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\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS SUBJECT Juvenile Procedures and Programs CHIEF OF POLICE Proudly Policing Since Signature on File Nationally Accredited 1841 1986 NUMBER ORIGINAL ISSUE CURRENT REVISION TOTAL PAGES 32 07/15/1985 06/18/2025 13 AUTHORITY/RELATED REFERENCES FS 984.04, Juvenile Justice; Oaths, Records, Confidential Information FS Chapter 985, Juvenile Justice; Interstate Compact on Juveniles General Order 6, Arrests and Alternatives to Arrest General Order 36, News Media Relations General Order 53, Impaired Driving Enforcement General Order 59, Prisoner Transporting and Booking Procedures General Order 62, Management of Confidential Informants General Order 71, Prearrest Delinquency Citation Program ACCREDITATION REFERENCES CALEA Chapters 1, 42, 44, 82 CFA Chapter 26 KEY WORD INDEX Arrests, Transporting/Booking, Fingerprinting Procedure IV Enforcement and Diversion Options Procedure I Interagency Cooperation and Juvenile Programs Procedure II Interviews and Interrogations Procedure III Juvenile Confidential Informants Procedure IX Juvenile Program Descriptions Appendix One Release of Information Concerning Juveniles Procedure VIII Student Arrest Notifications to School Superintendent Procedure VII Traffic Offenses Procedure V Truants and Runaways Procedure VI\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY The Department is committed to the development and continuance of programs designed to prevent and control juvenile delinquency. Members are responsible for participating in or supporting the Department’s juvenile operations function, and shall adhere to appropriate laws, guidelines, and procedures when interacting with juveniles. DEFINITIONS Interrogation: The process of questioning a particular suspect or arrested person in order to obtain information about a criminal event and/or a confession or admission concerning their involvement. Interview: A sworn member’s information-seeking dialogue with a person having knowledge of events or circumstances of an incident. Juvenile: Any person under the age of eighteen (18) years, regardless of marital status. Protective Custody: The action of a sworn member physically removing a juvenile from their present surroundings because the current situation creates a reasonable fear for the juvenile’s life, or physical or mental health. Runaway: A child who left home without parental consent. Truant: A student, six to 16 years old, who did not attend school or left school without a school official’s or parent’s consent. PROCEDURES I. ENFORCEMENT AND DIVERSION OPTIONS A. Members coming in contact with a juvenile offender who is subject to arrest shall use the least coercive among reasonable alternatives, including: 1. Physical arrest, 2. Diversion programs, and 3. Verbal warnings with release to a parent or guardian. GENERAL ORDER 32 PAGE 2 of 13 JUVENILE PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS JUNE 18, 2025\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT B. Regardless of the action taken, members are responsible for documenting in an offense report any contact with a juvenile who is subject to arrest. C. Determining Warrants and Pick-up Order Status – 1. Members shall make inquiries regarding juvenile warrants and authorized pick-up orders by contacting the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC). 2. Upon discovering a warrant or pick-up order, members shall take appropriate enforcement action, and transport the juvenile to the JAC for processing. 3. Upon discovering a juvenile with an outstanding warrant has been adjudicated as an adult, members shall take appropriate enforcement action, and transport the juvenile to the JAC for processing. JAC will arrange for additional transport, if needed. D. Enforcement Action – 1. If probable cause exists to believe a juvenile has committed a crime, the member may elect to arrest the juvenile. 2. Members shall transport arrested juveniles to the JAC for processing. a. No other processing or release of an arrested juvenile is authorized. b. Juveniles are not eligible for release by a Notice to Appear. E. Diversion Action – Members may elect to exercise diversion actions in lieu of making an arrest, when appropriate. 1. When diverting first-time juvenile misdemeanor offenders into community-based alternatives, members shall adhere to the protocols set forth in General Order 71 (Juvenile Prearrest Delinquency Citation Program). 2. In the case of minor misdemeanor or city ordinance violations, the member may elect to issue a stern warning and release the juvenile to GENERAL ORDER 32 PAGE 3 of 13 JUVENILE PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS JUNE 18, 2025\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT a parent, guardian, or another responsible person without formal charges. II. INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION AND JUVENILE PROGRAMS A. The Juvenile Services Unit (JSU) continuously works with local criminal justice agencies, social service agencies, the court system, and schools with the common goal of reducing incidents of juvenile crime. B. The Department’s enforcement and prevention programs relating to juveniles are found in Appendix One. C. On an annual basis, the CIB Commander shall coordinate a review and written evaluation of all Department enforcement and prevention programs relating to juveniles. III. INTERVIEWS AND INTERROGATIONS No Contact with Adults – A. Members shall take appropriate precautions to ensure adult and juvenile detainees are not within sight or sound of one another in the process of conducting interviews and interrogations. Interviews – B. In conducting an interview of a juvenile, members shall be mindful of the special legal status of juveniles, and are responsible for: 1. Contacting the juvenile’s parent or guardian, if possible, prior to conducting the interview, 2. Denoting in the appropriate offense report the contact or attempted contact of the juvenile’s parent or guardian in the manner described in subsection L below, and 3. Explaining any applicable juvenile justice system or Department procedures to the juvenile and the parent or guardian. GENERAL ORDER 32 PAGE 4 of 13 JUVENILE PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS JUNE 18, 2025\n\n--- Page 5 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT Interrogations (With an Arrest) – C. Prior to the interrogation of a juvenile, the arresting member shall, as soon as possible, make reasonable efforts to contact a parent or guardian of the arrested juvenile. D. Whenever an investigator is involved in the investigation and is not the arresting member, both members are responsible for coordinating efforts in contacting a parent or guardian of the arrested juvenile. E. The member conducting the interrogation shall advise the juvenile of their “Miranda Rights” prior to the interrogation and be cognizant of the following: 1. The “rights” are individual rights for the arrested juvenile, and 2. A parent or guardian cannot make the decision for the juvenile to invoke or waive their “Miranda Rights.” F. If the juvenile waives their rights, the member conducting the interrogation should, if possible: 1. Complete a Statement of Rights/Acknowledgement of Rights form (PD 130) supporting the juvenile’s decision to talk with the member, and 2. Have the PD 130 signed by a witness (other than the person conducting the interrogation). G. Members involved in the interrogation of a juvenile where parental or guardian contact has been made shall inform the parent or guardian of: 1. Department and juvenile justice procedures, 2. The reason for the interrogation, and 3. Their right to: a. Be present during questioning of the juvenile, b. Arrange for a lawyer to be present during questioning of the juvenile, should the juvenile invoke their right to counsel, and GENERAL ORDER 32 PAGE 5 of 13 JUVENILE PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS JUNE 18, 2025\n\n--- Page 6 ---\n\nTALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT c. Delay questioning of the juvenile a reasonable period of time until they arrive (see subsection H below). H. Members involved in the interrogati