Policy Text
KISSIMMEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
General Order 418
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418.01 Identifying Gangs/Gang Activity 418.03 Intelligenc e Unit Detective
418.02 Gang Enforcement Officer 418.04 Gang Intelligence Files
Policy: The Kissimmee Police Department has established guidelines for gang identification
and intelligence protocol. Personnel shall investigat e gang related activity and provide
intelligence information to other law enforcement agencies.
418.01 Identifying Gangs/Gang Activity: Per Florida Statute 874.03 any person(s) causing,
encouraging, soliciting or recruiting criminal gang membership or intentionally causing,
encouraging, soliciting or recruiting another person to become a criminal gang member where a
conditio n of membership or continued membership is the commi ssion of any crime. In order to
identify those individuals who meet the Florida Statute definition of a gang member, the
following criteria is observed:
Criminal Gang Associate – A person who:
a. Admi ts to criminal gang association; and/ or,
b. Meets any single defining criterion for criminal gang mem bership described in this
section.
Criminal Gang – A formal or informal ongoing organization, association or group that has as one
of its primary activities , the commission of criminal or delinquent acts, and that con sists of three
(3) or more persons who have a common name or common identifying signs, colors or symbols,
including, but not lim ited to; terrorist organization s and hate groups . For clarifi cation purposes,
the following legal definitions are used to determine the aforesaid qualifications:
Ongoing – An organization was in existence during the period charged in a petition, inf ormation,
indictment, or action for civil injunctive relief.
Terrorism – An activity that involves a violent act or an act dangerous to human life which is a
violation of the criminal laws of this state or the United States, or a violation of Florida Statute as
it relates to computer related crimes, specifically offenses against computer users and is intended
to:
a. Intimidate, injure or coerce a civilian population;
b. Influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; and/or,
Title: Gang Enforcement
Effective Date: July 1, 2015 Revised Date: November 9, 2023
Review Authority: CID Captain Scope: All Employees
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General Order 418
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c. Affect the conduct of government through destruction of property, assassination, murder,
kidnapping or aircraft piracy.
Hate Group – an org anization whose primary purpose is to p romote animosity, hostility and
malice against a person or persons; or against the property of a person or persons because of
race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity or national origin.
Criminal Gan g Member – a person who meets two (2) or more of the following criteria:
a. Adm its to criminal gang membership ;
b. Is identified as a criminal gang member by a parent or guardian ;
c. Is identified as a criminal gang member by a documented reliable informant ;
d. Adop ts the st yle of dress of a criminal gang ;
e. Adopts the use of a hand sign identi fied as used by a criminal gang ;
f. Has a tattoo identi fied as used by a criminal gang ;
g. Associates with one or more known gang members ;
h. Is identified as a criminal gang member by an informant of previously untested reliability
and such identification is corrobor ated by independent information ;
i. Is identified as a criminal gang member by physical evidenc e;
j. Has been observed in the company of one or more known criminal gang members four or
more times; and/or,
k. Has authored any communication indicating responsibility for the commission of any
crime by the criminal gang . This includes electronic communication which includes, but
is not limited to, photographs, video, telephone communications, text messages,
facsimile, electronic mail messages and instant message real -time communications with
other individuals through the Internet or other means.
Criminal Gang Related Activity – An activity that:
a. Has the intent to benefit, promote or further the interests of a criminal gang, or for the
purposes of increasing a person’s owns standing or p osition within a crimina l gang;
b. The participants are identified as criminal gang members or criminal gang associates
acting individually or collectively to further any criminal purpose of a criminal gang ;
c. Is identified as a criminal gang activity by a documented reliable informan t; and/or,
d. Is identified as criminal gang activity by an informant or previously untested reliability
and such identification is corroborated by independent information .
418.02 Gang Enforcement Officer : In order to identify, monitor, report and coordinate the
exchange of intelligence information concerning the identity of criminal gang members, gang
associates and gang related activity, an employee shall be assigned as the Gang Enforcement
Officer . This designation and assignment is determined by the Deputy Chief after careful review
of the employee’s qualifications and disposition.
The duties of the Gang Enforcement Officer shall include the following:
a. Monitor criminal gang activity;
KISSIMMEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
General Order 418
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b. Assist other law enforcement agencies with their criminal gang related activity;
c. Educate the community through public awareness programs;
d. Provide gang awareness training;
e. Respond to the scene of gang related incidents when requested;
f. Assist in conducting inv estigations