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HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposal AbstractCity of Miami Police Department PROPOSAL ABSTRACT The City of Miami Police Department (MPD) requests funding under the Paul Coverdell grant program to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science services, including services provided by its certified Technical Services (TS) Unit, The TS Unit will increase the capacity and quality of the latent examinations, reduce the Department's backlog of fingerprint cases, and increase the entries into the Automated Fingerprint Index System (AFIS) in use nation-wide. The objectives to be achieved to fulfill the above -mentioned goals are: ✓ The TS Unit will reduce the backlog of cases with latent fingerprint by 10% percent yearly, ✓ The TS Unit will reduce the turnaround time of work request by 40% by the end of the grant period. ✓ By the end of the grant period, the TS Unit will enhance the quality of the investigation by improving image quality of the latent fingerprint in at least 35% of the cases examined. MPD will purchase a second Motorola Omnitrack AFIS equipment for its certified Technical Services (TS). It will match the funds provided by this grant with its own resources to purchase this state-of-the-art technology with a tag price of $115,000. In addition, Motorola will provide needed training to police personnel on the usage of this equipment. By purchasing this technology, and training its personnel on its usage, the TS Unit will improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science over current operations. As a result, MPD will be able to reduce the backlog of cases needing fingerprint/palm print examination thus, enabling the MPD to expedite the successful investigation of cases, which will ultimately lead to more arrests, Paul Coverdeif Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 1 of 10 City of Miami Police Department PROGRAM NARRATIVE I. HISTORY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS The Technical Services (TS) Unit of the Miami Police Department (MPD) is comprised of civilian personnel who are dedicated to the forensic discipline of latent print examination. The TS Unit started operations in 1968, where latent print examinations were being conducted. In the 1970's it became more prevalent in the use of equipment and techniques which were being established in conjunction with the federal government. In 1979, the MPD became the first police department in the country to acquire an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). In its first few months of operation, a police officer was murdered and within 45 minutes of developing a fingerprint, the offender was identified and subsequently apprehended. Since that time, numerous investigations have been aided by the use of new and upcoming technologies and advances in the field. In the 1980's with the surge of narcotics related crimes in South Florida, the TS Unit became what it is today, a necessary tool for the identification, apprehension, and detention efforts of law enforcement. The TS Unit is one of the busiest units at the MPD having answered to 5,068 cases in 2004. The TS Unit collects samples or evidence in more than 85% of the calls in which their services are requested. The Unit collects latent fingerprints, DNA tests, photographs, ballistics, trace and microscopic evidence, and other forensic evidence as dictated by the crime scene. The TS Unit processes roughly 30% of the samples collected in each incident; mostly fingerprints, since it does not possess equipment to process all types of samples. The evidence the Unit does not examine, such as DNA examination, ballistic, etc, is Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 2 of 10 City of Ham! Police Department prepared and transported to the Miami -Dade County Police Department Forensic Lab, which have the appropriate equipment to process this type of evidence. The MPD is recognized and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), as a law enforcement agency that provides crime scene investigation services. The Commission was established as an independent accrediting authority in 1979 by the four major law enforcement membership associations: International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); National Sheriffs' Association (NSA); and Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). II. STATEMENT OF NEED Miami is a large urban city with over 400,000 residents. MPD provides law enforcement services for its residents, and over 1.2 million people coming to Fingerprints Cases Processed Fiscal Year 2004 5068 work, and visitingdaily 6000 El Total Cases on 5000 Processed basis. In the last decade the 4000 - • Cases w/ Fingerprints 3000 Collected 2ao0 980 536 444 ❑Cases w/ Fingerprints MPD has experienced 1000 - Examined ❑ Backlog for 2004 almost a 50% reduction in Qtty crime in our City, registering 59,170 crime incidents in 1995 to 33,527 in 20031. While the crime rate has gone down in recent years, murder, rape, and burglaries are not uncommon to any metropolitan city. According to internal statistics depicted in the graph, City of Miami Police Department, 2003 Annual Report, 12-Year Comparison of Part 1 Crimes and Arrest. Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 3 of 10 City of Miami Police Department in 2004 the TS Unit responded to 5,068 cases where processing of evidence was required. One fifth of those cases, 980, resulted in obtaining latent fingerprints. Of these cases, the TS Unit was able to examine 536 cases (approximately 54%) containing 2,956 latent fingerprints cards. As a result, 444 cases containing approximately 2,700 latent fingerprint cards joined thousands of cases stored in the warehouse to be examined at a later date. The TS Unit does not have the appropriate setting to adequately use its human resources. Currently, MPD has 1 Latent Printing Examiner, 3 Contractual LPE and 1 Apprentice LPE trained to examine and develop fingerprints, and only one Omnitrack AFIS equipment. Most of the time, LPEs need to wait for a coworker to finish so they can start their assignment, This creates a major bottleneck for productivity and an inefficient use of trained LPEs, forcing the Unit to schedule different shifts to accomplish the task requested. It creates a backlog of case requests from the MPD's investigative units. Equally important is the need to speed up the examination of latents. The longer it takes to examine latents, the greater the possibility of an at -large suspect committing a greater crime. The sooner the results are available, the greater the chance of apprehending the criminal thus reducing the opportunity of a new or similar crime being committed. The new technology makes it possible to examine for the first time not only the fingerprint, but also the palm print. It enhances the image of the evidence through a sophisticated computer system. This new development allows for a more in depth investigation, improving the quality of the process. It puts back into review thousands of cases the Unit had stored for years due to lack of technology that now allows for better review of evidence. Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 4of10 City of Miami Police Department Proper examination of latents is extremely important to any police department. It is virtually impossible to convict a suspect solely on the word of a law enforcement officer. Juries prefer that some type of physical evidence be presented, such as fingerprints or DNA evidence, which ties the suspect to the crime scene. Nowadays, police departments have an absolute need for the latest technology to ensure the quality and results of the investigation. A properly conducted investigation provides positive impact to the veracity of the judicial system and facilitates in many instances the prosecution of an alleged criminal. III. PROJECT GOAL AND OBJECTIVES The goal of this project is to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science in the TS Units' current operations. OBJECTIVE I The TS Unit will reduce the backlog of cases with latent fingerprint by 10% percent yearly. OBJECTIVE II The TS Unit will reduce the turnaround time for work request by 40% by the end of the grant period. OBJECTIVE Ill By the end of the grant period, the TS Unit will enhance the quality of the investigation by improving image quality of the latent fingerprint in at least 35% of the cases examined. Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 5of10 City of Miami Police Department At the end of grant period the TS Unit will be able to achieve positive and remarkable results after addressing the above -mentioned objectives, The TS Unit will provide for proper use of human and capital resources, addresses the backlog of cases, and reduces the turnaround time for work requested. It will also ensure the Unit's quality of work, the veracity of its results, and reaffirms its importance as a key player in a criminal justice procedure. IV. EXPECTED RESULTS MPD will be able to reduce the backlog of fingerprints accumulated in the Department for years, while maximizing efficiency and effectiveness, by purchasing a second Motorola Omnitrack AFIS equipment for the TS Unit. The ability of the Latent Printing Examiner to work current case investigations will obviously increase productivity. An additional Omnitrack AFIS equipment will also increase the integrity of the investigation process by limiting the need to interrupt one examiner's work to verify another's finding, or leave the finding on the Omnitrack AFIS equipment, tying up the equipment until a verifier is available. The availability of a second Omnitrack AFIS equipment will maximize concentration, efforts and results, as it is critical to focus on one set of latent at a time without due interruption. It will also increase the timeliness of requests, particularly where suspect is in custody on a 48-hour hold and fingerprint analysis may be valuable for case charging vs, discharge from custody, or in other critical crime incidents. With an additional Omnitrack AFIS equipment, the TS unit will be able to work towards its goal of reducing the backlog of cases to examine by 10% annually, and improving the turnaround time by 40% per investigative request on latent analysis. Investigators in recent years have developed cases where examinations of recovered latent fingerprints are linked to two or more crime scenes. The timely processing of these latent fingerprints, improves investigation, leading to increased case closures, stronger Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 6 of 10 City of Miami Police Department evidence for charging defendants, and stronger evidence at trials. Furthermore, this new technology allows the Unit to perform a more complete review of the evidence, since it not only checks for fingerprints, but also for palm prints. This new system could facilitate the resolution of many cases that were impossible to solve in the past, since no technology was available to examine palm prints. The City of Miami Police Department will use two performance measures to periodically record the success of this program. These performance measures are: • To demonstrate a change in the number of days between submission of a sample to the TS Unit and delivery of the test results to a requesting office. •S To demonstrate a decrease of backlogged forensic cases analyzed with Coverdell Funds. The TS Unit will provide a quarterly performance measures report to track the progressive success of the implemented project. A semi-annual programmatic and financial report will be submitted within 60 days after the first 6 months of program implementation. A final programmatic and financial report will be submitted within 90 days after program completion. This project will be evaluated by achievement of major objectives, which are measurable, quantifiable, and time phased. Some of the indicators the Unit will track to deliver reports on the performance of this grant are: ❖ Number of days it takes to analyze the evidence at the beginning and the end of the grant period. •.+ Number of backlogged cases at the beginnings and end of the grant period. Paul Coverdell Forensic Science improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 7 of 10 City of Miami Police Department The new acquired technology will dramatically increase the ability of the TS Unit to examine more latents, and implement additional methods in latent fingerprints analysis, improving the turnaround time of identifying the fingerprints, while facilitating a faster solution of a case. Furthermore, the training provided to its examiners will ensure the MPD that it personnel is keeping pace with all the new techniques and procedures currently used in the forensic community. V. IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH To implement this grant the TS Unit will purchase, install and configure the Omnitrak AFIS equipment to improve the examination of latent fingerprints, and reduce the backlog of cases pending. In addition, the vendor will provide training to its personnel improving their technique in analyzing and processing the latent fingerprints for judicial process. The unit expects to purchase the equipment and perform training within the first 6 months of being awarded. VI. BUDGET SUMMARY A.- Personnel N/A B.- Fringe Benefits N/A C.- Travel N/A D.- Equipment $115,000 E.- Supplies N/A F.- Construction NJA G.- Consultant/contracts N/A H.- Other N/A Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 8 of 10 I.- Indirect Cost Total Cost: Federal Request: MPD Resources (CASH MATCH) VII. BUDGET NARRATIVE $95,000 $20,000 City of Miami Police Department N/A $115,000 FY 2006 Paul Coverdell funds will assist MPD to add a second piece of equipment for its TS Unit. The Motorola Omnitrack AFIS Equipment is a new technology that will improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science services at the TS Unit. It will help to reduce the backlog of latent fingerprint cases to be analyzed, while using our human resources in a more effective manner. The new equipment cannot be leased. With a cost of $115,000, the TS Unit will combine funds from Paul Coverdell grant program with its own resources to acquire this equipment. Item Computation Paul Coverdeil Grants MPD Resources Motorola Omnitrack AFIS Equipment ($115,000* 1) $95,000 $20,000 Total Cost $115,000 VIII. BUDGET DETAIL WORKSHEET A.- Personnel B.- Fringe Benefits C.- Travel D.- Equipment N/A N/A N/A $115,000 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 9of10 City of Miami Police Department The Unit will purchase a Motorola Omnitrack AFIS Equipment. The equipment is necessary to improve the current operations of the TS Unit. It will assist the unit to improve the turnaround time to analyze the cases, while reducing the backlog of cases in the warehouse. At this time this technology needs to be purchased. No mechanism is provided by the vendor to lease this equipment. The MPD will use the City of Miami procurement process to acquire the above - mentioned equipment. Item Computation Cost Motorola Omnitrack AFIS Equipment ($115,000 * 1) $115,000 Total Cost $115,000 E.- Supplies F.- Construction G.- Consultant/contracts H.- Other I.- Indirect Cost NIA N/A N/A N/A N/A Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program, FY 2005 Page 10 of 10