How do Seminole County deputies handle troublemakers in school? Juvenile intervention officers
Every week, John Girard and his fellow intervention officers (who are civilians, not deputies) meet with six Markham Woods students that the school identified as high-risk for dropping out or getting kicked out.
Detective: UCF voyeur arrested after recording women in bathroom would ‘still be doing it’ at colleges across the country
Detectives at colleges across the country are building their cases against a 24-year-old accused of recording women in bathrooms stalls at several different schools, thanks to the University of Central Florida Police Department.
As first responder suicides rise, Florida task force calls for changes in training, help availability
The number of first responders committing suicide continues to rise, according to leaders of the first comprehensive statewide task force representing firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, corrections, training and behavioral health services across Florida.
Police chief, sheriff discuss changes after Trayvon Martin and George Floyd cases
In the decade since Trayvon Martin was killed in Sanford, and especially in the last couple of years since George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, policing has rapidly evolved — perhaps the most ever in a short amount of time.
‘We’re here for them:’ How school resource deputies help the students they serve
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Flagler County Deputy Sheriff Sierra Held has only been a school resource deputy since last summer, but she already knows she doesn’t want to do anything else. “I was ready to leave law enforcement and ready to be done to start a new career,” Held said. I love it so much.”Held said her first challenge in school is teaching her students what to call her. Staly said the teaching and mentoring is important but the priority is building trust between the students and law enforcement. Every morning, the boy finds Held at the school to give her a hug and a thank you.
Crime epidemic centered around 6 Daytona Beach mini motels
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The police department calls for service log at Daytona Beach’s Sun Plaza Motel on U.S. 1 for the past three years is 17 pages long. [TRENDING: ‘Manatee graveyard in Fla. | 6 major announcements from Disney | Fla. woman charged in US Capitol attack]Capt. Police said they even arrested the owner of Sun Plaza -- twice now -- because he was allowing the crime to occur. “We were looking at a crime data compared to where we were getting complaints and we were starting to see these pockets of problems,” Lee said. “The whole idea was we want to take a group of our officers and we wanted to focus on community problems, problems that existed in the city,” Lee said.
No more neck restraints: Daytona State College teaches evolving defensive tactics training
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – When Florida implemented a sweeping overhaul of statewide police training last year, all Defensive Tactics instructors at Daytona State College’s School of Emergency Services had to learn the changes in a 24-hour-long update class. “When someone is on the ground, you either have to control their head, pin their head to the ground, or pin their hips to the ground, to keep them on the ground,” Walker said. AdMany of the recruits and trainees that come to Daytona State College will end up at police departments and sheriff’s offices across Central Florida. Daytona State offers an entire law enforcement academy, Defensive Tactics training being one of the courses. All instructors must complete around 80 hours of training and Defensive Tactics instructors have to undergo an additional 80 hours of training.
How microscopic evidence from plants can help investigators solve rapes, murders
ORLANDO, Fla. – The first time most Floridians heard about forensic botany was during the Casey Anthony murder trial in 2011. Hardy said he knows of at least 60 cases where forensic botany has been applied. “Forensic botany is the application of plant evidence to legal matters,” Hardy said. AdAnd researchers are investigating if forensic botany can help locate a body in the woods faster by looking for differentiation in treetops. Hardy said forensic botany is an ideal investigative tool because it’s always unbiased.
Orlando police officers become problem solvers as they address complaints, concerns
Jonathan Bigelow oversees OPD’s Special Enforcement Division. “They have nothing to focus on but the assignments we give them and the complaints that come down,” Bigelow said. “TWO FOR TWO: The Special Enforcement Division heard from citizens concerned about drug activity in 2 areas near Millenia and Downtown. Last week, several citizen complaints about an apartment on Raleigh Street uncovered drugs, cash, a handgun, and ammunition, among other items,” read another. Last week, several citizen complaints about an apartment on Raleigh Street uncovered drugs, cash, a handgun, and ammunition, among other items.