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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStatement of the ProblemSTATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The City of Miami Police Department (MPD) requests funding under the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science services provided by its Crime Scene investigations Unit (CSI). Utilizing funding from this grant program for training and overtime will allow for the much needed specialized training in the forensic disciplines of crime scene investigations which will subsequently improve the quality of the analysis performed on the scene as well as the timeliness in submitting evidence to the laboratory. As of 2003, Miami was the fifth poorest City in the nation (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey). In February of 2009, the City of Miami had an unemployment rate of 9.4%. Also disturbing, the City of Miami is the 3rd most dangerous City in the nation (Forbes 2009). In 2008, Miami had 63 homicides, 80 victims of sexual battery, 2,415 robberies, 3,151 aggravated assaults, 4,941 burglaries, 13,591 larcenies and 3,666 motor vehicle thefts. As of May of this year, Miami had 33 homicides (20 unsolved), representing an increase of 50% over 2008. Despite the efforts to reduce the backlog with the current manpower, the Unit still faces an overwhelming number of cases for examination creating a major bottleneck with regard to productivity. The shortage of personnel, the amount of calls for service and the technological advances of DNA add to the backlog of cases. As a result of increased daily workload it has become progressively more difficult to follow up on the submission of evidence to the lab. Frequently staff is only able to collect and deposit evidence into property, and sometimes not even in the same day. This is what creates the backlog, and this is what interferes with the timely submission to the lab. The MPD, CSI Unit will improve services through the achievement of the following objectives: The training received will increase the ability of staff in a particular forensic discipline to reveal findings immediately at the scene which will have a direct impact on the course of the investigation and provide Detectives with the necessary tools to solve crimes and make arrests. To keep up with and counter the increase in crime, overtime will assure that the evidence collected from a crime scene will be immediately preserved, packaged and submitted for laboratory analysis in an expeditious manner. The number of days for submission of a sample to the laboratory will decrease by 67%, from 3 weeks to one week. In addition, the number of backlogged forensic cases will be reduced by 25%. The investment made in training and allocating overtime hours for its personnel to process evidence will allow the CSI Unit to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science over current operations. Once implemented, the MPD will be able to expedite the processing of evidence and also tighten the chain of custody with regard to evidence. PROJECT/PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION Quality and timely examination of evidence is extremely important for Police Departments. Due to the advances in science and technology, the use of physical evidence has become more critical to the prosecution of criminal cases. Law enforcement agencies are expected to be more thorough, efficient and swift in gathering and processing evidence and investigations of crime. Juries prefer and come to rely on the use of physical evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA evidence, which ties the suspect to the crime scene. Police Departments have the absolute need for properly trained Crime Scene Investigators who are trained in the latest techniques to ensure the quality and results of evidence collection, processing and examination. A properly conducted investigation gives credibility to the evidence collected making arrest possible and prosecution imminent. In order to reduce the backlog, overtime is necessary to enable CSIs sufficient time to respond to crime scenes and analyze evidence daily as well as forward to the lab at least on a weekly basis rather than forward to a Detective for submission. This will ensure that evidence is submitted timely and allow Detectives more time to follow-up on other leads. The quality of forensic services will be enhanced through experienced and trained CSI in forensic disciplines such as, blood spatter interpretation, photography, crime scene investigation, evidence processing, latent fingerprint development, forensic mapping, crime scene reconstruction, shooting reconstruction, alternate light sources and DNA training. CSIs will become able to ascertain the strongest evidence to be submitted to the lab for analysis resulting in the use of more credible evidence leading to arrest and subsequent prosecution. In training the CSIs, we propose that certain laboratory requests will not be necessary and therefore will reduce the need for laboratory staff to respond to scenes in order to assist in MPD investigations. For example, MPD lacks personnel trained in blood spatter and as a result lab personnel are requested to assist in examining the physical scene or photographs. The lab then becomes backlogged in the delivery of test results as a consequence of requests to come to the scene. In training our CSIs to perform this discipline, we would be able to come to a conclusion of facts immediately at the scene and assist Detectives in their investigations ultimately reducing the opportunity for another crime to be committed. Training in crime scene and/or shooting reconstruction, finger or foot print analysis will also impact the quality and timeliness of MPD's forensic services. MPD will reduce its backlog by addressing the submission of evidence in a timely manner with overtime funds which will alleviate vital on -duty time for current investigations and the review of older cases as well as provide much needed training for Crime Scene Investigations Unit staff. This would therefore increase the amount of cases currently being submitted to the lab and thereby assist in providing timelier results. CSIs currently respond to crime scenes therefore little time is left to properly and accurately analyze evidence submission to the lab. Making hours available after staff's tour of duty will increase the likelihood of timely submission of evidence to the lab and is a feasible solution. The pitfalls continue to be a lack of manpower due to fiscal constraints. However, MPD will re -shuffle internal resources to equally staff the working field shifts to insure project success. CAPABILITIES/COMPETENCIES Chief John F. Timoney oversees the City of Miami Police Department. Chief Timoney holds two Master's degrees. He was appointed in 2008 after previously serving as the Police Commissioner for the Philadelphia Police Department with 7,000 sworn Police Officers and 900 civilian staff and also as First Deputy Commissioner, the second highest rank in the New York City Police Department. The City of Miami has 1,215 sworn Police Officer positions. During his first year as Miami Police Chief, he was able to strengthen the Department's sense of integrity by revising procedures for greater accountability, implementing one of the most progressive policies in the country on the use of deadly force by Police Officers and reducing the number of police shootings of civilians. He is the recipient of over 65 Department Medals. Assistant Chief Thomas W. Cannon is responsible for the Criminal Investigations Division, supervising and managing a multitude of investigative units ranging from personal and property crimes to narcotics investigations and money laundering. The Division is comprised of the Criminal Investigations Section and the Special Investigations Section. He is responsible for the deployment of approximately 200 detectives and civilian personnel, equipment and resources required to investigate major and capital felony crimes. Assistant Chief Cannon holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree and has received numerous awards and commendations, of special note; The Purple Heart. Captain Roman Martinez is a 20 -year veteran of the Miami Police Department. Captain Martinez has moved up through the ranks from Police Officer to his current assignment as Captain of the Criminal Investigations Division, Investigations Section. Captain Martinez has been Commander of the Crime Scene Unit for two years. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has completed various Crime Scene Investigations training related courses. Mr. Lazaro Fernandez has been with the Miami Police Department since 1984. Mr. Fernandez is responsible for the Crime Scene Investigations Unit which is responsible for processing crime scenes, photographs, lifting and identifying fingerprints, recovering DNA evidence and collecting and preserving other items of evidentiary value. He has extensive training in the various disciplines of blood spatter, shooting reconstruction, crime scene investigations and photography. The CSIs are field units which respond to crime scenes and identify, document and collect evidence. Some of this evidence requires submission to the lab for further analysis. The CSIs are responsible for examining the evidence and assuring that the most compelling of evidence is submitted. Their immediate supervisors (CSI IIs) are responsible for assisting them as well as assuring the quality control of their submissions. The evidence once packaged properly for preservation, is then placed into the property unit and appropriate paperwork completed for submission to the lab for analysis. The 2005-06 Coverdell Grant (# 2005 -DN -BX -0123) was awarded on September 1, 2005. In 1979 the Miami Police Department became the first police department in the country to acquire an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). It became apparent that there was a need to process even more evidence therefore MPD requested and was awarded $95,000 to purchase a second AFIS machine. From July 2006 to December 2006, there were an additional 1,236 entries which resulted in 116 suspects identified. From January 2007 to March 2007, AFIS system handled 823 additional entries resulting in 90 identifications. The 2006-07 Coverdell Grant (# 2006 - DN -BX -0029) was awarded on September of 2006. The $95,000 awarded was used to hire additional contractors to evaluate evidence and enter results in the AFIS, to pay overtime for technicians to work on current cases and/or re -open closed cases and to facilitate more than 1,600 hours of training to MPD personnel. This grant resulted in a two -fold accomplishment in that not only were the backlogged cases examined; they were examined using today's technology. A total of 464 backlogged cases were entered and they yielded 162 identifications. Additionally, fourteen individuals attended training in Basic Fingerprint Classification, Digital Photography, Fingerprint Evidence Processing and Recovery. Currently the Crime Scene Investigation Unit is comprised of three shifts of approximately five CSIs each and one CSI II supervisor. The CSIs are the field investigators which respond to the scenes and collect, package and submit evidence to the lab for analysis. Their work is managed by to by the Unit's Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and their immediate CSI II supervisor manages their time and directs their activities. The Forensic Investigations Supervisor is responsible for assuring compliance with the SOP's and common forensic practices. Further assurance is supplied by the oversight of a Police Captain who is ultimately responsible for the entire operation and it's adherence to Departmental Orders, Policies and Procedures. BUDGET The total project budget is $123,695. The total cost for overtime is $42,450. This would allow for each shift to have an additional 6 hours per week to submit evidence to the laboratory for analysis. Overtime would be used based on the amount of evidence or the requirements of submission. This would also provide Detectives with additional time to explore other leads. The request for training expenses is $70,000 for the CSI I, II, Forensic Investigations Supervisor and Police Captain to attend courses relative to the needs of the unit which would alleviate the lab from supplying such services. Training would entail the following disciplines: Photography, Blood Spatter, Forensic Art, Evidence Processing, Crime Scene Investigation, Latent Fingerprint Development, Forensic Mapping, Shooting Reconstruction, Alternate Light Source Examinations, DNA Training, and attendance at the National Forensic Academy. The use of existing resources includes current and future staff of CSI I, II, Forensic investigations Supervisor, and Police Captain funded by the City of Miami, General Fund. Also the supplies and expendables associated with gathering evidence and submission of evidence to the lab is already budgeted for by the Police Department. The CSIs in the first quarter of this fiscal year have handled 3,107 calls for service. These calls were comprised of burglaries, robberies, homicides, aggravated batteries and sexual batteries. These categories are the more predominant crimes for acquiring physical evidence which would require laboratory analysis. Investigation of these crimes resulted in 611 entries of evidence into the property bureau which would account for evidence needing laboratory submission. The use of these grant funds would improve our current capability to submission of 25% more evidence to the laboratory for analysis, which would result in approximately 150 more cases being submitted for analysis per quarter for a total of 600 during the project year. The cost effectiveness is indicative in the value of staff being on scene at the moment the crime is discovered and examining, analyzing and processing evidence with the applicable discipline which could render an opinion immediately for investigators as well as negate the necessity of lab personnel responding to the scene for further or future analysis and the delay in results. Delays in submitting evidence as well as a delay in receiving the results from the lab becomes a financial burden to the City of Miami Police Department, Correctional system, the Courts and community as a whole. Funding will result in investigations of crimes being conducted and solved more efficiently which would decrease the likelihood of the suspect being able to commit additional crimes. Training will increase the ability of CSIs to better perform analysis at the scene through acquired knowledge and practice of the applicable discipline and the ability to use overtime for the timely submission of evidence will have a direct impact on the reduction of backlogged cases and the number of days from the collection of evidence to submission to the laboratory. IMPACT/OUTCOMES AND PLAN FOR COLLECTING DATA FOR PERFORMANCE MEASURES 1. Improvement in quality and timeliness: The backlog will be reduced by approximately 25%. On duty time would be freed up to address the backlog of cases. The anticipated improvement is the evidence which is currently taking 3 weeks would be submitted weekly under this request, a decrease of 67% in time. Educational benefits include superior and formally trained employees to better examine and analyze a crime scene in order to disseminate their findings in court during prosecution. Funding will also enable staff to attend training not offered locally or only offered once per year locally. In March of 2009, The Miami Police Department received re -accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (GALEA) reinforcing MPD's commitment to quality law enforcement and excellent policies and procedures. 2. Anticipated Impact of eligible projects activities: a. The overtime for the personnel would result in the adding of man hours to the current staffing in order to accomplish timely laboratory submission of evidence. b. N/A- Equipment and supplies are budgeted for through the General Fund. c. N/A- The MPD Crime Scene Investigations Unit is computerized. d. N/A- Funds are not being requested for facilities.