63718758.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nSEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE NUMBER: G - 82 GENERAL ORDER RESCINDS: SUBJECT: Electronic Monitoring Protection and Crime Tracking Program (EMPACT) EFFECTIVE: February 1, 2018 REVISED: February 18, 2025 Table of Contents: I. Purpose II. Definitions III. Procedure IV. Indicators(s) V. On-Call Officers I. PURPOSE: This directive describes procedures for the Electronic Monitoring Protection and Crime Tracking (EMPACT program). II. DEFINITIONS: A. Ankle Monitor: The component of electronic monitoring attached to a defendant’s ankle. B. CRO: Conditional Release Officer C. DV-Empact Monitoring: Refers to those individuals who have been placed on electronic monitoring as a result of a criminal domestic violence-related charge. D. E.M.P.A.C.T.: The GPS-based Electronic Monitoring Protection and Crime Tracking program (EMPACT) for adult and juvenile defendants in Seminole County. E. Electronic Monitoring (EM): Can substitute for the entire program and language used to discuss this program. The program supervises defendants who are charged with domestic violence-related offenses (DV,) defendants charged with non-domestic violence-related offenses (EM,) and probationers or pretrial diversion clients having electronic monitoring ordered as a condition of supervision. GENERAL ORDER Electronic Monitoring Protection & Crime Tracking Program G-82 Page 1 OF 11\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nF. EMPACT Coordinator: Misdemeanor Probation, Youth Intervention Services (YIS), or domestic violence (DV) personnel selected for the collateral duty of coordinating and managing EMPACT and all of the monitoring equipment inventory. G. Track Group: The contracted vendor for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office EMPACT program. H. IntelliTrack: An online program developed and maintained by Track Group to monitor EMPACT defendants. I. Victim Unit: A cellular telephone issued to the victim to notify them of proximity violations. J. Violation of Conditional Release (VOCR): A memorandum report submitted by the Probation Officer or to the Assistant State Attorney for the responsible judge’s docket, which alleges violations of conditions of release which need to be addressed by the State Attorney’s Office for determination of a defendant’s eligibility for continued release on bond with GPS monitoring as a condition. III. PROCEDURES: Defendants must be referred for EMPACT by court order. Deputies or the Office of the State Attorney may request a defendant be placed on EMPACT at first appearance. This should be clearly requested in the probable cause narrative in CAFÉ. NOTE: All domestic violence related incidents will include a request for EMPACT in the probable cause narrative. A. When completing the necessary forms and documentation with the victim, deputies must verify any addresses noted by the victim that may result in a judge ordering the defendant(s) to avoid as part of the EMPACT program. The purpose of this procedure is to ensure addresses are properly recorded by the court during first appearance as part of a defendant’s bond conditions (or otherwise) to protect the victim(s), when the EMPACT program is ordered by the judge. a. Seminole County address verifications must be completed by the deputy through the Communications Center, either on 19A (Support Channel) or telephonically. While internet resources may assist, the Communications Center maintains the most valid and up-to-date address information for Seminole County. Out of county or state addresses may be verified with the applicable county property appraiser’s website or calling the appropriate law enforcement agency. b. Deputies must ensure the address numerical, spelling of the street name, public way descriptor (Road, Street, Blvd, Court, etc.), city, state, and zip code all correlate during the verification process. c. The Public Safety Telecommunications member of the Communications Center will record the address verification in the CAD event record by noting the full address and if the address was verified or not. If there is more than one address, each additional address must be noted in the CAD event record. d. Deputies will document the address verification in the Café narrative by noting each address and if it was verified or not. When addresses do not verify properly, deputies should make every reasonable effort to follow up with the GENERAL ORDER Electronic Monitoring Protection & Crime Tracking Program G-82 Page 2 OF 11\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nvictim to clarify the correct address information and re-verify the address. These efforts should be documented in the Café narrative as well. B. Activation/Installation: 1. Adult: a) Adult defendant’s court ordered for EMPACT will report to Probation for installation. Probation creates a CAFÉ report, fits the defendant with the ankle monitor and explains all terms and conditions of the EMPACT program, to include no contact orders and exclusionary zones. All of the information is loaded into the CAFÉ report. b) Eligibility: Eligibility criteria for the EMPACT program used by the Court, in addition to F.S. 907.041, shall be: (1) That defendant resides in Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Lake, Volusia, Brevard, or court-approved county. (2) That defendant has a cellular telephone or a landline telephone at the residence where the defendant will be residing. (3) That the defendant is currently employed and/or willing to pay the current electronic monitoring fee biweekly unless waived by the Court. That no defendant will be refused release solely on the basis of the inability to pay electronic monitoring fees or not having cell phone or landline. (5) All defendant’s court ordered to wear a GPS device will be released within 24 hours of the EMPACT unit receiving notification that their bond has been posted. Defendants who initially do not meet the eligibility requirements will be released within 24 hours of the EMPACT unit being notified that they now meet the eligibility requirements for GPS. c) Process for Opening EMPACT Cases: (1) Release paperwork will be emailed to the EMPACT release office from Booking/Release at the correctional facility after bond has been posted for the inmate in question. (2) Determine whether or not the defendant is a DV-EMPACT or regular EMPACT; this should be verifiable by reviewing the court minutes. (3) Open a new case in CAFÉ for either EM or DE report type. Enter all information into the electronic case file. (4) Enter the case information into the GPS software program. This is to include inclusion zones, exclusion zones, and approved schedules for those zones. (5) Have the defendant brought to the GPS office and interview for GENERAL ORDER Electronic Monitoring Protection & Crime Tracking Program G-82 Page 3 OF 11\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\neligibility in the program and sign all documents. (6) Verify the defendant’s address. (7) If the defendant qualifies for release, install the ankle monitor and activate it. The defendant is then returned to the pod and the correctional facility staff completes the rest of the release. (8) Contact the victim(s) in the case prior to the release of the defendant. If no victim contact information exists, a good faith effort must be applied in attempting to contact the victim about the release. 2. Juvenile: a) Detained Offender: Juvenile offenders sent to secure detention are fitted by the JDO or deputy sheriffs at the detention center and explained all terms and conditions of the EMPACT program. Every effort should be made to conduct the equipment installation while the juvenile is still in custody prior to release from the facility. b) Conditional Release/Commitment Defendants: Conditional Release/Commitment defendants brought from the Orange County Detention Center and court ordered for EMPACT placement are transported by DJJ to the JAC. JAC staff will fit the offender with the Ankle Monitor and explain all terms and conditions of the EMPACT program. c) The Juvenile EMPACT Coordinator or the assigned supe