Monroe County
Sheriff’s Office
Annual Report - 2013
“Protecting and Serving the Florida Keys from Key Largo to Key West”
Rick Ramsay, Sheriff
Mission
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.
Core Values
H o n e st y
Professionalism
Commitment to Community
Table of Contents
Letter from the Sheriff Page 4
Sheriff’s Command Staff Page 5
Jurisdictional Area and Sheriff’s Office Locations
Page 6
MCSO - Commitment to Community
Page 8
Sheriff’s Office helps kids learn and grow
Page 10
General News and Events, 2013 Page 12
Organizational Charts
Page 18
Office of the Sheriff Page 20
Bureau of Law Enforcement Page 21
Bureau of Administration Page 35
Bureau of Corrections
Page 40
Employee Awards
Page 43
Employee Awards sponsors
Page 46
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
Professional Photography:
Rob O’Neal, Photography
Thanks to our Advertisers / Sponsors:
Boyd’s Campground
Frank’s Grill
Lee Lapid Housekeeping
Norstar Telecom, Inc.
Todd’s Garage
Dot Palm, Inc.
Waste Management
Sunshine Printing
The Porter Allen Insurance Company
The Learning Center of Key West
First State Bank
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is both state and nationally accredited.
As Sheriff of Monroe County, I have encouraged 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 out there actively protecting you, your family
and your property.
In the past year, we have continued our efforts to clean up the county. I
have taken the well-known “Broken Windows Theory” of crime and criminal behavior to heart and so have the people who work for me.
Sheriff Rick Ramsay
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.
Our office has both sponsored and assisted with numerous neighborhood clean ups. So far, the agency has participated in 65 clean ups in the county, both big and small. I have asked our members to paint
out graffiti within 24 hours of finding it. I, myself, keep a box containing different colors of spray paint in
my car and frequently stop to cover unsightly graffiti as I travel the length of the Keys. Our office has also
overseen the installation of street lights in areas where they are needed to prevent crime.
And all of these efforts are paying off. Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported major crime in
Monroe County decreased by 12.5% in 2013. And we solved more crime as well - our “clearance rate” increased from 24.4% in 2012 to 29.7% in 2013. 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 that 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.
We have many community partners who have helped us over the course of the year and many individuals have joined our efforts as well, showing up at our clean up events and taking pride in their neighborhoods. It has to be a collective effort for it to work - we can’t do it alone.
I am proud of the men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Office. They have shown true commitment to our community and it has made the difference. The work is rewarding and even fun - and the
results are clear.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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Left to right:
Captain Corey Bryan, Captain Tim Age, Captain Penny Phelps, Captain Gene Thompson, Captain Don Hiller, Director Bill Martin, Major Lou
Caputo, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Wagner, Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Colonel Bill Cameron, Major Tommy Taylor, Chief Joel Widell, Captain Don
Fanelli, Captain Chad Scibilia, Captain Ted Migala, General Counsel Patrick McCullah, Bureau Chief Mike Rice.
1
Tavernier
Plantation
Key Largo
Islamorada
Layton
Big Pine Key
Marathon
1
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 2013
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.
General Information
Freeman Substation, Cudjoe Key
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has 563 employees,
including 193 road patrol deputies, 150 corrections officers,
165 support staff and 55 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 hanger,
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 2013
6
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 2013
MCSO - Commitment
In 2013, Sheriff Rick Ramsay took over as leader of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Since then,
the agency has risen to his challenge of “Commitment to Community”.
This annual report gives an overview of 2013 activities in the agency, including a renewed dedication to the basics of law enforcement: taking pride in our community and keeping our community clean
and crime free.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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to Community
9
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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 and other events at area schools,
neighborhood get-togethers, 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 2013
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learn and grow
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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
January
School, aimed at keeping school aged kids safe, turned up
33 bags of marijuana
in the possession of
two teens, who were
arrested on drug
charges.
• The social media
application “Whisper”
disrupted Marathon
High School. Kids
The Sheriff’s Office participated in an
posting negative
emergency drill at the Marathon airport.
comments anonymously about each
other caused numerous fights at the school.
• An illegal Stock Island pawnshop buying gold jewelry
Rick Ramsay was sworn in as the 36th Sheriff of Monroe County.
• A Massachusetts
man jumped from
the hump of the
Seven Mile Bridge
after being stopped
for reckless driving.
He was recovered
from the water and
airlifted to Miami.
The Sheriff’s Office held three Citizen
Police Academies in the Lower, Middle
and Upper Keys.
• Two boats caught
on fire, closing Card
Sound Road for over
an hour because of
heavy smoke.
• Two people were
arrested after a search warrant at a Marathon home. A crack
cocaine lab was found inside, along with 90 grams of cocaine
powder, 50 crack rocks, various pills and paraphernalia.
• Routine vessel checks in Boot Key Harbor resulted in the
recovery of a large amount
of stolen property and one
arrest.
February
• A search warrant in
Marathon resulted in two
arrests. Special Investigations detectives found 60
grams of cocaine along with
paraphernalia for cooking
crack and over $3,000.
• A special “party patrol”
detail at Marathon High
Sheriff’s Office helped with the
Wounded Warrior Project’s
Soldier Ride, traveling from Key
Largo to Key West.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
The Sheriff’s Juvenile Programs Unit held one of their regular
Teen Court sessions in Key West.
without a second hand dealer’s license was shut down by
detectives. The owner was arrested.
• A couple working at a Key Largo resort was arrested for
having counterfeit Florida driver’s licenses. The two turned
out to be wanted for similar offenses in other states. The man
was later charged with possession of child pornography after
sexual photos depicting children were
found on a computer
in his possession.
• A 21 year old
Tavernier man was
arrested after attempting to defraud
a bank of a large
amount of money.
He wrote checks on
a false bank account Airport deputies capture an injured bird
for a total of $22,000. and take it to the Wild Bird Rescue
center in Key West.
He also claimed
to have accessed
secure Sheriff’s Office computers, but no evidence was found
to support that claim.
• Two Upper Keys deputies were issued notices to appear
in court by Florida Highway Patrol in connection with a “road
12
rage” incident that
took place while they
were off duty.
was treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation.
March
• The Sheriff’s Office
and the school district
held another in a
series of meetings to
discuss school safety.
• A two year old boy
left his Key Largo
home in the middle of
the night and was hit
and killed on highway
U.S. One.
The Sheriff’s Office “Stars” played basketball against the Key
West Police “Finest” in a charity game to raise money for Relay
for Life.
Sgt. Ronnie Roberts retired from the
Sheriff’s Office after 32 years. Roberts
received an honorary promotion to lieutenant prior to his retirement in thanks
for his years of service.
• Three men were
arrested for stealing
bales of cardboard from a number of stores in Marathon.
When they were caught, they had a trailer loaded with cardboard and had numerous receipts from recycling centers
where they’d sold stolen bales in the past.
• An Iowa man went missing after going on a solo boat trip.
He was staying in Key Largo visiting with his family. His boat
• A tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children task force
resulted in the arrest of a Key Largo man for possessing child
pornography.
• Plantation Key jail operations were temporarily interrupted
when a woman with grenades in the trunk of her car drove
them there
to turn them
in. She told
deputies they
belonged to
a deceased
friend. They
turned out
to be inert
military smoke
grenades.
• Rifles,
shotguns
and handguns were
stolen from a
recreational
vehicle on Stock Island. An intensive investigation by local,
state and federal agencies resulted in the recovery of most of
the stolen guns and the arrest of five people connected with
the theft.
The Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch
Run kicked off in Key West with a large group
running through the streets of Key West with the
Torch, visiting various schools along the way.
Safeco Insurance Company recognized Captain Don
Hiller as its “Community Hero” for his efforts and involvement with the Pigeon Key Foundation.
was found the following day. His body was found several days
later, offshore of the Upper Keys.
• A California man was arrested after he stabbed three family members during a verbal dispute. Three children who were
present at the time of the stabbing were not injured.
April
• The Sheriff’s Office and Walgreens in Marathon partnered
in a drug take-back day. Customers received coupons and
discounts courtesy of
the store.
• A Sheriff’s deputy
was arrested after he
bought drugs from an
undercover operative
while on duty.
The Sheriff’s Animal Farm held its
annual Easter on the Farm event.
• A restaurant at
Hawk’s Cay marina
caught fire. A deputy
working at the scene
• A man was arrested after he threatened to blow up a child
support enforcement office because his license was suspended for failure to pay child support.
• Deputies were called to a home at the 74 mile marker of
the highway after a woman reported a female crocodile nesting in her front
yard.
• A residential fire on
Garden
State Lane
in Key Largo
destroyed
three homes
and damaged Major Crimes Detective Manny Cuervo was
others. No one named the state-wide Special Tribute Award Officer of the Year by Attorney General Pam Bondi
was injured.
during Victim’s Rights week in Tallahassee.
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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
May
The Bomb Squad handled several calls including making a military flare safe. The flare was
brought to shore by a dive boat (above). They
also recovered a badly corroded World War II
bomb at the end of Old Boca Chica Road.
• The Florida
Department of
Law Enforcement released
its Major
Crimes Index
numbers,
showing the
crime rate in
the Sheriff’s
Office jurisdictional area
decreased by
3.4% during
the previous
year.
• A woman
missing from
Pennsylvania
for the past 10
years turned herself in to a Sheriff’s deputy. Ten years previously, she dropped her kids off for school and was never seen
again. She was taken into protective custody and authorities in
Pennsylvania were notified.
In preparation for high school graduations county-wide, the
Sheriff’s Office participated in a DUI prevention skit at Coral
Shores High School. The skit’s purpose is to help kids make
safe choices about drinking and driving.
June
• A 17 year old Stock Island boy was arrested for violently
attacking and robbing a man on Maloney Avenue. The teen,
who was on probation for similar offenses, was arrested and
turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice. The victim
was treated at the hospital for injuries.
• A man attempting to remove a hook from the mouth of
a four foot long Lemon shark after catching it offshore was
severely bitten on the hand. He was airlifted to Miami.
• Two were arrested after a traffic stop turned up methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, LSD and hash in their
car.
• A man was arrested for a Key Largo crime spree after
deputies followed a trail of his blood to the various crime
scenes.
• A Marathon Sheriff’s detective received information from
several sources which helped him to clear up a 2011 convenience store armed robbery.
• The community was outraged when a Key West man was
arrested for causing the long term suffering and death of his
dog, a Pomeranian named “Snarf”.
The Sheriff’s Honor Guard represented the agency during Police
Week in Tallahassee.
• Two sisters from Miami were arrested, both charged with
drunk driving after they switched seats in the car as deputies
were attempting to stop them.
• Three boats were damaged or destroyed by fire at Pancho’s fuel dock at Burdine’s Waterfront in Marathon.
• A deputy
struggled with
and arrested a
man who’d been
acting strangely in
Layton, jumping
out into the road
trying to stop
cars. During the
struggle, the man
kept reaching for
his waistband,
where the deputy
later found a concealed handgun.
• Authorities searched for a Vermont man spotted yelling
for help as he floated under the Channel 2 Bridge in Lower
Matecumbe Key. His body was recovered the next day, about
a mile offshore. His death was believed to be accidental.
• An Alaskan man on a sailing trip from Key West to Fort Myers and back went missing. His boat and his body were later
recovered by Cuban authorities offshore of that island nation.
• The owner of Oscar’s Jewelry on Stock Island was cited
for buying gold jewelry and not keeping the proper records of
transactions as required by his second hand dealer’s license.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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A Sheriff’s deputy on Big Pine Key helped a
Key Deer who had a Doritos bag stuck on its
head.
• A Plantation Key man
arrested
on multiple
fraud and
theft charges
followed
that crime
by making
threats to
blow up
Sheriff’s substations and
kill a detective
sergeant.
A family of four and their dog were rescued from
their home by a Sheriff’s deputy after a fire in
front of the only entrance to the home trapped
them inside.
The Sheriff’s Traffic Enforcement team was awarded first place
overall in the Florida Law Enforcement Challenge, beating out
196 other participating agencies, including major metropolitan
areas, such as Broward County and Miami-Dade County.
July
• An Islamorada doctor
was arrested for defrauding
a patient out of $60,000.
August
• Four Sheriff’s members graduated from the prestigious
Southern Police Institute’s Command Officers Development
Course. Left to right, Det. Sgt. Linda Mixon, Lt. Patrick Major,
Sgt. and Bomb Squad Leader Mike Digiovanni, Sgt. and
SWAT Leader Joel Slough.
• Businesses in Islamorada began reporting phone
calls attempting to defraud
them. The caller claims to
be from the electric company trying to collect late
payments and threatening
to turn off electric service.
• A Stock Island man was
airlifted in critical condition after he was stabbed
during a fight. The suspect
was later arrested after he
was found hiding under a
nearby condo.
• Detention Sgt. Kevin Burgohy was promoted to Lieutenant
as he prepared to retire from the Sheriff’s Office after 25 years
of service. The honorary promotion recognized his many
years of service with the agency.
Cuban migrants make it to shore
in Marathon.
• A car with a man sleeping inside was intentionally set on
fire by another man. The two had argued earlier in the evening in a bar. The victim was severely burned. The suspect
was charged with attempted murder and arson.
• One man was airlifted for injuries and a second man was
arrested after a fight involving a metal baseball bat on Big
Pine Key.
• A man was arrested for trafficking in fraudulent credit
cards. The detective on the case learned he might be attempting to flee the country. He alerted immigration officials who
caught the suspect in a New York airport as he waited for a
flight to Russia.
• A Tavernier man was
involved in an
accident. He
was arrested
after responding deputies
found he had
111 grams of
marijuana and
four cases of
beer in his
The Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and
trunk. Cocaine
Tactics team was treated to a week of training
and Ecstasy
in FBI SWAT tactics.
were also found
in the vehicle.
• A Trinity, Florida man went missing offshore of West Summerland Key after he jumped in the water from a boat to save
a child in distress. The child was recovered alive and well, but
the man disappeared during the rescue effort. His body was
later recovered on the west side of Johnson Key.
Fire suspected to have been caused by fireworks burned the
roof of Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo.
• One man died and another went to jail for stabbing him
after a fight in the mangroves between two homeless men in
Marathon.
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Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
September
• Sheriff Rick Ramsay announced command staff changes,
moving three captains to different positions. Captain Gene
Thompson took the helm in Marathon; Captain Don Hiller took
charge of the Lower Keys patrol division and Captain Chad
Scibilia transferred to the Internal Affairs Division.
• A 26 foot boat, stolen from a Marathon residence was
recovered after a chase with Customs and Border Enforcement. It was equipped for a migrant smuggling operation. Two
Las Vegas men were arrested.
A Key Deer was rescued by a sheriff’s deputy after it became
entangled in a soccer net on Big Pine Key.
• A 33 foot Chris Craft cabin cruiser caught fire in Key Largo,
injuring the owner. He said he was running the engines in
preparation for selling the boat when a fire started on the
battery.
November
Members of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad
attended explosive recognition/military installation security training
with members of the Navy.
• A friendly bike race between a father and son turned tragic
on Stock Island when their bikes collided causing an accident.
The father was airlifted for severe head injuries.
October
• A Stock island man, found passed out in his car with the
vehicle running, was arrested Tuesday after deputies found
cocaine and a large amount of marijuana – over 8 ounces
- hidden in the wheel well of his car.
• Sheriff’s detectives investigated the theft of a 31 foot Contender with twin 300 horsepower engines valued at $84,000.
Someone backed in to Islamorada Boats, hooked up to the
trailer it was stored on and drove away with it.
• Detectives investigated the theft of a 27 foot Contender
with twin engines on a trailer. The $80,000 boat was taken
from a storage
lot in Islamorada.
• A Layton man was arrested for pointing a laser at some
fishermen, then firing a shotgun at them. He said he was trying to scare them away.
• Major Crimes detectives investigated a woman’s death
after her dinghy was found offshore followed by the recovery
of her body. She was last seen by her boyfriend. He said she
left their boat in the early morning hours after an argument.
• A man and
woman were
found dead
in their car
on Big Pine
Key, apparent
victims of a
murder-suicide.
The couple had
recently been
found guilty of
Just prior to her retirement, Edna “Woody”
stealing a large
Woodberry was honored for her 24.5 years of
service with an honorary promotion to sergeant amount of cash
in recognition of her years of service. from customers
of a restaurant
they owned in Texas and had been ordered to pay back a
large amount of the money.
• The body of a diver who went missing while diving inside
the wreck of the Spiegel Grove was located deep in the wreck
after an extensive search.
• An Islamorada man who shot at deputies was in turn shot
and killed. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the officer related shooting ruling the shooting justified.
• Sheriff’s detectives worked hard investigating a series of
occupied burglaries in the Upper Keys. An extensive operation
involving a large number of investigators resulted in the arrest
of a man in connection with the crimes. He was caught near
the scene of two of the burglaries; he fled from deputies and
was identified by one of the victims who had seen him inside
his home.
The Sheriff’s Office participated in fund raising efforts for the
MARC House, selling pumpkins during the Halloween season.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
16
A plane was seized and it’s owner arrested after an FAA
safety inspector on vacation in Islamorada saw him operating
it recklessly. The man is also accused of illegally soliciting
paying customers without having a proper license.
• A Broward County man kidnapped his girlfriend after accusing her of having an affair. He forced her into his car after
he choked her and threatened to kill her dogs. She managed
to call for help from his home in Pompano Beach. He was
arrested on a Monroe County warrant for multiple charges.
Sheriff’s Office members participated in a MARC House fund
raiser, unloading and selling Christmas trees during the holiday
season.
December
• The Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm held its annual Christmas
on the Farm event.
• Three semi trucks were involved in an accident at the 63
mile marker of the highway, closing the road for over seven
hours. There was a fuel spill and one person was airlifted to
Miami for injuries.
• The body of a man was found offshore of Summerland
Key. He had been reported missing after he failed to show
up for church and a friend went to check on him at his boat,
moored offshore. There was no evidence of foul play.
• Two Lower Keys deputies were injured by a man who fled
from them in his truck. The deputies used pepper spray and
Tasers on him with no effect, finally having to fight with him to
take him into custody.
• A Miami man wanted for questioning in a sexual battery
case in Miami was reported missing. His vehicle was found
near the Card Sound Bridge after he sent a text message to a
relative saying he was going to jump from the bridge with a 40
pound weight tied to his leg. After an extensive search, neither
he nor his body was found.
A large contingent of Sheriff’s Office members participated in
the Key West Christmas parade, including 10 vehicles, Santa
Claus, the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who.
The Sheriff’s Office participated in the annual Silverliner’s flight to
the north pole event at the Key West Airport.
17
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Monroe Cou
Organiz
Sheriff's Aide
Director Media
Relations / PIO
Un
Juvenile Diversion Unit
Animal Farm /
Landscaping
Chief
Bureau of Administration
Executive Director
Finance
Director
Bureau o
District One
Information Management
Commander
Grants Administration /
Risk Management
Director Communications
Services & Programs
Commander
Director Property &
Evidence
Executive Director
Human Resources
Director of Records
Updated 10/07/2013
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
18
District Six
Support Services
Commander
unty Sheriff’s Office
zational Chart
Sheriff
General Counsel
Commander,
Professional Standards
ndersheriff
Airport Operations
SWAT Team
Hostage Negotiators
Major
of Law Enforcement
Internal Affairs
Accreditation
Staff Inspections
Major
Bureau of Corrections
Captain
Operations
District Four/Five
Commander
District Seven/Ocean Reef
Site Commander
Key Vaca
Key West Security
Commander
Reserve Unit
Director
Site Commander
Plantation Key
Programs
Accreditation
Financial Assistant
19
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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.
Undersheriff
Colonel Bill Cameron
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.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Sheriff Rick Ramsay
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
counsel oversees litigation related to
General Counsel
the forfeiture of seized assets, provides
Patrick McCullah
legal updates and training, and works
with staff to monitor potential risk and develop policy.
20
Road Patrol and Criminal Investigations:
Successfully fighting crime in the Florida Keys
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 secure and our
detectives work to investigate
Bureau of Law Enforcement
more
complex crimes. We cannot
Chief Lou Caputo
do our job well, however, without
an 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 2013, crime continued this decrease with major index crime down 12.5% 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
community 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 29.7% in
2013.
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.
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 on the side of the road.
He also encourages Sheriff’s Office members to practice
community-oriented policing (COP) to ensure the quality of life
and the livability factors are at the highest levels possible.
Through COP, the agency promotes safety and the protection of life and property; we also regulate safe and efficient
motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic and assist in
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 regularly meet with neighborhood
groups and partner with citizens for the enhancement of public
safety and quality of life issues.
Some of our COP efforts include watch orders on residential and business property when owners are away or the premises are unoccupied; regular 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.
21
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Major Index Crimes - Total Crimes
4,500
4,089
4,000
4,005
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 that shows the
reduction of Major Crimes in Monroe County over the
past 20 years.
3,500
3,092
3,000
2,500
2,160
2,189
2,000
1,700
1,500
1,000
500
0
1991
1995
2000
2005
2010
2013
Major Index Crimes - Clearance Rate
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
Percentage Cleared
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 that 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.
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
*Note: Numbers for Monroe County excluding Key West.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
22
Captain
Don Hiller
District One Road Patrol and Detectives
District One - Lower Keys
The Lower Keys District is Monroe County’s largest district
spanning from the 40 Mile Marker 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.
Station Commander Lieutenant Donato Elomina oversees
the task of supervising deputies responding to calls for service
in the district.
Captain Gene Thompson headed up the district for most
of the year, followed by Captain Don Hiller who transferred
to the district from the Professional Standards Division. The
captain of the district commands the entire district, overseeing
all operations in the Lower Keys.
The detective unit is headed up by Sgt. Donald Catala, a
long time law enforcement veteran who also headed up the
Special Weapons and Tactics team for many years.
There are four road patrol squads, each made up of five
deputies and led by a sergeant, providing customer service to
county residents around-the-clock.
The support staff at the Freeman Substation on Cudjoe
Key is comprised of Administrative Assistants Brenda Winegarden and Colleen Carter who keep the district’s records
management flowing.
District road patrol deputies and detectives clean up an area of the
Lower Keys where a group of homeless individuals were illegally
camping.
District One holds a formal inspection of its members, vehicles and
weapons.
23
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
District Four and Five road patrol, detectives and support staff
District Four and
Five - Middle Keys
Districts Four and Five are located
in the middle portion of the Florida
Keys, between mile markers 47 at the
south end and mile marker 72 to the
Captain
north. This includes the cities of MaraGene Thompson
thon, Layton
and Key Colony Beach.
In 2013, these districts were
commanded by Captain Chad
Scibilia, with Lieutenant Bruce
Winegarden as the station commander. Captain Gene Thompson
was appointed captain of the district
late in the year when Captain Scibilia transferred to the Professional
Standards Division.
Districts Four and Five include
two support staff, four sergeants, a
civil officer, a marine officer, a K-9
officer, a detective sergeant, three
detectives and 19 patrol officers, for a total of 34 employ14,000
ees.
The men and women
11,886
assigned to District Four and
11,470
12,000
Five continue to provide the
finest law enforcement ser10,000
vices to be found anywhere.
These law enforcement
professionals who patrol the
8,000
Middle Keys take a heartfelt
sense of personal ownership
6,000
in what happens in the community we all share.
District Four and Five
4,000
deputy sheriffs do not stop at
simply responding to calls for
service and criminal activ2,000
ity. They look for issues that
concern all of us and, using
0
community partnerships, they
2006
2007
find ways to resolve problems
before they escalate.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
The Middle Keys District has held many
cleanups and community projects as part
of the Sheriff’s community initiative.
County wide offense reports
11,121
2008
24
10,536
2009
9,998
9,915
9,710
9,669
2010
2011
2012
2013
Captain Corey Bryan
The Village of Islamorada road patrol, detectives and support staff
District Six - Islamorada
The Village of Islamorada (District Six) contracts its law
enforcement services from the Sheriff’s Office. The substation
is located 86800 Overseas Highway.
The village consists of four main islands totaling 18 miles
in length. Surrounded by water and several smaller, uninhabited islands, the village patrols the waters with three boats
utilizing one part-time and two full-time marine deputies. With
a permanent resident population of approximately 7–8,000
these officers respond to emergencies and calls for service
from the community, as well as providing deterrence of criminal activity through highly visible patrol and other proactive
enforcement means.
The village’s population easily doubles during the peak
tourist season, 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.
Islamorada deputies taking part in their yearly formal inspection.
Captain Corey Bryan is the commanding officer for District Six, and in 2013 the second in command was Lieutenant
Derek Paul. District Six comprises 18 sworn officers and one
civilian administrative assistant; they are committed to the
principles of Community Oriented Policing, building partnerships between the community and law enforcement. Assuring
a safe community and a high quality of life for residents and
Islamorada deputies are involved in many aspects of marine
enforcement, and also spend time on marine-related environmental issues. Here they are taking part in a clean-up in the
Village of Islamorada, hauling a mess of rope out of the ocean.
visitors is the highest priority.
Events, exhibitions and participation in the community are
an essential part of successful community policing. Deputies
in Islamorada participate in numerous events throughout the
year including National Night Out, homeowners’ association
and Crime Watch meetings, local holiday celebrations and
other community functions.
One of the biggest examples of community policing is an
event sponsored by the Sheriff’s Office in August of each year.
National Night Out aims to increase awareness about police
programs in the community, such as drug prevention, Crime
Watch and other anti-crime efforts.
During 2013, deputies in District Six handled 29,540 calls
for service. Officers routinely and pro-actively identify and
address areas of concern and quality-of-life issues within the
community before they become a larger problem.
High visibility and traffic enforcement along U.S. One is a
priority in order to keep our highway as safe as possible; marine deputies enforce violations with a philosophy of compliance through education. Village deputies have also been very
proactive with bicycle patrols in the community and subdivisions of the district, saving the agency on fuel costs and giving
the community more personal contact with officers.
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.
25
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Captain Don Fanelli
District Seven road patrol, detectives and support staff
District Seven - Upper Keys
District Seven begins at the county line at the 112 mile
marker of U.S. One and ends at the Tavernier Creek Bridge,
mile marker 90.2. The district also includes County Road 905,
the Ocean Reef community, and parts of Card Sound Road.
The District Seven substation is located in the Roth Building, 50 High Point Road in Tavernier. The Roth building was
purchased through federally forfeited drug proceeds. It was
opened in 2005 and named after now-retired Sheriff Richard
Roth, who was responsible for its purchase and renovation.
The commander of the district is Captain Don Fanelli and
second in charge in 2013 was Station Commander Lieutenant
Mitch Horn.
District Seven is comprised of 20 patrol deputies and five
sergeants. The district also houses a records unit headed by
Supervisor Peggy Bryan which handles phone calls, lobby
issues, dissemination of reports, finger printing, data entry and
a variety of related duties. Also assigned to the district is a
civil deputy responsible for civil process.
The Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) is housed at the
Roth Building and works both District Six and Seven cases.
CIU is supervised by Detective Sergeant David Carey who
oversees four detectives, a crime scene detective, and an
administrative assistant. This unit is primarily responsible for
following up and investigating felony crimes along with processing crime scenes.
Patrol deputies not only handle day-to-day calls for service
and traffic concerns, but are constantly looking for ways to de-
ter crime and prevent citizens from becoming victims of crime.
Command staff, deputies, and other community partners meet
with approximately 21 Citizen Crime Watch groups regularly,
where they discuss issues of concern and provide helpful tips
on ways to deter crime. They also 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 district, officers 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 event where law enforcement input is wanted
or needed. This allows us to interact with the community in a
friendly and cooperative manner.
Following the Community Oriented Policing philosophy is
the driving force behind the professional and successful law
enforcement our agency provides to 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.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
26
Special
Investigations
Division
The Special Investigations Division is comprised of highly trained and
specialized investigators, deputies,
advocates and support personnel. The
Captain
specialized units operate throughout the
Gene Thompson
county, responding to the needs of the
agency and the public.
The investigative cases worked by these units are sensitive and usually long-term and complex in nature. In 2013,
Captain Chad Scibilia headed up the division, followed later
in the year by Captain Gene Thompson when Captain Scibilia
transferred to the Professional Standards Division. Lieutenant
Lee Ann Holroyd oversees daily operations.
The units under their command are as follows:
• Vice/Narcotics
• Major Crimes
• Homeland Security
• Crime Analysis
• Intelligence
Vice and Narcotics
The Vice and Narcotics unit is a specialized investigative unit which includes crime analysis and intelligence. The
investigators assigned to the unit
work closely with districts to address the needs of each area. They
also analyze citizen tips and concerns, crime trends and other available data to determine where they
can be most effective. In 2013,
the detectives, intelligence analyst
and support personnel worked for
Detective Sergeant Al Ramirez.
Most investigations are drugrelated but the unit is also involved
in handling the following issues:
• Firearms violations
• Prostitution
• Illegal gambling
• Dignitary protection
Major Crimes Unit
The Major Crimes Unit investigates homicides, sex
crimes, computer crimes, missing juveniles, child pornography
and related crimes, and includes the agency’s victim advocates. Major Crimes also maintains records on registered
sex offenders and conducts quarterly address verifications on
offenders living in Monroe County.
This highly trained unit conducts investigations throughout Monroe County working closely with districts and with the
public.
The unit consists of five detectives, four victim advocates
and one supervisor.
The unit investigators are certified with Internet Crimes
Against Children (ICAC), the National Child Abduction Response Team (CART), Department of Children and Families,
The Major Crimes Unit has been working to digitize cold cases in
an effort to make them more accessible to detectives working the
cases. Here are just some of the files that have been scanned and
organized during the course of the year.
Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
(FDLE). They work closely with these and other agencies on
many of their investigations.
When they aren’t working active investigations, Major
Crimes investigators are involved with the homicide cold case
squad. This squad also consists of retired law enforcement
officers and FDLE investigators. The cold case squad continues to examine older homicide investigations, as new technology - and thus new information - becomes available.
Victim Advocates
There are four victim advocates working for the Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office. The advocates serve all of Monroe
County and the city
of Key West. The
advocates assist
victims of crimes
committed in the
county, in particular
the victims of violent crimes. Advocates are available
throughout the
In addition to helping victims, our Victim
county at all times.
Some of the fund- Advocates appear at many community
ing for the advocates events to promote the cause of victim’s
rights.
comes from a grant
from the office of the
Attorney General. Victim advocates are an integral part of the
criminal justice process, especially where arrests have been
made. They are responsible for contact with victims and they
assist during the trial process help to gain successful prosecution of defendants.
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.
27
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Professional
Standards Division
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 2013, Captain Don
Hiller headed up the division for most
Captain Chad Scibilia
of the year, followed by Captain Scibilia
who transferred from his command in District Four and Five.
This captain also directs the agency’s airport operations, Special Weapons and Tactics team and Hostage Negotiators.
The Accreditation Unit
an agency is doing what it says it is doing. For corrections,
assessors also look at safety and emergency procedures,
food services, rules and discipline and other subject areas that
comprise good correctional practices.
Under the direction of Lieutenant Cindy Peryam, the office
of Professional Standards is in charge of managing processes
required for accreditation by the Commission for Florida Law
Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) and Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies(CALEA). The office
ensures all agency policies and procedures are in compliance
with accreditation standards and the agency is following established policy.
Members of the office of Professional Standards are
Inspector Henry Hamilton, staff inspector; and Rachelle Gates
and Tondra Davis, accreditation specialists.
The office of Accreditation makes sure all divisions within
the Sheriff’s Office, and all members of those divisions, are
aware of office policies and procedures and are in compliance
with them at all times. They draft policy, at the direction of the
sheriff and in compliance with CFA and CALEA requirements.
These policies and procedures are the foundation of a modern, professional law enforcement agency, and are also the
foundation to 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.
Internal Affairs
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 Division
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 Chad Scibilia is the inspector general for the Internal Affairs Division, which is staffed by two full-time investigators and an executive assistant.
The unit also investigates, resolves and coordinates citizen complaints, and 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 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.
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
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Airport Security
The Airport Security Unit is assigned to the Key West International Airport and is responsible for patrolling over 250 acres
of property 24 hours a day. Captain Chad Scibilia oversees the
operation while Director of Security Lieutenant Mitch Snider
heads up two law enforcement sergeants, six deputies and 16
airport security technicians.
Airport Security
28
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.
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
occurring on the airport property. The members are proactive
in their efforts to identify and address any security issue they
may come across.
Passenger loads continue to increase and now over three
quarters of a million people a year move through the Key
West International Airport. As the airport has grown, with the
increased number of related employees and businesses and
with greater passenger numbers, the security demands have
increased in complexity.
Rapid Deployment Force
The Sheriff’s Office Rapid Deployment Force is under the direction of Lt.
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,
Major Lou Caputo
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 field-force 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.
Special Weapons and Tactics
The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team is primarily used to serve high-risk search warrants where occupants
are suspected of being armed and/or dangerous. They also
respond, when required, to other situations such as barricaded
subjects, wanted suspects who might be armed and dangerous, and any other time they are needed.
Team members have all completed at least one two-week
SWAT course, and they train together on a regular basis to
maintain those skills and to ensure they can all work smoothly
together. They are periodically required to participate in a
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.
Court Services Unit
In 2013, the Court Services Unit reported to the three separate road patrol district commanders. At the end of the year,
they were brought together and they now report to Lt. Nancy
Alvarez. She, in turn, reports directly to Major Lou Caputo.
Under the supervision of Sergeants Gerald Fisher, Jennifer
Torres and Amanda Coleman, Court Services provides security for judges and others entering Monroe County courthouses,
located in Plantation Key, Marathon and in Key West.
At each courthouse, they conduct scanning and searches
of all people and property entering each building.
Deputies also work closely with court staff and with the
Corrections Bureau, ensuring safety for everyone participating
in the criminal justice system.
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.
29
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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. These courses include instruction in firearms,
blood 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 2013, both law enforcement and corrections deputies
participated in scenario-based training as part of their required
Annual Retraining Module (ARM).
Support Services
Division
The Support Services Division is
a wide ranging division made up of
various law enforcement support units
including:
• Training Unit
• Aviation Unit
Captain Penny Phelps • School Resource Unit, including
Explorers and School Crossing Guards
• Communications Unit
• Civil Unit
• Bomb Squad
• Dive Team
Training Unit
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
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 2013, SROs taught Project ALERT to all 7th graders,
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
The SROs 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 ex-
Each year the Training Division puts on a four hour Annual
Retraining Module (ARM) class for all road patrol and corrections
deputies. The course makes sure all officers are up to date on
re-training requirements. This year’s ARM targeted school safety
drills with simulated shooting events at area school facilities.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
30
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 Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the county, operates the Monroe County Trauma Star helicopter, providing
trauma transport in the Florida Keys.
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
hospitals.
Communications Unit
plorer posts in firearms, active shooter competitions, and take
part in team building exercises.
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
Keys. The crossing guards in the unincorporated areas are
supervised by Sergeant Glenn Test.
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.
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.
Calls for Service
250,000
200,000
Aviation Unit
190,091
185,728
153,462
150,000
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
194,614
126,804
129,482
2006
2007
137,073
123,586
100,000
50,000
0
31
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
The unit has a total of 22 staff members, which includes
a director, Lt. 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
Sheriff’s dispatchers must be highly skilled and
called upon
able to multi-task as they monitor multiple computer screens and maintain contact with many
to make split
officers, firefighters and paramedics in the field.
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.
The Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Unit
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.
Civil Unit
The Civil Unit acts as the executive arm of the court system. The unit receives, processes and executes legal process
including summonses, subpoenas, writs of executions, writs
of possession, writs of attachment, writs of bodily attachment,
injunctions and levies. The unit also handles the appointment
of private process servers. The unit is headed up by Supervisor Rachelle Gates.
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 presence
on the team. The dive team is headed up by team leader Sgt.
Mark Coleman.
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
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
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
32
Sheriff’s Office dive team
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.
Bomb Squad
The Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad is the only fully equipped
explosive 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 and other found
items that float into 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 Sgt. Mike
DiGiovanni.
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
the colors
armed with rifles
or shotguns to
symbolize the
flags are always
protected. At
funerals, the
Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard
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.
Media Relations
Division
The Media Relations Division
is a diverse division which includes
the office of Public Information and
Media Relations, the Juvenile Diversion Programs Unit, and the Sheriff’s
Animal Farm. The director serves as
the agency’s public information officer
Director Becky Herrin
and media relations liaison, 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 Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad
Honor Guard
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 goal of the Juvenile Programs Unit is to help 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
33
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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
providing 35 slots for juvenile offenders overseen by three
highly trained case workers. It also receives money from a
fees attached to court cases.
Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm
The Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm is a facility housing approximately 250 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 Sundays from 1-3 p.m. It affords Monroe County families the opportunity to see and interact with
animals in a family-friendly atmosphere that is free of charge.
Special 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
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.
Reserves contribute to the operation of all divisions within the Sheriff’s
Office. They are a functional part of the
Res. Captain
Honor Guard, Victim Advocates, Court
Ted Migala
Security, Aviation, Records, Special
Investigations, HIDTA, the Dive Team,
and Parking Enforcement. 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 7 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 Shane Suddreth
The Reserve Division has 48 members that volunteered
13,271 hours in 2013 to the citizens of Monroe County.
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,
including these two Buddhist monks during a Blessing of the Fleet
ceremony.
Farmer Jeanne Selander takes care of the farm, the animals
and the grounds of the Sheriff’s Headquarters complex. She
also makes off-site trips to many schools and community events
with her animals.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
34
South Florida High
Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area
Director Bill Martin,
National HIDTA
Assistance Center
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.
Monroe HIDTA
The Monroe HIDTA group is overseen by Captain Don
Hiller, and members consist of Lt. Nancy Alvarez, Detective
Mark Jones, Investigative Analysts Rachel Shelar and Shannon Weiner. Monroe HIDTA also serves as the fiscal fiduciary
agent for the South Florida HIDTA and the Puerto-Rico-Virgin
Islands HIDTA groups.
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.
35
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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, Judicial Services/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 for the eleventh consecutive year the Mon-
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
9/30/2008
9/30/2009
9/30/2010
9/30/2011
9/30/2012
9/30/2013
Law Enforcement
26,153,871
23,118,288
23,138,591
22,815,439
23,100,474
22,973,398
23,299,449
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Corrections
17,282,460
16,579,798
17,227,963
16,796,013
17,233,852
17,049,711
17,732,039
36
Court Security
1,442,451
1,384,901
1,292,895
1,262,799
1,341,994
1,335,952
1,424,946
TOTALS
44,878,782
41,082,987
41,659,450
40,874,251
41,676,320
41,359,061
42,456,434
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.
Monroe County Sheriff's Office Forfeiture Receipts
Central Records assists the public
with records requests ranging from accident reports, offense reports or arrest
reports.
1,555,961
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.
roe County Sheriff’s Office received a perfect audit for fiscal
year 2013. Given the agency had to account for approximately
$71 million of budgeted expenses, this is quite an accomplishment!
$1,800,000.00
$1,600,000.00
$1,400,000.00
$1,200,000.00
$1,000,000.00
$800,000.00
$600,000.00
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
265,190
236,005
227,364
155,641
184,742
centralized database and the National
156,229
126,134
109,509
88,608
Crime Information Center (NCIC). Once
77,66160,231
65,536
entered into the database, warrants / injunctions are available anywhere to meet
Federal
State
agency needs. This also ensures war9/30/2007
9/30/2008
9/30/2009
9/30/2010
9/30/2011
9/30/2012
9/30/2013
rants 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.
500,643
$400,000.00
$200,000.00
$0.00
Jail Records Unit
The Sheriff’s Office Finance Division
Judicial Services /
Central Records /
Warrants Division
Director
Jamie Denton
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.
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.
Information Systems Division
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
Executive Director
Jim Painter
37
Information Systems is charged with
taking care of the computer and information technology needs of the Sheriff’s
Office, including office computers, incar computers, system printers and all
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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.
2013 Budgeted Position Allocation
250
200
193
165
150
150
100
55
The Information Systems Division
50
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 division is responsible
for ensuring the Sheriff’s Office is in
compliance with all federal and state
Executive Director
Donna Allen-Moore
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
an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
Human Resources is responsible for coordinating the
0
Deputies
Corrections
Support
Staff
HIDTA
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
18%
2013 Employee Turnover
17.00%
16.32%
16%
14.54%
14%
12.80%
12%
10.58%
11.20%
9.62%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
The Human Resources Division visits many area schools
and attends community events to talk about employment
with the Sheriff’s Office.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
0%
38
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
employees, to encourage growth and opportunity and promote
an overall positive work environment for all employees.
2013 - Years of Service
250
230
200
150
131
100
84
65
50
30
0
0-5 Years 6-10 Years
11-15
Years
16-20
Years
21-25
Years
24
26+ Years
Emergency
Communications
Division
Emergency Communications is
centrally located in Marathon at the
Monroe County Public Works yard.
The department provides professional
and high-quality communications via
Director Laura White
the MCSO 800 MHz radio system to
approximately 32 agencies and 1,600 users. This allows for
interagency cooperation and communications throughout the
county. UHF paging services for fire/rescue is provided and
maintained, as well as cellular phone services for county staff. Traffic radar for most county and state law enforcement agencies in Monroe and south Miami-Dade counties are certified
through the department on a biannual basis.
The 911 answering equipment is also purchased and
maintained through the Emergency Communications department. The 911 address database is kept up to date, and caller
information verified with the Sheriff’s Office and Key West
Police communications and vendors for accuracy.
A complete replacement of the radio and 911 systems is
in process, with implementation expected in fiscal year 2015.
Focusing on safety, Emergency Communications strives for
excellence.
Property and
Evidence Division
The Property and Evidence Division consists of four employees. The
headquarters for the division is at 500
Whitehead Street in Key West. We
have satellite offices at the Marathon
substation and Plantation Key substaDirector Diana O’Dell
tion.
The Key West office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Marathon Office
is open Tuesday and Thursday. The Plantation Key Office is
open Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We also have overnight property lockers throughout the Keys.
The major responsibilities of the Property and Evidence
Division are to receive all incoming property and evidence, to
fully document it, to store it systematically, to preserve it in the
condition in which it is received, to maintain it securely, to lawfully release or dispose of it, and to maintain a complete chain
of custody.
In addition to handling property and evidence from the
Sheriff’s Office, we accept items from other law enforcement
agencies throughout the Keys such as the Florida Highway
Patrol, State Attorney’s Office, the Key Colony Beach Police
Department and any other law enforcement agencies that
need to utilize our facilities.
In 2013, the division received 8,294 items and destroyed
4,107 items. They had a total of 24,634 items in custody for
the year.
This year all members took turns becoming certified in
property and evidence handling through the International
Association for Property and Evidence, a non-profit organization founded to help establish recommended standards for all
property and evidence departments. They provide education
and training pertaining to all aspects of the handling, storage,
maintenance and disposal of law enforcement held property
and evidence.
The division also was trained by the Property and Evidence Association of Florida in how to standardize evidence
room management.
39
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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
2013 was 521 inmates in all three
facilities.
Chief Tommy Taylor
The overall mission of the 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. These programs
are aimed at changing behaviors so
when an inmate is released, he or she
Captain Tim Age
has a chance at becoming a productive,
contributing 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). The bureau is proud of its
ability to meet the difficult and exacting standards required to
be a professionally accredited detention bureau in the state of
8,000
Detention Center Bookings
7,500
7,230
7,000
6,328
6,000
6,118
6,456
5,798
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.
Florida.
The corrections bureau provides processing and detention
services for all law enforcement agencies in Monroe County.
In 2013, 5,509 arrestees were booked through the three
jail facilities. Processing an inmate involves intake, medical
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. The facilities also use facial recognition technology which has been successful at identifying new in-
6,101
5,509
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
2012
2013
40
Major Tommy Taylor during one of his frequent
and extremely thorough facility inspections.
Income from Contract Inmates
$3,000,000.00
$2,707,768
$2,593,755
$2,522,511
$2,500,000.00
$2,000,000.00
$1,842,376
$1,639,262
The Bureau of Corrections participated in many community service projects throughout the county in 2013.
$1,500,000.00
operating costs. The agency collected $2,522,511 from
contract beds during 2013.
Incarceration should never be a “free ride” and the
$1,000,000.00
Sheriff’s Office is always looking for ways to offset the
$843,044
cost to taxpayers of operating the detention facilities.
Total jail related fees collected from inmates for 2013
were $264,886. Fees charged in our facilities include:
$500,000.00
a $20 booking fee, an inmate subsistence fee of $1
per day per inmate, the inmate commissary which sells
extra items to inmates, indigent packs, mattress rentals,
check writing fees, reading glasses, legal services and
$0.00
some medical services.
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
The Corrections Bureau is also charged with transporting inmates into and out of the county, to and from
takes giving false information.
court and to other required activities. The Jail TransporMonroe County detention facilities utilize the direct supertation Unit transported 8,889 inmates in 2013.
vision model. This style of management uses correction depuCommunity Service
ties working directly within inmate living areas. The units and
Members of the Corrections Bureau participated in numerdorms house from 54 to 95 inmates each.
ous community events throughout the year such as providing
The absence of barriers such as bars, steel doors and
care packages to the homeless, assisting MARC House with
catwalks typically found in an “old style” jail allows deputies to
their annual Christmas tree sale, Relay for Life fund-raising
control all areas in the jail including passageways and secure
activities, Soldier Ride, Special Olympics Law Enforcement
rooms. In this way, inmates’ activities and behavior are in
Torch Run and joining in the Children’s Day and National Night
direct control of correction deputies.
Out events throughout the Keys. An annual project is the colIn a continuing effort to save the taxpayers’ money, the
lection of bikes for kids at Christmas.
Sheriff’s Office leases unused bed space in the main detention
Inmate Programs
facility to federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals Service
at a cost of $90 per day per inmate and to Immigration and
Division
Naturalization Service and U.S. Border Patrol at a cost of $87
The Inmate Programs and Serper day per inmate. Money received from these contract beds
vices Division handles the daily needs
goes into the Monroe County general fund to offset detention
of inmates including mail, laundry,
accounting, commissary, religious and
educational issues. Multiple volunteer
programs donated over 1,500 hours
in 2013 to assist in this division. A
Director Keena Allen
part-time facility chaplain is on staff to
council the religious needs of inmates.
Jail In-House Program
Bureau of Corrections cleaning up on College Road, Stock
Island near the botanical gardens.
The Jail In-House Program (JIP) provides substance
abuse services for inmates. These services include assessment and treatment planning, individual and group counseling
services, addiction and co-occurring education, relapse and
recidivism prevention planning, employment and financial
skills, trauma informed services, transition/discharge preparation and continued recovery planning. Recidivism rates for
2013 are based on those inmates who completed treatment
41
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
and were rearrested during 2013. Only 14% of men and 11%
of women were rearrested after participating in the program.
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 marketable 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. Bikes
that are repaired and refurbished 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 $534,860 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 all
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
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 high-profile inmates in need of special housing and
other special care The 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
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
medical care due to the inability to pay.
Jail Food Services
Contract provider Aramark Correctional Services, provides
three meals a day to inmates, serving over 615,500 meals in
2013. 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
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 seven deputies hold this honor.
This year the Corrections Academy, sponsored by MCSO,
was proud to have all 19 local class members graduate and
pass the state exam.
Through a state grant, a CIT (Crisis Intervention Team)
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 as an alternative to incarceration. Over 180 law
enforcement officers in Monroe County and the City of Key
West have taken advantage of this training.
Corrections deputies participate in many community events, including ringing a bell for the Salvation Army at Christmas and unloading
pumpkins at Halloween for the MARC House.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
42
Employees of the Year - 2013
“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 2013, 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 recipients are pictured with Majors Tommy Taylor and Lou Caputo. In the photo, left to right:
Major Taylor, Support employee Maintenance Supervisor Dempsey Ballard, Reserve Deputy Rosary Ponce
(Ponce is now a certified road patrol deputy with
MCSO), Corrections / Detention Deputy Angelina
Lubin (Lubin is now a certified road patrol deputy
with MCSO), Explorer Post Lieutenant Thomas
Mirabella, Law Enforcement Detective Nicholis
Whiteman and Major Caputo.
Yearly Award Sponsor:
43
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Employees of the Quarter - 2013
First Quarter Awards
Left to right: Victim Advocate Debbie Shepherd, Sheriff Rick
Ramsay, Detention Deputy Adelaide Killen and Explorer Kyle
Cassidy. Not pictured: Deputy Vaughn O’Keefe.
Second Quarter Awards
Left to right: Detective Nicholis Whiteman, Juvenile Programs Supervisor Sherwood “Woody” Hanford, Explorer Kayle Perez and Detention
Deputy Kenson Jean Baptiste.
Third Quarter Awards
Left to right: Victim Advocate Carol Albury-Johnson, Detention
Sergeant Mark Lindback, Traffic Sergeant Kevin Mimosa, Sheriff
Rick Ramsay, Reserve Deputy Dan Zeig and Explorer Thomas
Mirabella.
Fourth Quarter Awards
Left to right, Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Crime Scene Detective John
Underwood, Detention Deputy Angelina Lubin, Reserve Deputy
Rosary Ponce, Maintenance Supervisor Dempsey Ballard and
Explorer Dianko Torres.
2013 Sheriff’s Medal Awards
2013 Distinguished Service
Awards
The Sheriff’s Medal is awarded to those members of the office who
are involved in an incident where a meritorious act is performed.
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.
Deputy Anthony O’Dea
Deputy Garrett Bragg
Deputy Patricia Garcia
Deputy Thomas Amador
Deputy Wilfredo Guerra
Deputy David Campbell
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Deputy Christian Kellenberger
Deputy Nancy Torrijos-Paskiewicz
Deputy Wilfredo Guerra
Captain Penny Phelps
44
2013 Years of Service Awards
5 years
10 years
Kenson Baptiste
Brooks Bateman
Heather Bennett
Leon Bourcier
Jeanne Cajuste
David Campbell
Jose Costoya
William Daniels
Donniece Deihl
Martin Digrius
David Fernandez
Marc Floyd
Sally Francisco
Thomas Fricke
Clarice Garcia
Pedro Garcia
Quincy Joseph
Brett Kip
Matthew Krol
Dara Lawrence
Juan Martin-Reyes
Charles Miles
James O’Neill
Shantal Pettry
Jon Riggs
Robert Russo
Barney Sajdak
Ashley Sheriff
Christopher Smith
Julia Todd
William Schlegelmilch
Abraham Vallejo
Tomas Venegas
Alex Vorontsoff
Natalka Whitehouse
Nicholis Whiteman
Ardie Woodward
Winston Word
20 years
Carol Albury-Johnson
David Amoako
Ester Anderson
Edward Askins
Alan Bouchard
Debra Brown
Evan Calhoun
Adam Careaga
Jeff Chandler
Alejandro Dorta
James Fitzgerald
Susan Haberle
Jennifer Hughes
Raymond Jodlowski
Gregg Johnson
Jeanetta Joseph
Rhonda Kahle
Jason Keith
Vicki Lockwood
Dahlgren Marks
Haydee Martinez
Karen McCloud
Elysia Reis
Kelby Thomas
Thomas Walker
Geraldine Wallace
Candace Busald
Peggy Carey
Michael Grattan
Linda Kohout
John McGee
Debra Tobin
Thomas Tobin
Eugene Thompson
Nancy Uecker
25 years
Jake Brady
Peggy Bryan
Kevin Burgohy
Donald Catala
David Chavka
Manuel Cuervo
Rebecca Herrin
Matthew Koval
30 years
Lee Ann Holroyd
15 years
Timothy Age
Jonathan Crane
Luis Gonzalez
Matthew Dowling
Beverly Harper
Andrew Leird
Michael Rice
Debra Ritchason
Sheila Seago
Charles Slebodnick
2013 Retirements
2013 Life Saving Award
Deputy Steven Barney
Sergeant Harold Boyden
Sergeant Kevin Burgohy
Senior Analyst/Project Coord. James Campbell
Sergeant James Keith
Finance Assistant Terry Markham
Deputy Suzanne Morgan
Sergeant Bonnie Powell
Lieutenant Ronald Roberts
Sergeant Charles Visco
Sergeant Edna Woodberry
Deputy David Campbell
45
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
Quarterly Award Sponsors
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
46
Quarterly Award Sponsors
47
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
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
Follow us on Facebook: MCSO - Florida Keys
Follow us on Twitter: MCSOnews
Visit our Blog: floridakeyssheriff.blogspot.com
Our Website is:
www.keysso.net
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office - Annual Report 2013
48
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