deputy Kim Clausen. Our Plantation Key Courthouse is supervised by Sergeant Jennifer Torres. The current deputies assigned to Plantation Key are Deputy Darnell Durham, Deputy James Fitzgerald, Deputy Jose Cos- Upper Keys Court Security toya and Deputy

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

• • • • •

Explorers School Crossing Guards Communications Unit Bomb Squad Dive Team

Training Unit

Sheriff’s Office Civil deputies show off their cars showing support for cancer research and the “fight for a cure”.

Ken Atlas.

Civil Unit Our Civil Unit has officer’s assigned throughout the county with our main office located at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters on Stock Island. Our headquarters office is supervised by Rachelle (Shelly) Gates who oversees Yvette Valdes and Roxanne Rahming. Our Lower Keys/Key West civil service is handled by Deputy Michelle Lee. Our Middle Keys civil office is handled by Deputy Martin Harbin. Our Upper Keys and Islamorada civil offices are handled by Deputy George Rosemeyer. All three of these officers were selected to participate in the agency’s community support to fight for a cure for cancer. They all drive marked patrol cars designed with pink cancer decals.

Rapid Deployment Force The Sheriff’s Office Rapid Deployment Force is under the direction of Corrections Lieutenant Jonathan Crane and, when it comes to this unit, he reports directly to Major Lou Caputo. The Rapid Deployment Force is designed to provide a rapid and organized response to crowd control and/or civil disturbances in urban settings. It can be deployed to restore order, move crowds, rescue victims and isolate problem areas. The keys to the successful use of a rapid deployment force are leadership, planning, training, and discipline. The Rapid Deployment Force is a quick strike team that can be mobilized to areas not easily accessed by a full fieldforce team. Their response is multi-tiered ranging from mere presence to offensive tactics including the use of riot control agents and less than lethal munitions.

Support Services Division

School Resource Unit  The Sheriff’s Office has five school resource officers stationed at Sugarloaf School, Marathon High School / Middle School, Plantation Key School, Key Largo School and Coral Shores High School. They are supervised by Sergeant Glenn Test, who also acts as SRO at Sugarloaf School. The SROs provide day-to-day security at each school. They are also charged with maintaining positive relationships with the students, teachers and administrators. In 2014, SROs taught Project ALERT to all 7th graders,

The Support Services Division is a wide ranging division made up of various law enforcement support units including: • Training Unit Captain Penny Phelps • Traffic Enforcement • Aviation Unit • School Resource Unit Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

The Sheriff’s Office Training Unit is charged with providing both in-service training and advanced and specialized training in all areas of law enforcement. The unit works closely with Florida Keys Community College to provide instructors for ongoing law enforcementrelated academies. Instructors from the Sheriff’s Office also work with the college to teach advanced courses such as line supervision, field training officer, intoxilyzer operator, radar operator, middle management, and instructor techniques workshops. In-service courses are presented to personnel in order to maintain officer’s certification requirements. Many of these requirements are set by the state of Florida and other regulatory bodies. CPR is one of the required courses for both These courses law enforcement and corrections. It is offered include instruction on a regular basis by the Sheriff’s Office in firearms, blood Training Unit. borne pathogens, hazardous materials, defensive tactics, chemical weapons, use of force, legal updates, impact weapons, emergency vehicle operation, ‘Verbal Judo” (tactical communications), first response to medical emergencies, domestic violence, juvenile and sex crimes, suicide prevention and Baker’s Act training, and drug and alcohol recognition. Support courses provided to all personnel in the Sheriff’s Office include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), personal safety / self awareness, and computer courses. The records portion of the unit maintains all employee training records as well as salary incentive and tuition information to provide required documentation for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their annual audits. In 2014, both law enforcement and corrections deputies participated in scenario-based training as part of their required Annual Retraining Module (ARM).

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Keys. The crossing guards in the unincorporated areas are supervised by Sergeant Glenn Test.

Aviation Unit

School Resource Officers work in area schools, closely coordinating with school officials to ensure the safety of both children and staff. They also serve as advisors in the Sheriff’s Office Explorer program, traveling to state competitions several times a year and mentoring kids who are interested in the field of law enforcement.

The Aviation Unit consists of seven pilots and three mechanics. The aircraft they operate currently include a Sikorsky S-76 medical transport helicopter and a King Air B200 airplane. The hanger where the unit is located is on the northern end of the airport in Marathon. The King Air provides transport of county employees traveling for business. The medical transport helicopter - called Trauma Star - provides trauma flights from the scenes of accidents and incidents in Monroe County; it takes severely injured victims to major trauma centers in Miami because there is no such facility within Monroe County; it is also available for inter-facility transports between hospitals as needed. The program involves a cooperative agreement between the Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Fire/Rescue, county commissioners, the county administrator, and our three local

with a booster class taught in 8th grade. This program targets drug abuse, bullying, and many other issues which affect today’s youth.

Explorer / Cadet Program

In addition to their regular duties, School Resource Officers are charged with overseeing the Sheriff’s Office Explorer/ Cadet program. The Law Enforcement Exploring program in Monroe County was started over 30 years ago with the intention of providing the youth of our community the opportunity to explore a career in law enforcement and to develop a more positive relationship between youth and law enforcement officers. There are three explorer posts county wide; one at Sugarloaf School; one at Marathon middle and high school and one in the Upper Keys, which includes students from Plantation Key School, Key Largo School and Coral Shores High School. Each post has younger members - designated as “cadets”; and older, high school aged members - designated as “explorers”. The program introduces youth to the field of law enforcement, with the intention of building character, determination and life skills. The program also provides each explorer the tools he/she needs to make a decision about a career in law enforcement. Both cadets and explorers participate in a wide variety of community activities and service projects throughout Monroe County. They also travel outside of the county to state-wide events where they compete against other sheriff’s office explorer posts in firearms, active shooter competitions, and take part in team building exercises.

The Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the county, operates the Monroe County Trauma Star helicopter, providing trauma transport in the Florida Keys.

hospitals.

Communications Unit The Communications Unit is located in the heart of the Florida Keys in Marathon. All of the 911 calls for Monroe County are answered in the center with the exception of calls for the city of Key West.

School-Crossing Guards

The Sheriff’s Office is responsible for school-crossing guards, and other school crossing duties, at several schools in Monroe County. There are crossing guards assigned to work the school zones at Stanley Switlik Elementary School in Marathon, and in front of Key Largo School. School resource officers perform crossing guard duties at other area schools, including the school zone in front of Sugarloaf School, and in front of Coral Shores High School / Plantation Key School in the Upper

Sheriff’s dispatchers must be highly skilled and able to multi-task as they monitor multiple computer screens and maintain contact with many officers, firefighters and paramedics in the field.

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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

The mission of the Communications Unit is to provide rapid public safety response to the citizens of our community, visitors or to other communities requesting our services. The unit strives to meet those needs without regard to age, race, sex, religion or disability. The Communications Unit dispatches sheriff’s deputies, emergency medical services and fire/rescue personnel. Calls for service are received into the center by both administrative non-emergency lines as well as 911 lines. The unit has a total of 22 staff members, including a director, Lieutenant Charlene Sprinkle-Huff, four shift supervisors and 17 communications officers. The communications staff is made up of trained professionals. They are first responders who field hundreds of incoming calls each day. The ability to filter out the chaos, determine the best course of action, and move quickly is a true test of their skills. Communications officers must monitor multiple radio frequencies and dispatch multiple agencies in a calm and professional manner. They frequently are called upon to make split second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death. They can be a lifeline to deputies in the field and to callers on the phone. In addition to taking calls and dispatching public-safety agencies, communications officers are also tasked with providing life saving pre-arrival instructions to assist in medical and fire situations. Communications officers go through approximately five months of training with a training officer prior to being released to work on a shift. Training officers work tirelessly to make certain the communications officers are provided with the most up to date training possible so the public can receive the most efficient customer service possible. A 911 call should only be made in an emergency. Otherwise callers should use the other five non-emergency phone numbers available 24 hours a day. (305) 296-2424 Headquarters

(305) 745-3184 Lower Keys (305) 289-2430 Middle Keys (305) 664-6480 Islamorada (305) 853-3211 Upper Keys Tip: If you accidentally call 9-1-1, don’t hang up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher it was unintentional. That way they do not send resources that can be used if an actual emergency occurs. Teach your child to dial 9-1-1 for an emergency and make sure they know their address.

Traffic Enforcement Unit The Traffic Enforcement Unit enforces the traffic laws of the state of Florida and all traffic related Monroe County ordinances. The efforts of this unit ensure people traveling on the roadways of Monroe County stay as safe as possible. The main highway U.S. One, stretches the entire length of Monroe County which makes the duties of the Traffic Enforcement Unit particularly crucial. Traffic accidents and other traffic issues can severely impact the flow of traffic in the Florida

The Sheriff’s Traffic Enforcement Unit traveled to Orlando to accept an award for their efforts in the state-wide Click-it or Ticket seat belt safety campaign.

Calls for Service 250,000

200,000

190,091

194,614

185,728

185,857

2013

2014

153,462

150,000 126,804

129,482

2006

2007

137,073 123,586

100,000

50,000

0

2008

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

2009

2010

30

2011

2012

Keys and it is the duty of the unit to see such interruptions happen as infrequently as possible. All eight deputies in the Traffic Unit, under the direction of Sergeant Kevin Mimosa, are trained breath-test operators, radar and laser certified. The unit supports one drug recognition expert and maintains five Intoxilyzer 8000 instruments and inspectors as well as two specifically trained DUI units. Some of the ancillary duties of the Traffic Enforcement Unit include high profile escorts, dignitary escorts, funeral details, special events, highway interdictions and sobriety checkpoints.

Dive Team The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team, also called the dive team, responds to any water-related operation and is trained to safely effect any type of waterborne recovery or rescue operation. The dive team’s primary responsibility is underwater search and recovery of persons and/or evidence. The team consists of deputy sheriffs who are specially trained and equipped to conduct such operations. All members of the team also hold other working positions in the Sheriff’s Office and do not receive additional compensation for their pres-

The Bomb Squad is always a hit at community events and with kids groups. This unit is the only trained Bomb Squad in Monroe County and often responds to suspicious package calls in various areas of the county including on Navy property.

Mike DiGiovanni.

Honor Guard

Members of the Sheriff’s Office dive team train on a regular basis to maintain the skills needed to perform their jobs in underwater search and recovery. They also make an effort to keep the underwater environment clear of hazards and conduct regular cleanups underwater.

ence on the team. The dive team is headed up by team leader Sergeant Mark Coleman.

Bomb Squad The Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad is the only fully equipped explosives handling team in the Florida Keys. Bomb squad members respond to calls involving found explosives, bomb threats, or suspicious packages. The Bomb Squad also handles the destruction of explosive devices, old outdated ammunition, flares and other dangerous items such as military munitions which are often found floating in the near-shore waters of the Florida Keys. The Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad has state-of-the-art equipment to handle dangerous situations. In the past the squad had been called upon to dismantle homemade explosive devices, destroy old dynamite, clear buildings of dangerous explosives, and search buildings, boats, and other locations. The bomb squad is headed up by Squad Leader Sergeant

The Honor Guard is a specially trained group of Sheriff’s Office employees who formally represent the Office during services and ceremonies by presenting the “colors,” or flags, usually at the beginning of the event. The primary objective for the Honor Guard is to provide honor, respect and dignity at the events where they offer their services. Officers in the Honor Guard escort Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard the colors armed with rifles or shotguns to symbolize the flags are always protected. At funerals, the Honor Guard performs other special functions, including the 21-gun salute, casket watch, flag folding, flag presentation and the playing of “Taps.” The Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard also offers the services of bagpipers. The Honor Guard is led by Deputy Andrew Leird. The members of the Honor Guard serve with no extra monetary compensation.

31

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Media Relations, Juvenile Programs, Animal Farm The Media Relations Division is under the supervision of Director Colonel Bill Cameron Becky Herrin and reports directly to Colonel Bill Cameron. Director Herrin’s division also includes the Juvenile Programs Unit and the Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm.

Media Relations Unit The director serves as the agency’s public information officer and media relations liaison. She designs and maintains the agency’s web site, manages social media and publishes internal and external newsletters, brochures and other publications.

Juvenile Programs Unit The goal of the Juvenile Programs Unit is to prevent young people, arrested for relatively minor offenses, from engaging in further delinquent behavior. They also help to prevent youthful offenders from becoming adult offenders. The unit is headed up by Supervisor Sherwood “Woody” Hanford. The Juvenile Civil Citation program and Teen Court use restitution, community service, curfew, letters of apology and other methods to help re-direct youth in the program back onto the right path. The Intensive Delinquency Diversion Program (IDDS) is a longer-term program for more serious offenders. It targets education, job placement, youth and family counseling along with substance abuse and mental health counseling in its efforts to keep youth from committing further offenses. Teen Court is funded through Monroe County from fees attached to court cases.  The Civil Citation program and IDDS are funded through a Department of Juvenile Justice contract providing 35 slots for juvenile offenders overseen by three highly trained case workers. It also receives money from fees attached to court cases.

Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm The Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm is a facility housing approximately 150 animals of all types - from common barnyard animals to exotic birds and species from the tropical rainforest. It is located underneath the main detention center on Stock Island. It is open to the public twice a month - on the second and fourth Farmer Jeanne Selander takes care of Sundays from 1-3 p.m. It the farm, the animals and the grounds affords Monroe County of the Sheriff’s Headquarters complex. families the opportunity She also makes off-site trips to many to see and interact with schools and community events with her animals. Jeanne and Mo the Sloth animals in a familyfriendly atmosphere that are always a huge hit with kids and is free of charge. Special adults alike. group visits can also be scheduled. The farm is supported in large part by donations from visitors. This special place is a big hit with families and frequently sees visitors from local schools, nursing homes, and other programs such as the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA and local church groups. The farm and its operations are overseen by a paid employee - Jeanne Selander - who manages the animal farm, and oversees the maintenance of the detention center and Sheriff’s Office headquarters grounds. The animals at the farm are cared for primarily by detention center inmates who benefit by learning to work closely with many creatures in need of the compassion and caring of a human being - an experience which cannot help but be a positive factor in their lives. The farm began as a haven for homeless animals and to date, most of the animals on the farm come from the SPCA, or from owners who can no longer care for their animals. Veterinarian services are primarily contributed by Dr. Doug Mader of the Marathon Veterinary Hospital. He regularly checks on the animals, administering medical care, vaccinations and other necessary services.

Reserve Division

The Juvenile Programs Unit

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

The mission of the Reserve Program is to support the operation of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff provides the reserve captain and reserve first lieutenant a position at all staff meetings for direct coordination with the rest of the office. Res. Captain Reserves contribute to the operaTed Migala tion of all divisions within the Sheriff’s Office. Reserves are a functional part of the Honor Guard, Victim Advocates, Court Security, Aviation, Records, Special

32

South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director Bill Martin, National HIDTA Assistance Center

Reserve deputies work many different areas of the Sheriff’s Office, including helping out with special work details, traffic enforcement and parking at special events. They meet many different people as they represent the Sheriff’s Office at these events.

Investigations, HIDTA, the Dive team, Community Relations and Parking Enforcement adding to the efficiency of these work areas. Sworn reserve deputies work road patrol both supplementing and covering shortages. Reserves can also be seen helping at special functions like New Year’s Eve fireworks, the Pigeon Key festival, the Seven Mile Bridge Run, 4th of July parades, and Fantasy Fest, just to name a few. The Reserve command staff consists of: • Captain Ted Migala • Lieutenant Robert Smith • Lieutenant Don Prince • Sergeant Danny Valdez • Sergeant Paul Petek • Sergeant Chris Kilmurray The Reserve Division has 42 members that volunteered 12,245 hours in 2014 to serving the citizens of Monroe County and the Sheriff’s Office.

Lieutenant Colonel Tim Wagner

Chief Joel Widell

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is a major participant in the South Florida High Intensity Trafficking Area program. The office coordinates joint efforts, intelligence and resources in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward & Palm Beach counties. HIDTA’s goal is to disrupt illegal narcotics and money laundering organizations by working in joint partnerships with numerous law enforcement agencies including the IRS, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, US Secret Service, FBI, and Key West Police Department. These partnerships are vital as the criminal element travels across jurisdictional boundaries. Many drug trafficking organizations are also organizing human trafficking, money laundering, identity theft and combining multiple criminal enterprises to make their operations more profitable.

National HIDTA Assistance Center The National HIDTA Assistance Center (NHAC) is located in Miami. Its mission is different from a traditional HIDTA. NHAC works with the office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to provide administrative assistance, financial controls, event coordination, media support and training to all 32 HIDTAs. Specifically, NHAC’s 17 Monroe County Sheriff’s Office employees and three contractors provide financial services to assist ONDCP in the administration of the HIDTA grant program.

SFLHIDTA Intelligence Center (SFLHIC) The South Florida HIDTA Intelligence Center (SFLHIC) is a multi-agency investigative support center providing analytical assistance through specialized intelligence for law enforcement agencies in South Florida. The SFLHIC is located in Miramar, Florida in Broward County. The SFLHIC provides actionable intelligence though target research, organization analysis and development. Direct case support is available to state local, and federal law enforcement agencies in Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties.

33

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Finance Division

The Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Administration is responsible for all support services within the Sheriff’s Office. It is headed up by Bureau Chief Mike Rice, who is a member of the Sheriff’s command staff and is the sheriff’s main advisor when it comes to the Bureau Chief Mike Rice administrative functions of the Sheriff’s Office. The bureau includes the Finance Division, Central Records/Warrants, Information Systems Division, Property and Evidence Division, Human Resources Division, Emergency Communications Division, Risk Management, and Grants Administration.

The function of the Finance Division is to account for and manage the fiscal resources of the agency. The staff reconciles and balances all accounts, prepares a complete set of financial statements for all funds, prepares the annual budget and ensures the money received from grants and Executive Director federal agencies are spent in accorLisa Knowles dance with their specific requirements. The division is responsible for maintaining records for one general operating fund, 11 special revenue funds and three agency funds. Other functions include calculating and disbursing checks to employees for payroll, as well as disbursing checks to vendors for supplies and services. All expenditures are reviewed monthly for compliance with the appropriate budget. Finance is proud to report that for the twelfth consecutive

Monroe County Sheriff's Office Public Safety Budget Comparison 45,000,000 40,000,000 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000,000 9/30/2007

Law Enforcement 26,153,871

Corrections 17,282,460

Court Security 1,442,451

TOTALS 44,878,782

9/30/2008

23,118,288

16,579,798

1,384,901

41,082,987

9/30/2009

23,138,591

17,227,963

1,292,895

41,659,450

9/30/2010

22,815,439

16,796,013

1,262,799

40,874,251

9/30/2011

23,100,474

17,233,852

1,341,994

41,676,320

9/30/2012

22,973,398

17,049,711

1,335,952

41,359,061

9/30/2013

23,299,449

17,732,039

1,424,946

42,456,434

9/30/2014

24,192,943

18,746,020

1,497,563

44,436,526

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

34

Monroe County Sheriff's Office Forfeiture Receipts $1,800,000.00

1,555,961

$1,600,000.00

$1,400,000.00

$1,200,000.00

$1,000,000.00

$800,000.00 642,713 $600,000.00

500,643

$400,000.00 265,190

227,364 236,005 156,229

$200,000.00

155,641

184,742

88,608

65,536

126,134

77,661

60,231

109,509

141,476

$0.00 Federal 9/30/2007

9/30/2008

9/30/2009

State 9/30/2010

9/30/2011

year the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office received a perfect audit for fiscal year 2014. Given the agency had to account for close to $75 million of budgeted expenses, this is quite an accomplishment!

Central Records / Warrants Division This division provides information to the public though it’s Central Records Unit, while the Warrants Unit ensures warrants are properly entered/scanned into law enforcement databases then updated as law enforcement or court action is taken. Director Jamie Denton

Central Records Unit

Under the direction of Supervisor Heather Bennett, Central Records is responsible for ensuring all offense reports have been completed and all associated paperwork digitally scanned. This unit also processes sealed and expunged records, performs monthly audits to ensure FCIC/NCIC records are accurate and updated as necessary. A Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) clerk in this unit provides FDLE with crime statistics for Monroe County. Central Records assists the public with records requests including accident reports, offense reports and arrest reports. The unit continues to assist many offices in the Sheriff’s Office with the goal of becoming paperless so documents may be provided in a digital format whenever possible. Having records in a digital format means record requests can be handled more quickly and reduces the cost of paper and postage.

9/30/2012

9/30/2013

9/30/2014

Warrants Unit Under the direction of Supervisor Tatyana Gordiyenko, the Warrants Unit is responsible for entry/scanning of all warrants and injunctions into the sheriff’s centralized database and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Once entered into the database, warrants / injunctions are available anywhere to meet agency needs. This also ensures warrants are available to be served at any of the three detention facilities county wide. Each warrants clerk is responsible for a specific task, including entry/scanning warrants, entry of injunctions, handling extraditions, conducting the FDLE audit to ensure warrant information entered into the database is accurate and doing an accurint search to locate subjects with active Monroe County warrants.

Jail Records Unit Tiffany O’Connell is the manager and second in command for the division. She directly oversees the Jail Records Unit. This unit works 24 hours a day and oversees all inmate records from the time of arrest to release from any of the three detention facilities. Inmate records include those from other agencies whose inmates are housed in Monroe County facilities, such as the U.S. Marshals Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. Jail Records is also striving to become paperless. All records are scanned into the centralized database at the time of arrest or hold, making them available county wide to meet agency needs. Jail Records scans sexual offender and convicted felon records / registrations to help other agencies better identify offenders.

35

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Information Systems Division Information Systems is charged with taking care of the computer and information technology Executive Director Jim Painter needs of the Sheriff’s Office, including office computers, in-car computers, system printers and all system-related software. While the main office of Information Systems is in the headquarters building on Stock Island, the division is responsible for computer technology services county-wide. Two employees maintain officers in Marathon and in the Roth Building on Plantation Key.

2014 Employee Turnover 18% 16.32% 16%

14.54%

14%

12.80%

12%

10.58%

11.20%

10.72% 9.62%

10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Human Resources is responsible for coordinating the agency’s promotional process, managing the agency’s random drug testing, annual physicals, Florida Department Law Enforcement (FDLE) registrations and resignations, personnel and payroll changes, and administering all optional/supplemental benefits programs to all employees. The division communicates all HRD policies to employees; provides employees with a formal process for grievance resolution; works with commanders, directors and supervisors to create a high performing and diverse workforce; and develops staff excellence through training and consultation with employees, to encourage growth and opportunity and promote an overall positive work environment for all employees.

Information Systems is responsible for installation and maintenance of all computer equipment county-wide. This year they helped to upgrade equipment in the Communications Division in Marathon. Here they are installing wiring for the new equipment.

Human Resources Division The goal of the Human Resources Division (HRD) is to attract the most qualified applicants to the agency without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, disabilities or ethnic origin. In addition, the Executive Director Donna division is responsible for ensuring Allen-Moore the Sheriff’s Office is in compliance with all federal and state employment related laws, including Equal Employment Opportunity, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and many other applicable laws. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

The Human Resources Division visits many area schools and attends community events to talk about employment with the Sheriff’s Office.

36

2014 - Years of Service

2014 Budgeted Position Allocation By Class 250

250

207 200

200

192 160

150

150

140

130

100

100

88 62

54

50

50

0

0

Deputies

Corrections

Support Staff

HIDTA

Emergency Communications Division Emergency Communications is centrally located in Marathon at the Monroe County Public Works facility. The department provides highDirector Laura White quality communications via the recently installed MCSO 800 MHz P25 radio system to nearly 40 agencies and over 2000 users. This allows for interagency cooperation and communications on the system throughout the county and beyond. UHF paging services for Fire/Rescue is still provided and maintained, as well as cellular services for various county staff.  Traffic radar for most county and state law enforcement agencies in Monroe and south Miami-Dade are calibrated and certified through the department on a bi-annual basis. County wide 911 answering equipment was also recently upgraded and installed through Emergency Communications. The 911 address database is kept up to date, and caller information verified with MCSO and KWPD communications and vendors for accuracy. Call centers for the county were upgraded with new furniture and equipment providing staff a state of the art environment to conduct operations. Emergency Communications also assisted in building a back up call center to better prepare for emergency situations that may arise in the county. State DOH certifications for Communications staff county wide are tracked through the office as well as other mandated requirements. Many more detailed duties are carried out by our highly skilled staff while responding to everyday and emergency situations. Focusing on safety, they strive for excellence.

33

0-5 Years 6-10 Years

11-15 Years

16-20 Years

21-25 Years

26

26+ Years

Property and Evidence Division The purpose of the Property and Evidence Division is to maintain evidence and seized or recovered property in accordance with federal, state and local statutes. The headquarters of the Property Director Diana O’Dell and Evidence Division is located in Key West. We have satellite offices at the Marathon substation and Plantation Key substation. The Key West office is open M-F 8 am to 5 pm. Marathon is open Tuesday and Thursday and the Plantation Key office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We have overnight lockers at different locations throughout the Keys. The major responsibilities of the Property and Evidence Division is to receive all property and evidence, to fully document it, to store it systematically, to preserve it in the condition it is received in, to maintain it securely, to lawfully release or dispose of it, and to maintain a complete chain of custody. This year, the major focus for the division was to keep the inventory down. The division finished the year with 25,114 items in custody.

37

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

The Bureau of Corrections consists of three jail facilities – the Key West detention center, housing up to 596 inmates; the Marathon detention center, housing up to 52 inmates; and the Plantation Key detention center, housing up to 47 inmates. The total daily average inmate population in 2014 was 509 inmates. The overall mission of the Major Tommy Taylor Corrections bureau is to provide for custody, control, care, and treatment of incarcerated inmates. The facility also offers a variety of programs to inmates who wish to make a positive change in their lives, including educational, work related and rehabilitative programs aimed at changing behaviors so when an inmate is released, he or she has a chance at becoming a productive, contributing Captain Tim Age member of society. Since October 2000, the Bureau of Corrections has successfully passed five state accreditation inspections by meeting all 250 standards set forth by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission (FCAC). This year the Bureau of Corrections received national accreditation from the American Corrections Association, the world’s largest corrections accreditation association. The bureau is proud of its ability to meet the difficult and exacting standards required to be a professionally accredited detention bureau both nationally and in the state of Florida. The Corrections bureau provides processing and detention services for all law enforcement agencies in Monroe County. In 2014, 5,519 arrestees were booked through the three jail facilities. Processing an inmate involves intake, medical 8,000

7,500

7,230

7,000

6,328

6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0

2006

2007

2008

The main control room at the Lower Keys Detention Center monitors cameras throughout the facility, operates doors and tracks inmates’ and officers’ movements. It is a demanding job requiring the ability to multi-task.

screening, fingerprinting, photographing, and classification of each person. Technology plays a key role, particularly through video-imaging and electronic or inkless fingerprinting. The automated fingerprint identification system called “Live Scan”, offers real time positive identification on all arrestees. We also use facial recognition technology which has been successful at identifying new intakes giving false information. In 2014 a full body scanner was installed to detect dangerous contraband inmates may carry on or inside their bodies and prevent it from entering the facility. The scanner enhanced the safety of both the inmates and detention deputies. Monroe County detention facilities utilize the direct supervision model. This style of management uses corrections deputies working directly within inmate Detention Center Bookings living areas. The units and dorms house from 54 to 95 inmates each. 6,456 6,118 6,101 The absence of bar5,798 5,519 5,509 riers such as bars, steel doors and catwalks typically found in an “old style” jail allows our deputies to control all areas in the jail including passageways and secure rooms. In this way, inmates’ activities and behavior are in direct control of correction deputies. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 In a continuing effort to save the taxpayers’

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

38

Inmate Programs Division

Bureau of Corrections runs regular road crews cleaning up the highway between Key West and Key Largo.

The Inmate Programs and Services Division handles the daily needs of inmates including mail, laundry, accounting, commissary, religious and educational issues. Multiple volunteer Director Keena Allen programs donated over 2,000 hours in 2014 to assist this division. A part-time facility chaplain is on staff to council the religious needs of inmates.

Jail In-House Program

money, the Sheriff’s Office leases unused bed space in the main detention facility to federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals Service at a cost of $90 per day per inmate and to Immigration and Naturalization Income from Contract Inmates Service and U.S. Border Patrol $3,000,000 at a cost of $87 per day per $2,707,768.00 $2,593,755.00 inmate. Money received from $2,522,511.00 these contract beds goes into $2,500,000 the Monroe County general $2,167,620 fund to offset detention operat$2,000,000 ing costs. The agency collected $1,842,376.00 $2,167,620 from contract beds $1,639,262.00 during 2014. $1,500,000 Incarceration should never be a “free ride” and the Sheriff’s Office is always looking for $1,000,000 ways to offset the cost to tax$843,044.00 payers of operating the detention facilities. Total jail related $500,000 fees collected from inmates for 2014 were $274,108. Fees charged in our facilities include: $0 a $20 booking fee, an inmate 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 subsistence fee of $1 per day per inmate, the inmate commissary which sells extra snacks and supplies to inmates. We services, addiction and co-occurring education, relapse and also have extra-mattress rentals, check writing fees, we sell reading glasses and charge for legal services and some medi- recidivism prevention planning, employment and financial skills, trauma informed services, transition/discharge preparacal services. tion and continued recovery planning. Recidivism rates for The Corrections bureau is charged with transporting 2014 are based on those inmates who completed treatment inmates into and out of the county, to and from court and to and were rearrested during 2014. Only 8% of men and 1% of other required activities. The Jail Transportation Unit transwomen were rearrested after participating in the program. ported 8,133 inmates in 2014.

The Jail In-House Program (JIP) provides substance abuse services for inmates. These services include assessment and treatment planning, individual and group counseling

Community Service Members of the Corrections bureau participated in numerous community events throughout the year such as providing care packages to the homeless, assisting the MARC House with their annual Christmas tree sale, Relay for Life fund-raising activities, Wounded Warrior Ride, Law Enforcement Torch Run and joining in the Children’s Day and National Night Out events throughout the Keys. An annual project is the collection of bikes for Toys for Keys Kids at Christmas.

Behavior Modification Program

The Behavior Modification Program continues to help inmates modify their behavior and develop skills to assist their transition back into society. This program offers classes in life skills, anger management and parenting for both male and female inmates. A class is also offered for male batterers. Costs for this program are paid from inmate welfare funds, not by taxpayers.

Inmate Work Release Program

The Work Release program allows selected, low risk offenders to work in the community while completing the terms of their sentence. The program gives the offender a market-

39

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

all inmates. It also processes court information and release documentation. Inmates are screened closely for suitability for work inside and outside the facility. Their talents are taken into consideration for work assignments. Special attention is required for highprofile inmates in need of special housing and other special care. A computerized Smart Cop Jail Management System helps by identifying violent felons, escape risks, sexual predators and inmates who are required, for various reasons, to submit DNA samples to the state of Florida.

Jail Health Services

Corrections deputies participate in many community events, including Relay for Life, Children’s Day and unloading pumpkins at Halloween and Christmas trees for the MARC House.

Armor Correctional Health Services handles inmate medical care under the direction of a medical health administrator, including medical, dental, and psychiatric services. Inmates are charged a fee for services but no inmate can be denied necessary medical care due to the inability to pay. An electronic medical records system was recently implemented to better manage inmate medical care.

Jail Food Services

Contract provider Aramark Correctional Services provides three meals a day to inmates, serving over 640,500 meals in 2014. The commissary department has a TouchPay kiosk installed in the Key West jail lobby for self-release/bail payments and deposits to an inmate’s commissary account. TouchPay via Aramark is an efficient and convenient system for families and friends because it accepts cash, credit card or debit card payments in person, over the internet or over the phone.

Employee Development

In an effort to maintain a local workforce, the Sheriff’s Office sponsors periodic corrections academies. Participants are chosen after completing an application process including interviews and a physical fitness test. Those selected then complete a 420 hour course and take the state exam. Passing the exam certifies the individual as a Florida Corrections Officer. The officer completes a 12 week on the job training regimen before being assigned to a shift. The Sheriff’s Office has a master deputy program to recognize deputies with exceptional work history and performance. Criteria includes, but is not limited to, three consecutive annual above standard performance ratings, 98% attendance in the past three years, at least 30 semester hours of college level education, and a minimum of 20 hours annual community service. Currently five deputies hold this distinction. A tuition reimbursement program is available promoting higher education. Personnel are encouraged to achieve a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. When approved, tuition cost is reimbursed at a percentage applicable to the grade level received upon course completion and the officer is eligible for salary incentives. A Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program has been established to provide specialized training in mental health related issues. Individuals completing the training are specifically designated to address mental health crisis situations and learn to utilize community resources when dealing with persons exhibiting signs of a mental health crisis, instead of incarceration. Over 225 law enforcement officers in Monroe County and the city of Key West have taken advantage of this training.

able trade or skill which reduces recidivism. The offender also has the opportunity to pay restitution for their crimes, support their families while incarcerated and experience a more positive transition back into the community. In conjunction, a basic bicycle maintenance course is offered. Used bicycles come from the Sheriff’s Office Property Division. Inmates receive a certificate upon completion. Repaired and refurbished bikes are used by work release inmates to go to and from work and are also donated to community organizations.

Trusty Work Program

The Trusty Work program saves taxpayers significant money by assigning inmates to work details with County Public Works, municipalities and other public service agencies in Monroe County. The Trusty Work program saved taxpayers an estimated $417,055 in labor costs with hours figured at minimum wage. Trusties clean Sheriff’s Office buildings, work in the main detention center kitchen preparing inmate meals, maintain Sheriff’s Office landscaping, work at the Sheriff’s Animal Farm and perform many similar duties for Monroe County government buildings, public parks and roadways.

The Classification Unit

This unit determines custody and housing assignments for Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

40

Employees of the Year - 2014 “The people chosen to be Employees of the Year have shown they stand out from the rest in both their commitment to our agency and to our community,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. The Employees of the Year are chosen from all of those who received one of the Sheriff’s Employee of the Quarter awards throughout the past year. The yearly award winners received a special plaque from the sheriff in recognition of their exemplary work, and a badge to wear on their uniforms with the designation “Officer [or Employee] of the Year.” In addition, they each receive a check for $500 which, in 2014, was donated by Centennial Bank, and $1,000 from the Sheriff’s Office. The Cadet of the Year receives $100 donated by Centennial Bank, with a matching amount from the Sheriff’s Office. The Cormier Memorial Award, given to the Sheriff’s Office Sworn Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, is named for Deputy David Cormier, a Sheriff’s Reserve Officer killed in the line of duty in a traffic accident in November of 1989. Members of the Cormier family attend the ceremony each year in memory of their loved one who gave his life in service to the community.

This year’s Employees of the Year with Sheriff Rick Ramsay, left to right: Deputy David Lariz, Explorer Captain Caileigh Lutz, Sheriff’s Aide Donatella Kelly, Corrections Deputy Charles Miles, Reserve Deputy Bradley Humelsine and Sheriff Rick Ramsay.

Yearly Award Sponsor:

41

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Employees of the Quarter - 2014

First Quarter Awards Left to right: Deputy John Gabay, Corrections Deputy Thomas Riccio, Detention Records Asst. Brian Fox, Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Reserve Deputy Shane Suddreth and Explorer Harry Normington.

Second Quarter Awards Left to right: Detention Deputy Mark Belile, Sergeant Jason Madnick, Reserve Deputy Ben Elmore and Sheriff Rick Ramsay. Not pictured: Explorer Marco Dimieri.

Fourth Quarter Awards Left to right: Deputy David Lariz, Explorer Robert Hester, Reserve Deputy James Humelsine, Finance Assistant Carol Stephens and Detention Deputy Charles Miles.

Third Quarter Awards Left to right: Deputy John McGee, Reserve Officer Paul Peteck, Sheriff’s Aide Donatella Kelly, Explorer Caileigh Lutz, Detention Sergeant Juan Morales all pictured with Sheriff Rick Ramsay.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

42

2014 Years of Service Awards 5 years Nicklas Clark Jesse DaCosta Roman Dula Christopher Fraser James Gayle Lori Haight Tammy Hankins Angelina Lubin Justin Mancuso Karl Markowski Stacey Medina Elizardo Ortueta Hanan Paslay Rebecca Roberts Amanda Robinson Andrea Rundio Maureen Smith David Stark Carol Stephens Shelia Tabone Garrett Test

10 years Ruth Echevarria Thomas Hill Lisa Knowles Mark Lindback Marc Maison Richard Rohrer Michael Sielicki Nancy Torrijos-Paskiewicz Ronald Wheeler

15 years Gary Baginski Dennis Coleman Patricia Garcia Sever Hustad Karen King Roxanne Rahming

20 years

Mary Cohen Susan Keene Eugenia Rivas Charlene Sprinkle Huff Tommy Taylor Glenn Test

25 years Mark Belile William Brown Michelle Lee Concorde Penunia Alberto Ramirez Christopher Wyatt

30 years Henry Hamilton Donald Hiller Mitchell Horn

35 years

Kendra Albury Keena Allen Colleen Carter

Debra Shepherd

2014 Distinguished Service Awards

2014 Retirements

The Distinguished Service award is presented at the sole discretion of the Sheriff and is given in recognition of outstanding service by a member of the office.

Bartolome Badia Bradford Bandlow Peco Broussard Sally-Ann Crawford Rose Crum Victor Del Pino Cornelies Jones Laura Lummis Cynthia Peryam Theresa Roberts Debra Ryan Myron Schwartz Debra Shepherd Thomas Tobin Nancy Uecker Lionel Vargas Anthony Williams Bruce Winegarden Elaine Woodson

Captain Timothy Age Lieutenant Anne Sweeney

2014 Life Saving Award Lieutenant Charlene Sprinkle Huff Sergeant Amanda Coleman Sergeant Joel Slough Sergeant David Smith Deputy Aaron Coller

43

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

Quarterly Award Sponsors

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

44

Quarterly Award Sponsors

45

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2014

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743-3090 • WWW.DOTPALMS.COM

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Dot Palm says “Thank You” to everyone in the Sheriff’s Office for your service to the community!

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Important Numbers: In an Emergency, Dial 911

ww.keysso.net

To report a non-emergency incident call Sheriff’s Office Communications:

(305)289-2351

To Contact the Sheriff’s Office: Sheriff’s Administrative Headquarters...................................................................(305) 296-2424 Central Records Division .......................................................................................(305) 292-7050 Community Relations Division ..............................................................................(305) 292-7116 Human Resources Division....................................................................................(305) 292-7044 Crime Stoppers of the Florida Keys . ....................................................................1-800-346-TIPS

Patrol Divisions: Freeman Substation, Cudjoe Key .........................................................................(305) 745-3184 Marathon Substation ..............................................................................................(305) 289-2430 Islamorada Substation............................................................................................(305) 664-6480 The Roth Building, Plantation Key ........................................................................(305) 853-3211 Special Operations..................................................................................................(305) 289-2410

Detention Centers Main Detention Center, Stock Island......................................................................(305) 293-7300 Marathon Detention Center.....................................................................................(305) 289-2420 Plantation Key Detention Center............................................................................(305) 853-3266

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