For the Law Enforcement Agencies of Miami-Dade County
Katherine Fernandez Rundle
Miami-Dade State Attorney
1MARCH, 2003
POLICE-PROSECUTOR
COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Steering Committee:
Kristi Bettendorf, ASA, Chair
State Attorney’s Office
(305) 547-0220
e-mail:
[email protected]
Mary Cagle, ASA
State Attorney’s Office
(305) 547-0309
e-mail:
[email protected]
Chief Naim Erched
Miami-Dade Police Department
(305) 471-2687
e-mail: [email protected]
Chief Patrick Kiel
West Miami PD
(305) 266-0530
e-mail: [email protected]
Chief Fred Maas
Sunny Isles Beach PD
(305) 947-4440
e-mail:
[email protected]
David Maer, ASA
State Attorney’s Office
(305) 547-0535
e-mail:
[email protected]
SUMMARY OF FEBRUARY 20, 2003 PPCC MEETING
Digital Photography:
The first topic discussed was evidentiary issues associated with the use of digital
photography. The SAO Technology Committee has been researching and
discussing this issue and offered the “Scientific Working Group on Imaging
Technologies (SWGIT) – Definitions and Guidelines for the use of Imaging
Technologies in the Criminal Justice System”. This is the most comprehensive
statement of the topic that the Technology Committee has found, and it was
suggested that each department, in creating and implementing their own operating
procedures, should consider all areas included in the SWGIT guidelines.
Obviously, the main issues involved are chain-of-custody type concerns and the
ability to demonstrate that the original image has not been manipulated. The
standard for the introduction of any type of photographic evidence remains the
same; if a witness can testify that the photograph truly and accurately portrays the
subject matter therein, then it can be ruled admissible. You must be prepared,
however, to counter possible defense attacks on the issue of possible manipulation
of the image. How each department decides to accomplish this (saving the
original disk to a designated hard drive, or utilizing a software program which
will document any changes to the image) should be determined by each
department in light of the SWGIT guidelines. Cost and equipment factors will
vary from department to department, and the imposition of minimum standards
could be counter-productive.
If you have any concerns, or questions about specific technology or equipment,
please feel free to contact ASAs Brian Barakat or Bronwyn Miller.
Charges on Arrest Affidavits:
The necessity for officers to write charges, statute sections and subsections
accurately on their A-forms was discussed. Where the appropriate charge is not
clear, personnel in the jail or the Clerk’s Office may be inputting incorrect
information. This, consequently, may affect a defendant’s bond or release status,
or may even mean the difference between a felony or misdemeanor case being
created.
Thumbprints on Arrest Affidavits and Traffic Citations:
It was mentioned that a large number of PTA A-forms and NVDL traffic
citations did not include a thumbprint of the defendant. This can be critical in our
ability to identify the defendant in these cases. Police representatives present
indicated that they would reinforce these procedures with their personnel. It was
requested that the article outlining the thumbprint procedure on PTA A-forms be
republished; you will find it on page 3.
Continued next page
IMPORTANT!
Next ppcc meeting, Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 10:00 a.m.
State Attorney’s Office • 1350 NW 12 Avenue • Miami FL 33136
All are invited to attend
Page 2
The Rap Sheet
March, 2003
Summary of February 20, 2003 PPCC Meeting
Continued from page 1
Hate Crimes Seminar:
ASA Luis Caso spoke about the Hate Crimes Seminar which was recently conducted at the Miami Beach Police Department.
He expressed the need for a Hate Crimes Committee, consisting of both police and prosecutors, to discuss the issues inherent
in these crimes. Misconceptions about what constitutes a hate crime are common. Therefore, the members of this committee
would become very well-versed in this area and could be available for instruction and advice on these crimes. Anyone who
is interested in participating in this effort may contact Luis Caso at (305) 601-1018 (this is a pager).
* “JUSTICE IN MOTION”
A service provided by the Office of
Katherine Fernandez Rundle, State Attorney and
Miami-Dade County, Department of Human Services
“JUSTICE IN MOTION” (J.I.M.) is a 37-foot mobile office
equipped with state-of-the-art technology for community-based
interviewing and public education.
J.I.M.’s main purpose is a special response for the elderly or persons with disabilities who
cannot come to us for help and services. Another exciting use for JIM is to go into the
community to educate and provide information to the public about the functions and services of
our office.
Schedule JIM for your next community event! We provide:
A CHILD ID PROGRAM
LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT
INFORMATION TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
Contact:
Ulises Martinez (305) 547-0844 or E-mail: [email protected] or
Luis Martinez (305) 547-0754 or E-mail: [email protected]
FAX: (305) 547-0534
Web site: www.miamisao.com
*Funded by a Victims of Crime Act Grant & the Miami-Dade Department of Human Services
Page 3
The Rap Sheet
THUMBPRINT
PROCEDURE ON PTA
ARRESTS
When
officers
are
arresting individuals on
misdemeanor offenses and
have determined that they
are going to permit the
defendant to sign a promise
to appear in lieu of an
arrest, the right thumbprint
of the defendant is to be
placed on the white
(original), pink (SAO) and
yellow (central records)
copies
of
the
arrest
affidavit.
Until such time as a
designated space for a
thumbprint is provided on
the arrest affidavit form, the
arresting officer should roll
(not press) the defendant’s
right thumbprint in the
lower right-hand corner on
the front of the A-form, next
to the area where the
defendant
places
their
signature. The print should
not be placed over preprinted portions of the Aform.
With regard to traffic
citations, Florida Statute
322.15(2) requires that a
thumbprint be affixed to the
back of the court copy of
the citation in the space
provided.
March, 2003
TRAINING UPDATE
The Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office Training Directors
are pleased to continue to update you as to police-prosecutor trainings.
On February 5th, the Miami Beach Police Department, in conjunction
with our office, presented a “Hate Crimes” Seminar to prosecutors and police
officers from Miami Beach, the City of Miami, and Miami-Dade Police
Department. Speakers included Renelda Mack from the Palm Beach County
State Attorney’s Office, Joan Peppard Winograd of the Anti-Defamation
League, Sergeant Mark Causey and Martha Diaz Perez of the Miami Beach
Police Department. Panelists included Sergeant Causey, Martha Diaz Perez,
Assistant State Attorney Brian Barakat, and Assistant State Attorney Luis
Caso. Mr. Caso announced the formation of a police-prosecutor “Hate Crimes”
Committee. Please contact him if you are interested in participating.
The State Attorney’s Office is providing four training sessions for the
Sunny Isles Police Department. The speakers are: Penny Brill and Fleur
Lobree, Assistant State Attorneys from our Legal Division, Senior Trial
Counsel David Waksman, and County Court Chief Stephen Talpins.
David Waksman has also been training at the Aventura Police
Department where he presented “Search and Seizure.”
We are especially pleased to announce our participation in the MiamiDade Police Department “Mock Trial” exercises to be held at the Training
Bureau March 3rd, 2003.
Law Enforcement and our Assistant State Attorneys will be
participating in the Youth Gang Summit on February 28th, 2003.
The Miami-Dade Police Department has graciously agreed to host our
Assistant State Attorneys in a tour of the Crime Laboratory. The tour will take
place on April 16th, 2003, and will take approximately three and a half hours.
Miguel Palmer of the Miami-Dade Police Department will be conducting the
tour. As a follow-up for the tour, we are in the process of organizing an inhouse training on forensics.
The Miami-Dade Police Department will be bringing their second
rookie class to the Justice Building on March 31st, 2003, for a tour of the
building, Trial Watch, and an introduction to the process.
We will be hosting an “Advanced DNA” seminar on May 29th, 2003,
in conjunction with the Miami-Dade Crime Laboratory.
Current and back issues of the Rap Sheet are posted on the State Attorney’s Office web site:
http://www.MiamiSAO.com
The Rap Sheet’s e-mail address is: RapSheet @MiamiSAO.com
Page 4
The Rap Sheet
March, 2003
All PPCC Sub-Committees, Chairs and members are listed below. Please contact any of the Co-Chairs or members if you have an
issue to be addressed.
CASE INTAKE SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Det. Mike Crowley, M-DPD (305) 270-3842
Johni Hardiman, ASA, SAO (305) 547-0255;
e-mail: [email protected]
Committee Members:
Marie Lacroix, ASA, SAO
Sandy Roberts, SAO
Sgt. Laura Diaz, M-DPD
Det. Andrew Delgado, M-DPD
Det. Paul Manzella, SIBPD
Sgt. Efren Lopez, M-DPD
Sgt. Ray Santiago, UMPS
COMMUNICATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Steve Talpins, ASA, SAO (305) 324-2999;
e-mail: [email protected]
Major Grace O’Donnell, M-DPD (305) 375-5555;
e-mail: [email protected]
Mike Grieco, ASA, SAO (305) 547-0303;
e-mail: [email protected]
Committee Members:
Lt. Steve Rossbach, MPD
Asst. Chief Michael Mills, SMPD
Denise Moon, SAO
Lt. Kathy Katerman, NMBPD
Manny Segarra, ASA, SAO
Mark Smith, ASA, SAO
Gloria Paskiewicz, MBPD
Ray Araujo, ASA, SAO, County Court
Sgt. Laura Diaz, M-DPD
Kathleen Phang, SAO
Lt. Harry Pickering, CGPD
Trpr. Peter Gonzalez, FHP
Melinda Breidenbach, SAO
Teresa Williams, SAO
Johni Hardiman, ASA, SAO
Ergio Fernandez, SAO
Sandy Roberts, SAO
Oliver Spicer, Jr., M-DPD
CRIMES AGAINST LEOs SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Capt. David Rivero, MPD (305) 579-6450;
e-mail: [email protected]
David Waksman, ASA, SAO (305) 547-0445;
e-mail: [email protected]
Committee Members:
Chief Chuck Reynolds, SAO
Lt. Ralph Gracia, Hialeah PD
Denise Moon, SAO
Lt. David Evans, M-DPD, Cutler Ridge
Abbe Rifkin, ASA, SAO
Lt. Willie Hill, Pinecrest PD
Sgt. Efren Lopez, M-DPD, Hammocks
Det. Norma Dieppa, CGPD
Chief Pat Kiel, West Miami PD
Jonathan Davidoff, ASA, SAO
Audrey Frank-Aponte, ASA, SAO
Lt. Luis Bazo, M-DPD, Northside
Susan Leah Dechovitz, ASA, SAO
Sgt. Marshall Gilreath, M-DPD
George Cholakis, ASA, SAO
Det. Ray Hoadley, M-DPD
Lt. Brian Ackerman, M-DPD, Northside
Det. Robert Garland, M-DPD
Ofcr. Carlos Arguelles, M-DPD, Hammocks
Sgt. Danny Formosa, Homestead PD
JUVENILE SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Lt. Howard Ostlund, JAC (305) 755-6130
e-mail: [email protected]
Leon Botkin, ASA (305) 637-1300 or
e-mail: [email protected]
Kerri Bennett-Egozi
[email protected]
Committee Members:
Sgt. Ian Moffett, M-DSBPD
Capt. Michael Mouring, M-DPD
Sgt. James Harley, MBPD
Ellen Skidmore, SAO
DOMESTIC CRIMES SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Esther Jacobo-Rubio, ASA, SAO (305) 547-0132;
e-mail [email protected]
Maj. Harriet Janosky, M-DPD
Committee Members:
Carrie Soubal, SAO
Sgt. Eugenio Rodriguez, MBPD
Denise Moon, SAO
Sarah Poux, MBPD
Judith Rubenstein, M-DPD Legal
RAP SHEET SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Lt. Brian Ackerman, M-DPD, Northside (305) 835-4072;
e-mail: [email protected]
Capt. David Rivero, MPD (305) 579-6450;
e-mail: [email protected]
Kristi Bettendorf, ASA, SAO (305) 547-0220
e-mail: [email protected]
Committee Members:
Sandy Roberts, SAO
Betty Tarre, SAO
Ed Griffith, SAO
ROLL CALL/RIDE-ALONG SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Chief Patrick Kiel, West Miami PD (305) 266-0530;
e-mail: [email protected]
Walter B. Batt, ASA, SAO (305) 324-3008;
e-mail: [email protected]
Anne Wedge-McMillen, ASA, SAO (305) 547-0419
Committee Members:
Lt. David Evans, M-DPD, Cutler Ridge
Lt. Brian Ackerman, M-DPD, Northside
Shana Seitchik, ASA, SAO
Chief Chuck Reynolds, SAO
Audrey Frank-Aponte, ASA, SAO
Brenda Mezick, ASA, SAO
TRAINING SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Lt. Ricardo Gomez, M-DPD, Court Services (305) 547-5088;
e-mail: [email protected]
Bronwyn Miller, ASA, SAO; 547-0309
e-mail: [email protected]
Susan Dechovitz, ASA, SAO; 547-0309
e-mail: [email protected]
Ofcr. Barry Mankes, M-DPD, Training Bureau
Committee Members:
Sgt. Ian Moffett, M-DSBPD
Det. David Adlet, EPPD
Lt. Van Toth, Hialeah Gardens PD
Sgt. Michael Gilreath, M-DPD
Lynnise Jones-Curry, M-DPD
Ofcr. Chad Rosen, Surfside PD
Lt. Luis Bazo, M-DPD
Det. Jorge Ceballos, M-DPD
Johni Hardiman, ASA, SAO
David Waksman, ASA, SAO
Shana Seitchik, ASA, SAO
Martha Diaz Perez, MBPD
Jay Novick, ASA, SAO
Oliver Spicer, Jr., M-DPD
OPERATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS:
Melinda Breidenbach, SAO (305) 547-0418;
e-mail: [email protected]
Chief Robert Holden, M-DPD (305) 471-3165
[email protected]
Committee Members:
Lt. Albert Vila, MPD
Johni Hardiman, ASA, SAO
Sgt. Gladys Amato, MPD
Bill Altfield, ASA, SAO