doc_2668625

WINDERMERE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures and policies relating to the records management function of the Windermere Police Department. 2. Policy It shall be the policy of the Windermere Police Department to ensure the protection of records by preventing unauthorized access, destruction, dissemination , or m isuse of records and Agency data. The Windermere Police Department recognizes the public’s right to access public records and the media’s right to report on matters of public interest. The Agency will function within the guideline s of Florida Statutes Chapter 119 . 3. Procedures A. Governing Authority The State of Florida has rules and regulations regarding the retention of public records, as defined in Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes. 1. Chapter 119 states that the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Archives and Record Management, is charged with establishing a records retention program for local government agencies. 2. Chapter 257 , Florida Statutes, requires each agency to cooperate with the State in complying with the records retention and disposal provisions by Effective Date: November 13, 2025  Rescinds  Amends 14.2 (October 16, 2022) Number: 14.2 SUBJECT : Records Management Print Date: 11/13/25 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month : October 14.2, Page 2 establishing and maintaining an active and continuing program for the economic and efficient management of records. B. Organization As Chief Executive Officer, the Chief of Police is designated the official custodian of records for the Agency. 1. The Chief may designate this responsibility to an Agency member who shall be the Agency Records Custodian. 2. The duties of the Records Custodian shall be as follows: a. To be familiar with Chapters 119 and 257 Florida Statutes, including the rules and guidelines of the Bureau of Archives , and to ensure these laws and rules are observed by Agency personnel. b. To act as the representative for the Chief of Police to the Florida Bureau of Archives and Records Management. c. To coordinate the destruction of records. C. The Records Custodi an shall have the following responsibilities: 1. Report accountability [26.01M -(A)] 2. Records management/maintenance [26.01M -(B)] 3. Records retrieval [26.01M -(C)] 4. Records storage 5. The Records Custodian shall provide the following functions: a. Serving as the official repository for all official Agency records , including reports of offense, incident, crash, arrest files, and juvenile files. b. Processing and distributing offense, incident, and crash reports. c. Reviewing/modifying (when necessary) arrest, citation, and crash information in the Records Management System (RMS). d. Processing all requests for report information . 14.2, Page 3 e. Preparing statistical information for in -house needs, state reporting system , and public records requests. D. Report Accountability Procedures [26.01M -(A)] 1. Report accountability shall begin with the assignment of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) numbers by the Communications Center at the time of dispatch through the CAD system. 2. The Communications Center assigns every call for service a CAD number . 3. The officer determines if the CAD number shall become a case number. Case numbers are only assigne d to reports. 4. All written reports shall require the issuance of a case number. 5. A supervisor shall review all reports . 6. The Records Custodian shall ensure that all pertinent information in the case report is entered into the RMS. 7. To ensure accountability of reports, the following shall apply: a. Patrol supervisors will review report s each day , reconcile as needed , and ensure attachments have been scanned into the initial report . b. The Records Custodian will scan any additional docu mentation such as dispositions, public records requests, etc., and attach them electronically. c. Juvenile offender records, pictures, fingerprints, etc., shall be stamped “JUVENILE CONFIDENTIAL .” E. Records Management Procedures [26.01M -(B)] 1. Case reports shall be destroyed after they are reviewed and scanned into the Records Management System. 2. Electronically maintained records will be maintained in accordance with the current State of Florida Records Retention Schedule. F. Records Retrieval Procedures [26.01M -(C)] 14.2, Page 4 1. When report copies are requested, the Records Custodian shall print a copy from the electronic database. 2. Information contained within reports shall be redacted as state statute directs . G. Access to Records 1. Only the Records Custodian or those designated by the Chief of Police shall have direct access to any records that fall under the responsibility of the Records Custodian. [26.03M -(A)] 2. No unauthorized person shall have access to these records unless continuously escorted by an authorized member of Command Staff at all times. [26.03M -(A)] 3. Computer monitors and reports will be placed in a manner that will make them unreadable by the public and those not authorized to have access to where the records are stored. [26.03M -(B)] 4. The doors to the file room shall remain closed and locked when records personnel are not in the