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Date: 07/03/97 Revision: 02/23/23 Reviewed: 09/18/23 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCED URE Number: GEN 505.0 3 Page: 1 of 3 SUBJECT: EX PARTE AND PICK UP ORDERS I. PURPOSE : The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to define the guidelines and procedures for the service of Ex Parte Orders for involuntary examinations and of Pick Up Orders for assessment and stabilization . II. SCOPE : This procedure shall a pply to all Sheriff's Office sworn personnel and Court Services Bureau , Civil Process Section , personnel . III. DISCUSSION : The Sheriff’s Office recognizes the need of the community to be secure in regard to the protections enacted under Florida's Baker Act. Ex Parte Orders for involuntary examination and Pick Up Orders for assessment and stabilization (hereafter referred to as “Orders”) are issued by the Clerk of the Court for the Mental Health Division of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, pursuant to Florida Statutes , Chapters 394 and 397, which are signed by a Circuit Court Judge. Due to the urgency of these situations, the Order s should be assigned and served as expeditiously as possible. A deputy may take the person named in the Order into custody without having the Order in his /her possession if the deputy has knowledge of the Order. The deputy should serve the person named in the Order with a copy of the Order as soon as possible after taking said person into custody. Upon arri val at the receiving facility, an additional copy of the Order shall be provided to the intake employee by the deputy. IV. PROCEDURE : A. Court Services Bureau, Civil Process Section 1. Orders will be delivered to the Court Services Bureau, Civil Process Section, by the Clerk of the Court for the Mental Health Division. 2. The Civil Process Section shall enter all such Orders into Versadex and shall scan a copy of each such Order into Perceptive Content. This will enable the Communications Bureau and those with computer access to determine if an Order exists as to a particular person and to allow for electronic retrieval at any time. Additionally, the Records Transcription Unit can provide copies of the Orders any time a deputy requests. 3. Orders shall be assigned by the Civil Process Section supervisor using the following criteria: a. Orders received before 1500 hours on non -holiday business days , shall be assigned to the Civil Process Section. If the Civil Process Section deputy is unable to s erve the Order during his /her shift, then the Order shall be forwarded to the appropriate district office for service. b. Orders received after 1500 hours or on holidays or non -business days shall be assigned to the appropriate district office. Orders for persons confined within a Hillsborough County Jail shall be faxed to Active Inmate Records at pendingrelease@hcso.tampa.fl.us so that an ex parte hold can be placed on that inmate named in the Order. GEN 505.0 3 02/23/23 Page 2 of 3 c. Orders for the cities of Tampa, Plant City , and Temple Terrace shall all be divided among the Sheriff’s Office district offices as designated by the Court Operations Division. Special consideration will be given to proximity from district boundaries. d. Orders for “At Large” persons shall be assigned to the appropriate district office based on the person’s last known addr ess or based on information concerning areas frequented by the person. The se Orders shall be assigned to the appropriate district office, so that service can be completed at any time. Additionally, copies of the se Orders can be electronically obtained by any deputy at any time from the Records Transcription Unit. 4. Transportation of the person named in the Order should be arranged by the deputy serving the Order. 5. The Civil Process Section shall verify that returned Orders have been updated in Versadex. 6. The Civil Process Section shall forward the Return of Service to the Clerk of the Court for the Mental Health Division. B. Department of Patrol Services 1. The Civil Process Section shall provide the appropriate district office with a scanned copy of all Orders which were not able to be served by the Civil Process Section. 2. Upon receipt of each such Order, the District Administrative Desk Deputy or Community Service Aide shall log the Order for recor d purposes and place a call for service into the CAD system. The Shift Commander shall ensure that the log is checked on a daily basis. 3. All Orders shall be returned to the Civil Process Section via inter -office mail and shall not be returned directly t o the Clerk of the Court for the Mental Health Division. The District Administrative Desk Deputy or the Community Service Aide shall maintain a log for all attempts of service and all Returns of Service. a. Un-served Orders - the assigned deputy shall update the comments field in the CAD call with the assigned Versadex number and investigative notes. Additionally, the assigned deputy shall also document the CAD call number and their investigative notes on the hard copy of the Order. * b. Served Orders - the assigned deputy shall update the com ments section in the CAD call stating where the person was taken from. Additionally, the assigned deputy shall complete the Return of Service