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Gulfport Police Department
Annual Report 2013
Robert Vincent
Chief of Police
The mission of the Gulfport Police Department is to
professionally prevent or resolve safety, crime, and quality-oflife issues in cooperation with the residents, visitors, and
businesses of Gulfport.
2401 53rd Street South, Gulfport, FL 33707
Table of Contents
Mission Statement
3
Criminal Investigations Section
26
Introduction
4
Police Services Unit
29
Organizational Chart
6
Communications
29
Chief and Command Staff
7
Records
30
Employee of the Year
9
Evidence and CSI
31
Crime in Gulfport
10
Public Information
32
Operating Budget
11
Special Services
33
Patrol Section
13
Professional Standards
36
Alpha Squad
14
Training
36
Bravo Squad
16
Applicant Screening
38
Charlie Squad
18
Internal Affairs
39
Delta Squad
20
Accreditation
40
Calls for Service
22
Use of Force Review
42
Problem Oriented Policing
23
Profiling Review
45
Traffic Safety
24
RMS Security Audit
48
Marine Patrol
25
2
Conclusion and Goals
49
Mission Statement
Quality
Community
Professionalism
The mission of the Gulfport Police Department is to
professionally prevent or resolve safety, crime, and quality-oflife issues in cooperation with the residents, visitors, and
businesses of Gulfport.
This mission statement reflects the following:
1. The primary focus of our operations is to prevent or resolve
problems that create crime victims, affect safety, and reduce
quality of life.
2. Input from residents and business owners is critical in identifying
those problems, and we will actively seek that input.
3. We will conduct all of our operations in a manner that is fair and
consistent, in-line with modern police practices.
3
Memorandum
GULFPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT
To:
James O’Reilly, City Manager
From:
Robert Vincent, Chief of Police RV
Date:
January 28, 2014
Re:
2013 Police Department Annual Report
I am pleased to present this annual report depicting, in summary form, the
organization and operations of the Gulfport Police Department over the past
calendar year. Following are some of the projects, programs, major changes, and
other events that impacted the delivery of law enforcement services in 2013:

We are happy to report a crime reduction of 11% compared to 2012. This
includes a 38% reduction in burglaries while maintaining a 21% overall
clearance rate.

An incident that occurred on a school bus resulted in extended, international
media coverage that brought both positive and negative attention to the
agency and to the city. Our personnel remained professional and committed
to their community during this time.

Gulfport took part in a major change in emergency communications as
Pinellas County law enforcement, fire, and EMS merged communications
resources for the first time. Now, 911 calls are received and processed
without the need for a transfer, and it is hoped this will save not only time,
but potentially lives as well.

After a long purchase and acquisition process, our new patrol boat was put
into operational service. Some questioned the decision to obtain a rigid
inflatable, but the design has proven beneficial in making safe and easy
contact with other vessels.
4

As the last of the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors was sold, we saw
the end of an era. For the first time in over 20 years, there are no
Interceptors in our fleet, which consists primarily of Dodge Chargers.

New technology has been implemented to increase efficiency and
productivity. Interview rooms were outfitted with a new recording system
that allows detectives to more easily track and review the recordings.
Additionally, inventory control software is now being used to monitor
equipment and supplies.

The collective bargaining unit representing the police officers and detectives
elected to switch from the Police Benevolent Association to the Fraternal
Order of Police. This change delayed the process of reaching a new
agreement, which has in turn affected employees’ morale.

In the past twelve months, we have had to replace six officers, which is
almost 20% of our sworn strength. This is the highest turnover rate we have
had in over a decade, although it should be noted that two of the six were
facing serious disciplinary action when they resigned. It should also be noted
that, despite the number of new officers on the job, we still have an average
Gulfport tenure of over seven years.

To assist in the prompt filling of vacancies with qualified personnel, we are
pleased to have a newly-assigned, full-time detective overseeing recruiting
and applicant screening. This new assignment frees up other resources to
focus on problem areas.
5
Organizational Chart—2013
6
Chief of Police
Chief Robert Vincent
Career and Education Timeline
1990—Graduated from Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg
1993—Associate of Arts Degree, St. Petersburg College
1993—Graduated Police Recruit Class 117 @ St. Petersburg College
1994—Sworn in as a police officer @ Gulfport Police Department
1998—Assigned as school resource officer @ Boca Ciega High School
1999—Promoted to the rank of sergeant, assigned as Patrol Supervisor
2000—Bachelor of Arts Degree, University of South Florida; Major: Professional Writing
2002—Promoted to the rank of lieutenant, assigned as Patrol Commander
2003—Assigned as Investigations Commander
2006—Graduated FBI National Academy, Session #227
2008—Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration, University of South Florida
2010—Appointed Chief of Police, Gulfport Police Department
2012—Graduated Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, Chief Executive Seminar
Professional Affiliations
International Association of Chiefs of Police
Florida Police Chiefs Association (District Director)
Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association (2013 President)
Pinellas Police Standards Council (2012 Chair)
Florida Police Accreditation Coalition
Florida Sheriffs Association
Volunteer Service
Member, Gulfport Lions Club
Executive Board Member, West Central Florida Council—Boy Scouts of America
7
Command Staff
Professional Standards Commander
Joshua Stone, who was promoted to the rank of lieutenant after five
years of distinguished service as a sergeant, is the commander of the
professional standards section. In this role, he oversees accreditation,
training, recruiting & screening, and internal affairs. Lieutenant Stone
grew up in Gulfport, and he has been with the agency since 2001.
Lieutenant Stone has also served as a detective and as a patrol
supervisor during his career.
A graduate of the University of South Florida, Stone has a Master of Arts
in Criminal Justice Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in
criminology and is an adjunct instructor for the law enforcement
academy at St. Petersburg College.
Operations Commander
Lieutenant Mary Farrand is currently the commander of the operations
section, which oversees patrol, investigations, and operational support.
Mary has been with the Gulfport Police Department since 2001, having
come to us with experience as a dispatcher for the Clearwater Police
Department. Among her more notable achievements, Lieutenant
Farrand received the officer-of-the-year award in 2005.
Lieutenant Farrand has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Public
Safety Administration from St. Petersburg College. She has advanced
certifications in hostage negotiations, personnel background
investigations, internal affairs investigations, as well as traffic
enforcement related certifications. Lieutenant Farrand also serves as an
agency assessor for the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement
Accreditation and is the coordinator of our field training program.
8
Employee of the Year
Every year, the staff reviews nominations and selects an employee of the year. For
all but one of the past fourteen years, the individual selected has been a sworn
police officer. For 2013, we have once again decided to recognize a civilian employee.
We are proud to honor Margaret Palmisano, our crime analyst, as the Gulfport
Police Department’s 2013 Employee of the Year.
Margaret joined the agency in 1993 following service in the records section of the St.
Petersburg Police Department. She supervised the records function in Gulfport
until she distinguished herself by demonstrating her ability to recognize common
themes and trends in the reports she was filing.
Chief G. Curt Willocks recognized this skill, and he lobbied the city government to
budget for a crime analyst position to take full advantage of Margaret’s talents. The
position was created in 2003, Margaret was trained (she was in the inaugural
session of Florida’s Crime Analyst Training Academy), and she has held the job ever
since.
Margaret was also nominated last year for this
award in recognition of her efforts in
overseeing a major data transfer project. As we
transitioned from one records management
system to another, Margaret worked closely
with the contractor to ensure that our valuable
data would still be available to officers and
detectives in the future.
In 2013, she was responsible for a significant
portion of the training of our first new
detective in six years. Margaret’s colleagues in
the investigations unit credit her knowledge,
skills, and abilities with helping to solve
several criminal cases, including burglaries,
larcenies, and violent crimes.
9
Crime in Gulfport
This page displays data for the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Part I categories.
UCR began in 1930, after being conceived by the International Association of Chiefs
of Police to meet the need for reliable crime statistics for the nation. These offenses
are those typically reported to police rather than those discovered by police (such as
narcotics and traffic offenses) The Gulfport Police Department is one out of
seventeen-thousand agencies that report crime statistics to the FBI.
The goal of the Gulfport Police Department is to maintain a clearance rate of 20%
for all Part I Offenses, which is consistent with the national average. A particular
goal in 2013 was to reduce burglaries, and the results indicate a 38 % decrease.
Motor
Sex
Agg.
Property
Vehicle
Murder Crime Robbery Assault Crime
Burglary Larceny Theft
Arson Total
Violent
Crime
2013
Offenses
48
0
8
17
23
506
116
362
28
1
554
Clearance
Rate
60%
NA
50%
47%
74%
18%
16%
19%
19%
0%
21%
Property
Stolen
Property
Recovered
$521,268
700
$286,593
680
619
590
600
554
507
500
400
Part 1 Crimes
300
200
Cleared
131
105
100
0
10
2009
2010
103
2011
133
2012
119
2013
55%
Operating Budget
Item
Amount
Personnel salaries and
benefits
$2,993,298 Includes salaries for 34 employees, overtime for
required shift coverage, special assignment pay,
and benefits such as pension contributions and
insurance
$17,850
Includes, among others, medical, polygraph, and
psychological screening for police officer applicants
$500
$123,162
Includes, among others, contract fees for CAD and
records management via Pinellas Sheriff’s Office
$10,000
Costs primarily associated with required training
$43,460
Includes costs for telephones and wireless cards
used by patrol car laptop computers
$21,000
$4,300
$5,000
Costs for leased office hardware and software
$33,646
Includes general liability, property, and auto
insurance
$176,972
Includes fuel and maintenance for vehicle fleet and
other equipment
$1,000
$860
$10,000
$39,600
Includes uniforms, targets, ammunition, etc.
$175,000
100% of this expense is recouped in fine revenue
from the program
$3,000
Funds to pay for membership in professional
associations
$7,000
$204,879
Designated for replacement of 4 police vehicles,
radios, laptop computers, and video surveillance
equipment
Professional Services
Court Reporting
Other Contractual
Travel/Per Diem
Communications
Electricity
Water & Sewer
Rental & Leases
Insurance
Repairs and
maintenance
Printing and Binding
Promotional
Office Supplies
Operating Supplies
Red Light Camera
Program
Books, publications,
subscriptions
Training
Capital Projects
Total
$3,870,527
11
Description
Operating Budget
The police operating budget is comprised primarily of expenses related to
personnel—including salaries, insurance, retirement contributions, and other
employee benefits. The table below represents the salaries for sworn positions
within the department.
Min. Base
Pay
Pay for
Pay for
twelveholidays
hour shifts
Uniform
Maintenance
Allowance
Shoe
Allowance
Base pay plus
additional
compensation
Max. pay
$43,252
$2,162
$400.00
$100.00
$48,655
$72,738
$2,745
Minimum Pay
Maximum Pay
Sergeant (not including
overtime)
$56,566
$80,640
Lieutenant (salaried
position)
$68,480
$86,324
Chief of Police
$96,757
These salaries are comparable to other agencies in the market, as indicated in this
table with information from the Pinellas Police Standards Council.
Agency
Officer
Sergeant
Lieutenant
Chief
Treasure
Island
$42,919 - $65,754
$60,110 - $73,669
$51,866 - $75,777
$68,161 - $100,618
Clearwater
$44,471 - $65,860
$60,716 - $79,899
$73,656 - $93,235
$77,715 - $116,628
Tarpon
Springs
$42,510 - $64,297
$53,930 - $81,090
$60,081 - $96,791
$69,552 - $112,050
Largo
$41,704 - $63,000
$61,400 - $77,300
$68,900 - $84,050
$92,300 - $129,900
12
Patrol Section
Sixteen officers are divided into four
squads, each supervised by a sergeant.
These
professionals
provide
24-7
protection for the City of Gulfport,
including answering calls for service and
developing and implementing problemoriented-policing plans. Each officer on
each squad is assigned one of four patrol
zones and is responsible for getting to
know the people and addressing
problems in his or her zone.
13
Alpha Squad
Sergeant Michael Marotta earned his promotion to the rank of sergeant
after almost nine years' service with the Gulfport Police Department.
Before his promotion, Sergeant Marotta devoted much of his time to
investigating DUI offenses and training new officers in our field training
program.
Sergeant Marotta graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College in
Pennsylvania, where he earned his Associate's degree in Criminal Justice.
Sergeant Marotta is pursuing his Bachelor’s degree at the University of
South Florida. He is also one of our most highly trained personnel, having
completed over 900 hours of specialized training and earning advanced
certifications in several areas of traffic enforcement, crisis intervention,
and marine patrol. He is also a graduate of the 24th Session of the Florida
Criminal Justice Executive Institute's Leadership Academy.
A 2004 Officer of the Year, Sergeant Marotta is the only police employee to
have earned the Meritorious Service Medal twice!
Officer David Cavanah, badge #592, came to GPD in 2011 following six years’
service as a deputy in Polk County. He has Master of Arts degree in criminal justice
administration from the University of South Florida. In 2012, he completed his
training for the Marine Patrol Unit, and he participated in the security detail for
the 2012 Republican National Convention. He is currently a Field Training Officer,
Acting Supervisor, and a member of the marine unit.
Officer Christopher Priest, badge #596, has been with the department since
November of 2011. He came to the agency after working for 5 ½ years as a police
officer with the Kenneth City Police Department. He holds a bachelor degree in
Public Safety Administration from St Petersburg College. He is a certified speed
radar/laser operator and nationally certified bicycle officer. Officer Priest is a
member of the GPD Special Enforcement Team and the bicycle unit. Officer Priest
recently became a Field Training Officer and is an Acting Supervisor.
Officer Douglas Merriam, badge #602, attended College at Brockport State
University in New York. After moving to Florida he attended the police academy
and graduated from recruit class #183. He was hired in June of 2013 and just
recently completed the field training program.
14
2013 Alpha Squad statistics
Arrests:
82
Offense/Incident Reports: 367
Field Interviews:
Traffic Stops:
19
940
2013 Notable Cases for Alpha Squad
GP13-9402 Officer Cavanah, a Field Training Officer, was training Officer
Samantha Obrart, when they received a call of a burglary in progress after a
neighbor had seen an unknown person enter the backdoor to the house. Officers
surrounded the house and located a male inside. He claimed to be concerned about
cats that were inside. After he was arrested officers discovered tools inside his
pockets that appeared to have been used to gain entry into the house. Due to the
quick response from the officers the suspect was able to be apprehended before he
even left the house he was burglarizing.
GP13-17265 Officer Merriam, while still in the field training program, was
dispatched to an Armed Person call. When officers arrived they spoke with several
people at the scene. A heated argument had occurred before officers arrived and a
male involved in the argument had pulled out a rifle and threated the people he had
been arguing with. The suspect denied having a firearm but officers searched the
area and located a rifle in the grass. The weapon was seized and the suspect was
arrested.
GP13-8184 Officer Priest was investigated a stolen bike incident. The victim
discovered that the bicycle was listed on Craigslist. Officers quickly devised a plan
to contact the person on Craigslist to arraign for the purchase of the stolen bike.
The suspect agreed to meet and officers quickly got into position. When the suspect
arrived with the bike he was arrested. The suspect agreed to allow officers to search
his house and nearly 50 grams of marijuana was found inside. The suspect admitted
he was dealing drugs. Not only did the officers recover the bicycle, they were also
able to get a large amount of marijuana off the street!
15
Bravo Squad
Sergeant Michael Vandenberg, badge # 571, was promoted in 2008 after
five years as a patrol officer and field training officer. He is now the
supervisor of the Bravo Patrol Squad.
Sergeant Vandenberg is a graduate of Florida State University, where
he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology, and before coming to
work for Gulfport, he completed a professional internship with the
Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He is one of three Gulfport
Officers who are certified to investigate fatal traffic crashes. Sergeant
Vandenberg is also a certified Emergency Vehicle Operations instructor
for the police department and currently runs the city’s Red Light
Camera program.
Officer Peter Horning, badge # 575, is the acting supervisor for Bravo Squad. He has been
with the agency since 2003, following service as a corrections deputy for the Pinellas
County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to his service with PCSO, Officer Horning served as a soldier
in the U.S. Army. Officer Horning is a firearms instructor, field training officer, and traffic
homicide investigator for the police department.
Officer Eugene Novak, badge # 545, has been with the agency since 1999 following his
retirement from the U.S. Army. Officer Novak is a firearms instructor and is the most
senior officer at the department behind Chief Vincent. Officer Novak received the Officer of
the Quarter award for the first quarter of 2013 due to his dedicated efforts at proactive
patrolling and his work in locating a fugitive who had been attempting to evade Gulfport
Police for months.
Officer Santo Nicita, badge #597, came to the agency in February of 2012. He is currently
assigned to Bravo Squad and has four prior years of law enforcement experience in North
Carolina. Officer Nicita received the Officer of the Quarter award for the third quarter of
2013 for the assistance he gave to a juvenile and his family after the juvenile was involved
in a brutal confrontation on a local school bus. Officer Nicita also spearheaded the
organization of a pizza/cheeseburger party for students at Gulfport Elementary School who
made the Principal’s List during the last grading period.
Officer Joseph Wodraska, badge #603, began his career with Gulfport Police Department in
2013. He has received a general A.A. from Valencia College and is going to receive his
Bachelors in Public Safety Administration at the conclusion of the 2014 spring term from
St. Petersburg College.
16
2013 Bravo Squad Statistics
Arrests:
59
Offense/Incident Reports: 351
Field Interviews:
Traffic Stops:
12
661
2013 Notable Cases for Bravo Squad
13-2479 - Officer Horning was patrolling the marina area and observed a black male
walking away from a vehicle. He stopped the male, who walked away and
attempted to drop a pair of gloves. When searched he also had a pair of pliers in his
pocket. The vehicle he was walking away from had the lock ripped off and the
ignition was damaged. He was arrested for burglary.
13-5748 – Officer Novak spotted a suspicious person in the area of 51 st St and 13th
Avenue walking out of a side yard. It was a young woman who matched the
description of a fugitive with multiple warrants from several local agencies. Novak
stopped her and verified her identity using the records database despite her giving
an alias name. She was arrested for multiple warrants as well as possession of
crack cocaine and paraphernalia.
13-13618 – Bravo Squad officers responded to a battery involving three juvenile
males who jumped another student at a bus stop in Gulfport. The victim had
reported the suspects to school officials for attempting to sell him marijuana. The
two suspects and one of their friends followed the victim onto the bus and later
jumped him when the bus stopped in Gulfport. The victim suffered multiple
injuries and was taken to the hospital. All three juvenile suspects were identified
and arrested for aggravated battery and robbery.
13-17525 – Officers were given a tip from an arrested subject that the owner of a
house in the 3100 block of 56 th St. was growing marijuana in the back yard and that
it could be seen from the alley behind Stella’s. Sgt. Vandenberg walked through the
alley and looked over the fence and could see several marijuana plants on a table in
the back yard. Officers made contact with the homeowner and explained that the
marijuana was visible from the alley and asked for permission to search his back
yard and the sheds. Officers recovered approximately 20 marijuana plants from the
back yard and the homeowner was arrested for manufacturing marijuana.
17
Charlie Squad
Sergeant Robert Burkhart started his employment for Gulfport as a
dispatcher, and he was sponsored by the agency to attend the local
police academy. He began his career as an officer in 2001, and he was
quickly promoted to the position of detective, where he distinguished
himself by earning the officer-of-the-year award in 2003.
Among Sergeant Burkhart's accomplishments, he helped pioneer the
agency's marine patrol efforts, and he is now responsible for planning
and supervising our waterfront operations. He also holds advanced
certifications in death and sex crimes investigations.
Sergeant Burkhart, who is the supervisor of the Charlie Patrol Squad,
has an Associate's degree from Williamson College in Philadelphia.
Officer Eva Iwanowski, badge # 581, joined the agency in March 2006 after
graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South
Florida. Officer Iwanowski is currently the acting supervisor of Charlie squad. She
has several certifications including field training officer, sex crimes investigations
and crimes against children. Officer Iwanowski is also a certified crime prevention
practitioner, crisis intervention team member, point of contact for the local human
trafficking task force and reviews red light camera violations.
Officer Jimmie Embry, badge #566, joined the agency in 2002 after serving briefly
as an officer with St. Petersburg Police Department. He was promoted to the
position of detective in 2009 and served in that capacity for five years. A graduate
of Drake University, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and holds
certifications in crisis intervention, death investigations, and sex crime
investigations.
Officer Raymond Marshall, badge #601, was sworn in on July 1 st, 2013. He comes to
Gulfport from New York where he worked as an emergency medical technician and
served as a volunteer firefighter for eighteen years. Officer Marshall has a
Bachelor’s Degree in Community & Human Services from Empire State College.
There is currently one vacancy on this squad.
18
2013 Charlie Squad Statistics
Arrests:
133
Offense/Incident Reports: 434
Field Interviews:
Traffic Stops:
87
696
2013 Notable Cases for Charlie Squad
GP13-4618: Over the course of several days in April, a silver Ford Mustang fled
from both Gulfport, and St. Petersburg officers while attempting traffic stops for
numerous violations. The vehicle, a new 2013 Ford Mustang was a rental with a
Louisiana license plate. Sergeant Burkhart located the vehicle parked and running
at the Kwik Stop Convenience Store in the 1400 block of 49 th Street. Sergeant
Burkhart along with other members of the Charlie Squad stopped the vehicle. A
large bag of marijuana was found in plain view on the passenger floor. A search of
the vehicle revealed over 90 grams of marijuana, 4 grams of Crystal Meth, and a
stolen 9 millimeter handgun, that was stolen in a burglary in Coquina Key.
Although none of the customers of the convenience store admitted they were
driving the vehicle, the narcotics and stolen gun were taken off the streets.
GP13-21553: Officer Iwanowski and other officers were dispatched to the 6000
block of Gulfport Boulevard South in reference to an elderly male stating he had
been tied up in his residence and robbed. During the investigation, officers learned
that the victim knew the suspect as a neighbor. The suspect had also helped out the
victim around his residence several times. The victim’s car was stolen as well and
On-Star was enabled on the vehicle. The vehicle was quickly tracked to Pasco
County where with the assistance with Florida Highway Patrol and Pasco County
Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was taken into custody.
GP13-16597: As a detective, Officer Embry investigated a sexual battery case where
the suspect by ripped the victim’s clothes off and raped her. The suspect was known
to the victim only by a nickname. Through extensive investigations, Officer Embry
was able to identify and locate the suspect, whom he arrested and charged with
sexual battery.
19
Delta Squad
Sergeant Matthew Parks, badge # 561, is the supervisor for the
Delta Squad. He has been with the Gulfport Police Department
since 2001 after relocating from the St. Louis area where he
earned an Associate’s degree from Lewis and Clark Community
College. Sergeant Parks was promoted in 2013 after having served
as a patrol officer, detective, and acting supervisor. Sergeant
Parks is a certified firearms instructor and has advanced
certifications in Homicide and Sex Crimes investigations.
Officer Christopher Randazzo, badge # 598, joined the Gulfport Police Department
in 2012 after earning a Bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of
Tampa and completing an internship with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Officer Randazzo has advanced training in defensive tactics.
Officer Samantha Obrart, badge # 600, reported for duty on February 12, 2013. She
was a police officer in Lake Mary, Florida previously. Officer Obrart has an
Associate’s degree from Santa Fe College, and she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree
at the University of Central Florida. Officer Obrart is scheduled in March 2014 for
training that will certify her as a Breath Test Operator for DUI investigations.
Officer Marie Lavigne, badge # 604, began working for GPD in December 2013. She comes
to us with 5 years’ experience as a courthouse officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's
Office in Jacksonville, Fl. Officer Lavigne has an Associate’s degree in Criminal
Justice from Florida Metropolitan University. She is currently in the field training
program.
There is currently one vacancy on this squad.
2013 Delta Squad Statistics
Arrests:
Offense/Incident Reports:
20
152
458
Field Interviews:
Traffic Stops:
32
463
2013 Notable Cases for Delta Squad
13-16718: Sergeant Parks attempted to stop a reckless driver. The driver
accelerated and immediately lost control, crashing into a yard and destroying a
fence. Ryan Knight was located and arrested in St. Petersburg. DNA evidence
collected at the scene of a hit and run crash indicated that Knight was the driver of
the vehicle that fled and crashed. Knight was charged with fleeing & eluding,
driving while license suspended, leaving the scene of a crash, and possession of
marijuana.
13-17563: A man on a motorcycle who had just fled from officers when they tried to
pull him over, lost control of the motorcycle at 62 St. S. and Gulfport Blvd. After
crashing the bike, the rider ran from responding officers and hid in a back yard.
Officers immediately set up a perimeter to prevent the suspect’s escape. He was
soon apprehended and identified as John Barnes. Barnes was charged with leaving
the scene of a crash, tag attached not assigned, and decal attached not assigned.
13-24746: Three juveniles got into a physical altercation at the skate park. Two
juveniles jumped one juvenile, kicking, punching, and stomping his head. The
victim of the attack was trespassing at the park after having been warned
previously. Officer Randazzo witnessed the scuffle as he was driving by and
intervened. All juveniles were taken into custody. Injuries were minor.
Officer Samantha Obrart with Gulfport children on Halloween night
21
Calls for Service
“Calls for service” (CFS) may not mean what you think. Every time an officer
interacts with a person or property in an official capacity, we document that activity
in a computerized log. Each of these logs is referred to as a call for service, even if it
doesn’t come from a call at all. Activities such as traffic stops, business checks, and
citizen contacts are included in this category just as 911 calls for emergency
response. Dispatched calls decreased by approximately 10% compared to 2012,
which in-turn allowed officer-initiated activity to increase.
Total Calls for Service 2013
23,718
7480
Officer-Initiated
16238
Dispatched
Dispatched Calls For Service
9000
8380
8097
8166
8244
8000
7480
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
22
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Problem Oriented Policing
Problem Oriented Policing is a strategy that involves the identification and analysis
of specific crime and disorder problems or quality of life issues in order to develop
effective response strategies in conjunction with ongoing assessment. This policing
technique places more emphasis on research and analysis as well as crime
prevention and the engagement of public and private organizations in the reduction
of community problems.
For 2012, Officers identified and investigated sixteen distinct problems. Some of the
problem topics were:









Complaints regarding speed:
2200 – 2700 block of 59th Street South.
1200 block of Freemont Street South.
4400 – 4800 block of 27th Avenue South.
5100 – 5200 block of 9th Avenue South
Scrap metal thefts city-wide
Inadequate video surveillance equipment at convenience stores
Nuisance residence 700 block of Gray Street
Shoplifting at the Family Dollar store
Storage unit burglaries city-wide
Vehicle crashes on 49th Street
Nuisance from transients in the 1600 block of 58 th Street
Bicycle thefts in Town Shores and Seaside Villas condominiums
23
Traffic Safety
The City of Gulfport can boast having among
the lowest traffic fatality and serious injuries
among all of Pinellas County's municipalities.
That said, we are part of one of the most
dangerous regions in the entire United States,
especially when it comes to the safety of
bicyclists and pedestrians.
For the benefit of those using our public
roadways, Gulfport officers take an aggressive
stance against traffic violators. We employ
several tools in this effort, including unmarked
patrol cars, RADAR and LIDAR (laser) speed measuring devices, regular enforcement
details, photo enforcement technology, and public education campaigns. As evidenced
by the chart below, crashes are reducing steadily as photo-enforcement technology
allows officers to spend more time on other problems.
Citations and Traffic Crashes
2009 - 2013
2430
2500
2000
1642
This chart does
not include
photoenforcement
citations
1588
1409
1265
1500
1000
150
500
163
132
124
120
0
2009
2010
Citations
24
2011
2012
Traffic Crashes
2013
Marine Patrol
The Marine Patrol is a dedicated unit focused on marine enforcement, safety and
education. Since 2001, we have used a 20’ Century vessel, equipped with a 150hp
Yamaha, 4-stroke outboard. This boat has reached the end of its useful life in
emergency service, so it was replaced this year with a completely different vessel.
The new boat is a Zodiac rigid inflatable with a 250 Yamaha 4-stroke outboard. This
new design should improve our ability to more quickly respond to emergencies, as
well as safely conduct vessel stops and boardings. We also replaced our old
galvanized lift with a new corrosion-resistant aluminum lift with a starboard side
plank for easier access. The new boat and improved lift is expected to give us 15-20
years of service, much longer than our old boat and lift.
The unit consists of seven officers who are selected from the various divisions of the
police department. The marine unit also coordinates activities with other municipal,
state, and federal agencies for marine enforcement activities, such as the City of
Tampa Gasparilla Invasion (2014 is our eleventh year of working this event).
This year has been a transition year for the Marine Unit. Our old boat sustained
engine problems that were too costly to repair and we decided that the boat should
only have very limited use until the new boat could be ready for duty. In September
2013 we received our new boat. Because of this, our hours were significantly lower
this year than in years past, however with the new boat we should be back on
schedule for 2014. The Marine Unit conducted 128.5 hours of patrol time in 2013.
25
Criminal Investigations Section
This section consists of a supervisor, three detectives, two school resource officers,
and a crime analyst. These combined resources are responsible for:

 Latent investigation of all crimes not initially resolved by the patrol division.
 On-scene response to all major crimes, such as murder, robbery, and sex crimes.
 Undercover narcotics investigations.
 Management of the intelligence function, including coordination of confidential
informants.
 Management of police/youth operations, including the Explorer Post and law
enforcement resources for two public schools in Gulfport.
 Coordination of contraband forfeiture activities.
 Special investigative operations, such as stings, decoys, raids, etc.
710
800
700
632
687
606
600
488
500
400
300
200
100
271
9762
72 50
21
108
51 30
215
115
42
211
111
34
2011
2012
2013
0
2009
26
2010
Cases Forwarded to ISD
Cases Assigned for follow-up
Cases Cleared
Arrests by Detectives
Detective Sergeant
Sergeant Thomas Woodman was promoted in January 2011 after serving
with the Gulfport Police Department since 2006 and in various capacities
including as a Field Training Officer and marine patrol operator.
Sergeant Woodman is currently assigned as the supervisor of the
investigations unit and the special enforcement team.
Sergeant Woodman has previously served with the United States Army
where he graduated basic training as the Soldier of the Cycle. He is a
graduate (Cum Laude) of the University of South Florida, where he
earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology. Sergeant Woodman, by
the way, is our most decorated officer.
Detective Hanh Pham, badge # 556, began his service with the agency in 2000 after
graduating from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in criminology. In
recognition of his investigative skills, Pham was promoted to the position of detective in
2007, and he has remained in that position since. Detective Pham, a 2008 officer of the
year, is a member of our marine patrol unit and bike unit as well as a fitness instructor. He
has advanced certifications in death investigations and sex crimes investigations.
Detective Jennifer Crowson, badge # 594, joined the police department in 2011 after
graduating from the Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor’s degree in
criminology. Our 2012 Officer of the Year, Detective Crowson has completed advanced
training in Crisis Intervention, Survival Skills, Investigative Report Writing, and
Courtroom Testimony. She also took over as Chief Advisor for the Police Explorer Post 995.
Detective Jesse Kellington, badge # 574, came to GPD in 2003 following four years of
service as a corrections deputy for Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Kellington is a
certified instructor in several areas, including defensive tactics, ASP baton, and chemical
munitions, and he also serves as a field training officer and as a member of our marine
patrol unit. Detective Kellington is currently assigned to a regional narcotics task force.
Officer Jason Motte, badge # 580, joined us in 2006 after earning an Associate’s degree from
St. Petersburg College. Motte, a certified crisis intervention officer, was selected to serve as
a school resource officer in 2010.
Officer Crystal Langston, badge #599, came to the agency in September of 2012 following
over five years of service in Suffolk, VA, where she worked as a field training officer as well
as a school resource officer. Officer Langston is currently assigned as one of two officers at
Boca Ciega High School. She currently holds an Associate’s degree in criminal justice from
Kaplan University.
27
Crime Analyst Margaret Palmisano, has been with GPD since 1993. She came to us as a
records specialist after working in that capacity for the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Margaret demonstrated an exceptional analytical skill, and in 2005, she was reclassified as
a crime analyst. Margaret is a graduate of the FDLE Crime Analyst Academy, and she has
attended hundreds of hours of specialized training courses in this field.
Noted CIS Cases
GP13-1144: Sergeant Woodman investigated an allegation that a 73 year old male was
having sexual relations with a 13 year old boy. The actions were alleged to have occurred
in both Gulfport and Pinellas Park. Both agencies cooperated with one another in the
investigation. Although the suspect initially denied the accusations in several early
interviews and even attempted to show too much interest in cooperating with law
enforcement, he ultimately confessed to 2 separate incidents in Gulfport and was arrested
and charged with lewd and lascivious battery. Very thorough and detailed interviews
solved this case.
GP13-18633: Officer Motte was serving as a school resource officer at the Boca Ciega High
School. A patrol officer was investigating a case where a school board employee who
worked with IT in various schools throughout the county was reporting one of her laptops
stolen. The investigation revealed that the person reporting school board property stolen
had pawned two other items belonging to the Boca Ciega High School as well as other
property possibly belonging to the school board. This opened up an investigation on her
directly. She eventually confessed to stealing the property but indicated that she did so
because she was hungry. This case recovered stolen property and opened up investigations
on her from the school board. It also prevented further property from being stolen as the
suspect is no longer employed by the school board.
GP13-1133: Detective Pham investigated an allegation of a sexual battery involving a 15
year-old female (alleged victim), a 17 year-old male and a 15 year-old male (alleged
suspects). The female reported that she was raped, and Detective Pham was assigned to
investigate. The suspects were identified, and they claimed the sexual activity was
consensual despite the victim’s insistence that it was not. Detective Pham discovered
through his investigation that one of the males had recorded the incident on his cell phone
and that he exchanged text messages with the female prior to the incident. The video and
text evidence confirmed the alleged suspects and victim knew each other and agreed to
meet specifically for the purpose of having sex. Faced with this evidence, the victim
confessed that the sexual activity was consensual and that she had reported a rape because
she was afraid of getting in trouble with her parents. Regardless of the consensual nature
of the activity, one of the male suspect was arrested for lewd or lascivious battery and
possession of child pornography due to the age of the parties involved in the recorded video.
28
Police Services Unit
A thirteen year veteran of the Gulfport Police Department, Cindy
Hayes was recently promoted after serving as the administrative
assistant to the chief of police. In this role, she oversees support
services, including records, property & evidence, purchasing, and
fleet & facility maintenance.
Ms. Hayes has served in the United States Army, and she has a
Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Florida.
Communications
Communications officers are an integral part of operations, these people are welltrained specialists who operate under demanding conditions. Gulfport contracts
with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office for its police dispatching service along with
computer-aided-dispatching (CAD). Supervisor Hayes serves as the primary liaison,
ensuring that the services are provided appropriately.
In 2014, law enforcement and fire/EMS communications will merge for the first
time in Pinellas County. The new building will house call-takers who answer calls
for any type of emergency, thereby eliminating the need to transfer 911 calls.
Calls
Priority
Response Time
Average
High
1:34
Medium
Priority
Medium
5:30
Low Priority
Low
8:57
401
High Priority
2221
5622
29
Records
The police department processes lots of documents. From offense and incident
reports, accident reports, field interview reports, evidence records, witness
statements, traffic citations, and many others. It is the responsibility of the records
specialist, to ensure that these records are retained and disseminated in accordance
with state and federal laws. For the most part, records are kept electronically and
may be released in that format without the need for printing or copying. This helps
reduce costs and increase efficiency both for our own staff as well as those who need
the records. In addition to keeping on top of reports, the records specialist also
serves as the receptionist for the police department. This person assesses walk-in
complaints, accepts witness subpoenas for officers, registers bicycles, and even
provides fingerprinting services.
For additional details on procedures on obtaining records, visit the following web
address: www.gulfportpolice.com/Recordsproceduresposter.pdf
2013 Records Section Statistics
Reports reviewed
Supplements reviewed
Reports requested
Bike registrations
Fingerprints
Subpoenas processed
Citizens assisted
835
4241
1436
69
157
362
1433
Records Specialist Shirley DiBucci joined the agency in 2013 following over fifteen
years’ experience in public and private office management. Most recently, she
served as the executive secretary to the Chief of Police in Kenneth City. Shirley has
been a resident of Gulfport for over twenty years!
30
Evidence and Crime Scene Investigations
The Gulfport Police Department contracts with
the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office for forensic
science and evidence storage services. The
sheriff’s crime scene investigators are highly
trained, and they are renowned as being among
the best in the world. Officers call them to the
scene of crimes requiring their expertise.
By outsourcing this service to specialists, the
Gulfport Police Department can allow its
personnel to focus on the bigger picture with
regard to crime resolution. In addition, the city
saves the cost of employing, training and
equipping crime scene investigators.
Other routine property and equipment is
managed by our police services supervisor who
maintains inventory of uniforms, tools, and
supplies. This person is also responsible for
bicycles taken in as evidence or abandoned
property. Unclaimed items that are not evidence
of a crime are sold at auction or donated to local
charitable organizations, such as the Boy Scouts
of America.
CSI Call-Outs
100
93
91
74
80
69
58
60
40
20
0
31
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Public Information
Our Public Information Officer, Sergeant Thomas Woodman, uses traditional sources to
disseminate information, but we have increasingly been taking advantage of social media
outlets as well. We maintain a Facebook page, and Chief Vincent reports regularly on his
Blog. These sources allow us to quickly put out accurate information to a large audience.
Media releases for 2013 included the following headlines:

12/05/13 Operation Santa 2013

7/03/13: Holiday Safety Message

11/27/13: Attempted Murder Arrest

6/11/13: Home Invasion Robbery

11/26/13: Stranded Vessel Assisted

5/23/13: Motorcycle Crash with Injuries

11/20/13: Structure Fire

5/16/13: Click It Or Ticket

11/01/13: Arrest in Robbery of Elderly

4/24/13: Operation Medicine Cabinet

9/05/13: Introducing Our New Vessel

4/09/13: Arrest in Sexual Battery

8/29/13: Drug Investigation-4 Arrests

3/14/13: Student Arrested: Gun at School

8/14/13: Back To School Safety

2/28/13: Pedestrian Injured in Crash

7/18/13: National Night Out

2/14/13: Arrest in Lewd/Lascivious Case

7/11/13: Arrests in School Bus Beating

1/10/13: Chief Vincent Elected President
of Regional Association
The Chief’s Blog Posts for 2013 included the following topics:









1/31/13: Beach Patrols—Concerns and Answers
2/20/13: One Year of Police Fitness Testing
3/25/13: Snapshot of Gulfport’s Finest
4/2/13: A New Police Station?
6/10/13: Red Light Camera Update
7/15/13: Governor’s Veto to Impact Local Taxpayers
8/5/13: Setting the Record Straight
9/23/13: I’ve Been Robbed, Sort Of
12/31/13: Happy New Year
32
Chief’s Blog
Special Services
Every law enforcement agency answers calls, enforces laws, and investigates
crimes. While these essential services still make up a bulk of our operations, the
Gulfport Police Department takes things a few steps further. These additional
services, provided at little or no extra cost to our residents, truly are special.
Explorer Post
Law Enforcement Exploring is a worksite-based program for young men and women
between the ages of 14 and 21. Exploring is focused on teaching youth about career
fields that might interest them and encourage them to prepare for the future. In
doing so, the program aims to build self-worth and self-confidence in youth. For
young men and women who are interested in careers in the field of law enforcement,
Exploring offers experiential learning with lots of fun, hands-on activities that
promote the growth and development of adolescent youth.
Participants in Gulfport’s Explorer program train in topics such as traffic stops,
traffic crash investigations, DUI investigations, crime scene investigations,
defensive tactics, domestic violence, and crisis intervention. After a certain level of
training and experience is attained, Explorers are permitted to ride-along with
experienced patrol officers on a regular basis.
Explorers raise money through fundraising to participate in quarterly statewide
meetings and competitions that are coordinated by the Florida Association of Police
Explorers (FAPE). In 2012, the explorers attended Delegates Meetings in Crystal
River, West Palm and Fort Myers. The Explorers have also participated in the
Tampa Police Explorers Awards Banquet, Spring Break Explorer Academy and St.
Petersburg Police Explorer Firearm Safety Course.
33
Special Services
In addition to service within the police department, the Gulfport Explorers have
participated in the following community events: Gulfport Get Rescued, National
Night Out, Operation Santa, Gulfport Recreation Halloween Spooktacular, Gulfport
Gecko Fest, So Classic Car Show, Tangerine Blues Fest, Inaugural Beach Volleyball
Benefit, Volunteer Award Luncheon, Gulfport Fun in the Sun, and Holiday Hoopla.
The Gulfport Police Explorer Post 955 currently has six members. Detective
Jennifer Crowson is the Chief Advisor of the Explorer Post. For more information,
visit www.gpdexplorers.org
Operation Santa
Each year, police employees volunteer their time to organize a gift drive for needy
families. In 2013, the program provided gifts to children in over 100 area families
thanks to generous donations such as this one from the Boca Ciega Yacht Club.
34
Special Services
Community Resource Officer
Officer Zachary Mills, badge # 584, joined the agency in 2006, and he has
distinguished himself as an expert in traffic and DUI cases. Officer Mills is a
graduate of Florida State University, holding a Bachelor’s degree in criminology. He
is also a certified RADAR operator, breath test operator, and field training officer.
In 2012, Officer Mills assisted in the training of three new officers, and he served as
a member of the security detail for the 2012 Republican National Convention.
Officer Mills was the recipient of the 2009 Officer of the Year award.
The community resource officer reports directly to the Professional Standards
Lieutenant and is primarily responsible for community policing and problemsolving efforts in the 49th Street redevelopment area.
35
Professional Standards
Joshua Stone, who was promoted to the rank of lieutenant after five
years of distinguished service as a sergeant, is the commander of the
professional standards section. In this role, he oversees accreditation,
training, recruiting & screening, and internal affairs. Lieutenant
Stone grew up in Gulfport, and he has been with the agency since 2001.
Lieutenant Stone has also served as a detective and as a patrol
supervisor during his career.
A graduate of the University of South Florida, Stone has a Master of
Arts in Criminal Justice Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree
in criminology and is an adjunct instructor for the law enforcement
academy at St. Petersburg College.
Training
During the 2013 calendar year, The Gulfport Police Department completed a total of
1,920 training hours. This is a 388 fewer training hours from the previous year.
One of the reasons is that the Florida Legislature reduced the state’s law
enforcement training trust fund, which typically pays for advanced training at the
local training center.
Training highlights for 2013 include:

Officer Crystal Langston and Chief Vincent completed a 40 hour training
course on Crisis Intervention.

Officer Embry and Officer Iwanowski both completed a 40 hour course on
Crimes Against Children

Sergeant Woodman and Officer Priest both completed a 24 hour street crimes
seminar.

Officer Iwanowski, Officer Cavanah and Officer Priest all completed a 40
hour Field Training Officer course.
36

Members of the Gulfport Police Department attended training on community
policing, counting toward 112 total training hours.

Sworn members completed a total of 104 hours of vehicle operations training.

Sworn members completed a total of 138 hours of firearms training.
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
Training Hours
Training Hours
Photo courtesy of Clint Myer
37
2013
Applicant Screening
The selection of competent personnel for Police Officer positions is essential to provide that
service and the protection to which the public is entitled. The City of Gulfport and the
Police Department have established eligibility standards and processes to ensure
individuals of the highest caliber are selected to serve the public as Gulfport Police Officers.
These requirements are well above those established by the state legislature for police
officers. For example, the state requires police officer applicants be at least 19 years of age
and have a high school diploma or equivalency. To apply for a position with Gulfport,
applicants must be 21 years old and have at least 60 college credit hours or prior military
service. In fact, over one third of our sworn officers have at least a Bachelor’s Degree.
The screening of these applicants requires an extensive and thorough background
investigation, including physical fitness test, oral board interview, polygraph (lie detector),
psychological test, physical exam, and a drug screen. In recognition of the ever-increasing
difficulty in finding and selecting qualified police officers, the police department now has a
full-time detective dedicated to recruiting and screening applicants.
Detective Robert McLaughlin, badge # 588, came to GPD in 2008 after retiring as a
detective from the St. Petersburg Police Department. Detective McLaughlin, the 2010
officer of the year, oversees the entire process from recruitment to job offer.
2013 Statistics
During the 2013 calendar year, The
Gulfport Police Department received 52
applications for employment.
This
represents a 21% increase in applications
over the previous year of 41. Out of the
total number of applicants who applied in
2013, only 3 were hired. In 2013, a total of
5 applicants were actually hired, but two
of the hired members came from the 2012
applicant pool.
Photo courtesy of The Gabber
 Out of the 5 applicants hired, 3 were white males and 2 were white females.
 96% of applicants were male, while only 4% of applicants were female.
 10 applicants or 19% were minorities.
38
Internal Affairs
This department has established and put into
operation a system for recording, registering, and
controlling all complaints and investigations of
alleged or suspected misconduct within the
agency.
The receipt, investigation and
determination of complaints alleging employee
misconduct is done to ensure that each allegation
of misconduct is resolved effectively through an
adjudication process based on the principle of fair
and equal treatment for all.
Complaints are accepted from any source, and the first step is usually a
preliminary inquiry by the employee’s immediate supervisor. If the matter
involves a minor conduct issue and can be resolved at this level to the satisfaction
of the complainant, that fact is documented via a memo from the supervisor to the
Chief of Police. If the complaint involves a serious violation, such as alleged
criminal conduct or excessive use of force, or if it cannot be resolved by the
employee’s supervisor, then a complaint form is submitted to the Chief of Police.
Once received, the form is logged and reviewed by the Chief for assignment to an
investigator who has been trained to comply with legal requirements for
conducting such investigations. Upon conclusion, the investigator submits a
report to the Chief of Police, who issues a finding based on the facts presented.
The complainant in all cases receives a copy of the Chief’s finding.
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
4
IA Cases
3
Sustained
2
1
0
2009
39
2010
2011
2012
2013
Accreditation
An accreditation program has long been recognized as a means of maintaining the
highest standards of professionalism. Accreditation is the certification by an
independent reviewing authority that an entity has met specific requirements and
prescribed standards. Schools, universities, and hospitals are some of the most well
known organizations that are required to maintain accreditation. Law enforcement
agencies in Florida can attain accredited status through the Commission for Florida
Law Enforcement Accreditation.
In 1993, Florida Statute 943.125 directed that the Florida Sheriffs Association and
the Florida Police Chiefs Association create a voluntary law enforcement
accreditation program.
Representatives from these Associations developed a process for accreditation which
required compliance with more than 250 professional standards designed
specifically for Florida law enforcement agencies. The Commission for Florida Law
Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. was formed, comprised of four sheriffs, four chiefs,
and one representative each from the Association of Counties, the League of Cities,
the State Law Enforcement Chiefs' Association, and the Judiciary. The Commission
meets quarterly to oversee the accreditation program and to officially accredit
agencies that have passed the rigorous review process.
The Gulfport Police Department achieved accreditation by the Commission for
Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation on February 9, 2000. The commission
requires a thorough assessment every three years, and Gulfport was reaccredited in
2003, 2006, and 2009, and again in 2012. We are now a candidate for the
Commission’s “Excelsior” award, which is reserved for agencies who are
reaccredited five consecutive times without conditions. It takes a minimum of
sixteen years to earn this honor, and very few have achieved it.
40
Inspections and Audits
A basic tenet of accreditation is the responsibility for a law enforcement agency not
to simply do the right thing, but to prove that it is doing so. Much of the
Professional Standards commander’s time is spent gathering evidence to prove
compliance with the multitude of standards. These proofs can often be found in
police reports or other documents, but the most important are our own self
assessments, inspections, and audits. Supervisors conduct quarterly line inspections
of their personnel and work areas, the policy compliance sergeant conducts audits of
property & evidence, and division commanders do in-depth staff inspections at least
once every three years.
These inspections and audits are not done simply to meet accreditation standards.
They provide commanders with valuable insight regarding critical operating
functions. In an agency the size of the Gulfport Police Department, this information
is extremely important, particularly because commanders and supervisors must
routinely work hand-in-hand with their employees. Such familiarity can lead to
unintentional overlooking of errors, and by requiring documented audits and
inspections, we are able to maintain professionalism and reduce that likelihood.
The following pages are examples of such reviews, conducted or verified by the
Professional Standards commander to identify potentially-inappropriate trends in
use of force, traffic stops, seizures, and contraband forfeitures, as well as security of
sensitive electronic data.
41
Memorandum
GULFPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT
To:
Chief Robert Vincent
From:
Lt. Joshua Stone
Date:
01/06/2013
Re:
2013 Use of Force Analysis
Written Directive 101.15 requires that the agency conduct an annual review of Use
of Force incidents. For calendar year 2013, there were 41 reports where officers had
to employ force above mere touch in order to control a person, affect an arrest or
protect the public, the officer or officers from harm. An examination of the 41
incidents revealed that force was used on 51 individuals during 2013. There were 4
incidents when force had to be used on more than one person during one single
event.
The Gulfport Police Department gathers data from response to resistance reports
which includes race, sex, age of the person whom force was use against, the level of
resistance encountered and the response used by the responding officer or officers.
After reviewing the data, the following information was obtained
Analysis - Race


53% or 27 persons who had some degree of force used against them were
African American. 39% or 20 persons were White, 2% or 1 person was
Hispanic and 6% or 3 persons were classified as Other.
The 2010 census indicates that 79% of Gulfport population is white and 11%
is African American. This may indicate a problematic trend; however
o The Greater Childs Park Area, which shares a border with Gulfport,
has a population comprised of 16% white and 81% African American
(from the 2000 US Census).
42

o Boca Ciega High School, where 18% of the force incidents occurred, has
a population comprised of 38% white and 47% African American.
o A survey of motorists on 49th Street, the primary border between
Gulfport and the Greater Childs Park Area, indicated a population
comprised of 50% white and 38% African American.
Based on these considerations, no conclusions can be made regarding the use
of force as it relates to the race of the persons involved.
Analysis - Gender


67% or 34 individuals who had some degree of force used against them were
adults; While 33% or 17 individuals were juveniles.
82% or 42 individuals who has some degree of force used against them were
male, while only 8% or 9 individuals were female.
Analysis – Less Lethal Weapons



In 3 instances, Officers used a chemical spray in order to gain compliance
with a resisting person.
In 3 instances, Officers used a conducted energy weapon, or Taser, to gain
compliance with a resisting person.
In total, Officers had to deploy a less lethal weapon in 15% of the reported
use of force incidents.
Analysis – Resistance Encountered



Of the 41 use of force incidents, 54% or 22 incidents involved subjects who
used a degree of force where they actively resisted the officer’s attempt at
control. This is usually in the form of bracing, tensing, pushing or pulling
away, running away from an officer or doing something to try and defeat the
officer’s attempt at control.
Approximately 10% or 4 of the incidents involved subjects who used overt,
hostile, attacking movements which were likely to cause injury to an officer
or another, but not likely to cause great bodily harm.
The remaining 36% or15 incidents were incidents involving the presence of a
person on-scene, sometimes accompanied with not complying with an officers
lawful command, which required a response, such as the application of
handcuffs, physically moving someone using more than just mere touch, or
the pointing of a firearm to halt a fleeing suspect or to protect an officer from
possible danger.
43
Analysis – Reported Injuries


A total of 10% or 5 individuals obtained injuries as a result from an officer’s
response to resistance. 4 people received minor scraps or abrasions and one
person received minor burn marks as the result from being exposed to a
conducted energy weapon, or Taser.
In 2013, there were no reported injuries to officers.
Analysis – Use of Force/Arrest Made
The below graph illustrates the number of arrests made compared with the number
of use of force incidents. The numbers are consistent with previous years and
trends.
600
500
400
300
Arrests
200
RTR
100
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Conclusion
All use of force incidents were reviewed by a defined chain of command. All
incidents were noted to be within the response to resistance guidelines set forth by
the Gulfport Police Department. There are no trends noted that would require a
change in the response to resistance policy or our data collection process.
44
Memorandum
To:
Chief Robert Vincent
From:
Lieutenant Joshua Stone
Date:
01/15/2013
Re:
2013 Bias-based Profiling Review
Complaints
During 2013, there were no complaints made alleging bias based profiling. This
information was reviewed by looking at all complaints which were logged into the
Administrative Investigation Management software.
Traffic stops
The computer-aided dispatch system that has been in use since our communications
merger with the Pinellas Sheriff’s Office in 2010 does not retain data on the race of
individuals involved in all traffic stops. To analyze this information, we must look
at the closest data set, which is traffic citations issued.
During 2013, approximately 1,630 Uniform Traffic Citations were issued.
Approximately 58% or 945 citations were issued to white motorists. Approximately
37% or 609 citations were issued to Black motorists. Approximately 2% or 38
citations were issued to Hispanic motorists and approximately 2% or 35 citations
were issued to motorists classified as Other.

The 2010 census indicates that 79% of Gulfport population is white and 11%
is African American. This may indicate a problematic trend; however
o The Greater Childs Park Area, which shares a border with Gulfport,
has a population comprised of 16% white and 81% African American
(from the 2000 US Census).
o Boca Ciega High School, where 18% of the force incidents occurred, has
a population comprised of 38% white and 47% African American.
o A survey of motorists on 49th Street, the primary border between
Gulfport and the Greater Childs Park Area, indicated a population
comprised of 50% white and 38% African American.
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
Based on these considerations, no conclusions can be made regarding
discriminatory practices in traffic enforcement.
Seizures and Forfeitures
In 2013, the Gulfport Police seized two vehicles under the Florida Contraband
Forfeiture Act. In both cases, the owners were in possession of narcotics and the
type of narcotic made the offenses a felony.
In both instances, the same officer initiated the seizure. This prompted further
review. In the first instance, the officer stopped a vehicle for a variety of traffic
offenses. An odor emanating from the vehicle was identified by a back-up officer as
an odor of marijuana. This prompted a search of the vehicle. The search revealed
not only marijuana in the car, but cocaine and prescription pills as well. The stop,
search and subsequent seizure of the vehicle were all appropriate.
In the second instance, the officer made contact with a subject who appeared to be
ill or intoxicated behind the wheel of a parked vehicle. The officer made contact and
the person was not able to dispel the officer’s fear of a possible crime being
committed. The officer asked for consent to search the vehicle, which was granted
by the driver. The search revealed that the driver was in possession of
methamphetamine. The contact, search and subsequent seizure of the vehicle were
all appropriate.
Both vehicles were sold back to their respective owner’s. In both cases, the owners
were white males.
Conclusion
The review of relevant operations shows no evidence to indicate that members of
the Gulfport Police Department have shown bias in their operations. To reaffirm
that such conduct is prohibited, all officers are required to review and sign the
policy, and we are in the process of setting up training on the subject of Fair and
Impartial Policing for all personnel.
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Memorandum
To:
Chief Robert Vincent
From:
Lieutenant Joshua Stone
Date:
01/27/2014
Re:
Annual records management security audit - 2013
CFA standard 34.13M.
Please see attached Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office inter-office memo regarding the
annual audit of their computer system. The Gulfport Police Department no longer
maintains our own records management system (RMS). We currently contract the
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office for records management services.
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Conclusion and Goals
This overview of the past year indicates success in terms of goals achieved. We were
able to increase the amount of time dedicated to officer-initiated activity; we saw a
significant reduction in the number of burglaries; and we implemented changes to
improve the perception of safety in the 49 th Street corridor. These achievements are
noteworthy, particularly in light of some areas of concern.
In 2013, we experienced increased personnel turnover. The six sworn officers
replaced this year is nearly 20% of sworn strength and it represents the highest
turnover rate in at least twenty years. This coupled with the officers’ decision to
change unions indicates some underlying issues may be affecting employee morale.
As we move forward, this is a primary concern that must be addressed.
Goals for 2014 are as follows:
1. Improve retention of officers as they reach the typical exit points:
a. Completion of three years’ service (initial contract fulfilled)
b. Completion of ten years’ service (vested in pension plan)
2. Improve the diversity in our ranks of sworn officers.
3. Increase the level of participation in community programs by members of the
police department.
4. Maintain a part one crime clearance rate of at least 20 percent.
5. Reduce the perception and fear of crime among residents in the 49 th Street
redevelopment area.
6. Improve the perception of safety in our municipal marina and on Boca Ciega
Bay.
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Notes
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Notes
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G u l f p o r t P o l i ce
The challenge coin is a tradition which began in elite military units. Members
of these units took it upon themselves to develop special coins which
represented the unit’s values, and those who possessed these coins cherished
what they stood for—belonging and commitment to something important.
This year, we developed and acquired (with seized funds) our very own unit
challenge coins, and they were awarded to every member of the agency.
The coin has on one side the seal of the City of Gulfport. Incorporated in
1910, we serve in a city with a long and rich history. This this side of the coin
reminds us of our value to the people of Gulfport.
On the other side of the coin is the badge of office, which represents many
things. Early knights carried shields with emblems respective of their
dedication to service of their kingdoms. Today that tradition carries on,
although in a more manageable size. The shape remains that of a shield, but
it bears a wreath representative of compassion, and an eagle indicating
strength and courage.
Surrounding the badge are the words Quality, Community, and
Professionalism. These words summarize our agency’s mission.
This document is a publication of the Gulfport Police Department; all rights reserved.
The Gulfport Police Department is an equal opportunity employer.