POLICE DEPARTMENT CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH 2011 YEAR END REPORT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY During calendar year 2011, the city experienced 4,432 reported index crimes. Index crimes are defined by the Uniform Crime Reporting system as Felonious Homicide, Sexual Offenses, Robbery, Assault, Burglary, Larceny, Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson. Compared with the 4,357 index crimes reported in 2010, this represents a single year increase of 75 crimes or approximately a 2% increase. This follows the 11% decrease in overall crime for calendar year 2010. Violent crimes (Homicide, Sexual Offense, Robbery and Assault) for 2011 showed a 6% decrease. Violent crimes numbered 1,162 in 2010 compared with 1,089 in 2011 for a single year decrease of 73 crimes. Property crimes (Burglary, Larceny and Motor Vehicle Theft) numbered 3,159 in 2010 compared with 3,343 in 2011 for an increase of 184 crimes (6%). A five year analysis reveals that in 2007, the total index crime was 5,046. Compared with the 2011 total of 4,432, there is an overall 5 year reduction of 614 crimes (12%). The most prevalent crime in Boynton Beach is shoplifting with a 777 total for 2011. MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT Essentially, our philosophy encompasses some key principles: • •
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Grouping of Incidents – This involves moving beyond just “handling” an incident. Officers look for patterns and relationships among incidents in order to identify “covert” problems. Focus on Substantive Problems – Internal management of the police department is not the focus of our sergeants and lieutenants. Instead, their efforts are directed to the substantive problems identified by the community such as criminal conduct and areas marked by frequent loitering for some illegal purpose. Instead of focusing on impractical goals such as productivity guidelines, they are empowered to identify and “own” an issue important to the neighborhood. Inquiry and Analysis of Problems – Officers, sergeants and lieutenants consider the reason a particular problem exists and formulate a response that will be longrange effective. Follow-up and analysis is performed by the patrol commander to determine if a solution is working or whether another approach may be more appropriate. Community Input – This is the heart of the community policing philosophy and considers that priorities for a particular neighborhood are best established by the residents. Officers are encouraged and instructed to speak with residents at every opportunity and attempt to identify those problems that most seriously affect the safety of a neighborhood.
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Follow-up with Neighborhood Residents – Determine if the beneficiaries of a particular solution are truly benefiting by our efforts.
In brief, the department responds to crimes and neighborhood issues through directed patrol strategies that ensure deployment of available patrol and support unit manpower to those areas where emerging crime patterns and neighborhood problems are most prevalent. The Boynton Beach Police Department utilizes the COMPSTAT model of patrol management, which facilitates the processing of crime information along with criminal intelligence data and neighborhood/citizen input in order to determine how best to utilize our manpower resources. The Community Action Team is also utilized within the deployment areas in order to establish liaison with residents, provide increased bicycle and foot patrol presence and to assist in the formulation of a long-range solutions to crime problems within our city. The COMPSTAT process also triggers an examination and analysis of field reports for more intensive follow-up by our investigators. The goal is to identify those responsible for the criminal activity and to establish a case against the perpetrators. The department does not wait for the year-end crime statistics in order to formulate a response plan. Crime is analyzed weekly in order to identify and to predict emerging crime patterns with the goal of deploying our forces to those areas where crime will be most prevalent. Our experience reveals that crime is not concentrated in any one area of the city. Rather, it emerges in patterns throughout our neighborhoods requiring us to constantly realign the deployment of the patrol force. Additionally, the BBPD, along with the Boca Raton Police Department, Delray Beach Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, and the northern commands of the Broward Sheriff's Office, established the South County Mutual Intelligence Network. Crime analysts, investigators and commanders from these agencies meet once a month to conduct a regional COMPSTAT analysis that includes an intelligence briefing by each agency. The exchange has proven beneficial not only as an investigative resource but as a means for better agency communication and cooperation in identifying problems that effect each of the member departments. For patrol deployment and management responsibility purposes, the city is divided into 3 geographical “districts” which where developed using statistical crime and workload data. They consist of the following: • • •
District 1 - NE section of the city District 2 - NW section of the city District 3 - South end of the city
The dividing lines are I-95 for east/west and Boynton Beach Boulevard for north/south. Each district has 1 lieutenant, 4 sergeants and 16 officers assigned to it. There is also a floating shift that consists of 4 sergeants, 16 officers, 6 traffic officers and 4 K-9 officers. In a nutshell, there are 4 sergeants, 16 officers, 2 motor officers, 1 DUI officer and 1 K-9 in service 24/7.
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A feature of the district alignment is the reassignment of shift commanders (shift lieutenants) who had temporal responsibility to district commanders who now have geographic responsibility. Commanders assign personnel resources committed to their district, to prevent and minimize crime and to address the concerns of our residents and business community. The district commanders also work a rotating duty-officer schedule to ensure that a member of the command staff is available at all times. An additional benefit of this alignment is the increased efficiency of the Support Services Division, whose efforts are now coordinated by the district commanders to ensure that investigative and support personnel are directing their efforts where they can be most beneficial. In 2011, the Code Compliance Unit was incorporated into the department’s patrol function. While the CCU continues to enforce Code of Ordinance violations, they are assigned calls for service and follow-up activity by the various district commanders. This has resulted in a more efficient use of our CCU resources by concentrating enforcement efforts in those areas identified by the sergeants and district commanders as requiring priority-based on neighborhood concerns and chronic repeat offenders. Code officers are assigned calls for service as they come in to the dispatch center as opposed to having police officers handle the call initially and then referring it to Code officers for follow up. This frees-up our valuable police manpower resources and allows the officers more time to concentrate on directed patrol activities. DEPARTMENTAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2011 Notable cases from 2011 include: FROM INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES While Florida enjoys one of the most comprehensive bodies of law governing homeowners associations, these organizations provide an opportunity for access to the associations’ coffers. This opportunity becomes an invitation for those who are inclined to take advantage of this liberty. In September 2011, the agent for a management company hired by a homeowners association fell on hard financial times and embezzled money for the purpose of paying his personal expenses. These investigations, as with most white collar crimes, are arduous and time consuming and represent a new and growing trend for which traditionally, law enforcement resources have not been necessary. In recent years, the BBPD has investigated five Homeowners Association based frauds. In this case, the defendant stole over $30,000 from Meadows on the Green. DEF was charged with 34 counts of Forgery, 34 counts of Uttering a Forged Instrument, Organized Scheme to Defraud, and Grand Theft over $20,000 and under $100,000 With the advent of classified selling sites on the internet (Craig’s list, E-bay, and others) a new opportunity for thieves to peddle their ill-gotten goods has emerged. Many thefts/burglaries are executed with the express intent to list stolen property on these websites for quick sale/profit. This case is an example of such an incident. The Detective secured a search warrant for the phone records of the suspect and was able to ascertain
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the information necessary to formulate probable cause for the suspect in the theft of a Kayak. In this case the suspect told the Detective he had taken a picture of the property just prior to stealing it, so he could post the picture on Craig’s List. Pedophiles continue to prey on children on the internet and our officers continue to monitor and participate in web-site chats in our efforts to protect children. In October of last year, Detective Ramos engaged in a conversation via chat room, which cumulated in the arrest of a 40-year-old man who believed he was meeting a 15-year-old boy for sex. Detective Ramos worked with agents from Homeland Security Investigations who made the arrest in Port St. Lucie. Further forensic investigation into the suspect’s computer, resulted in identifying two 14-year-old boys from Martin County who had been molested by the defendant. A rash of check-cashing store robberies occurred in 2011 in Palm Beach County. All had similar MO. In September, BBPD detectives initiated surveillance on the Advance America Cash Advance, located in our city. The surveillance resulted in the arrest of the suspect in this rash of robberies. Warrants were obtained for the suspect’s computers, phones and vehicles. Accomplices were identified and the investigation also revealed suspects may be involved in other robberies still being investigated by other jurisdictions. In all, the suspects were charged with six armed robberies to include Boynton, Greenacres, Palm Beach County, and Delray Beach. FROM THE PATROL DIVISION In November, our Marine Unit observed a 30-foot center console boat heading north at a slow speed and then strike a sand bar. The officers conducted a safety inspection as on the vessel as soon as it approached the ramp. An officer boarded the vessel, which caused the suspects to become extremely nervous. The suspects were unable to provide documentation for the vessel. As soon as the officer approached the cabin door, the suspects took flight. After a brief foot pursuit, both were taken into custody. The suspects were interviewed and revealed they had planned the drug run about a week prior with several people; for their efforts they were to be paid $10,000 each. The 30-foot Pursuit was seized along with the trailer. The vessel contained nearly 1,300 pounds of marijuana valued at more than $1 million dollars. Two weeks later the marine unit located another vessel which also was involved in smuggling marijuana. The 18-foot Donzi contained approximately 20 pounds of marijuana valued at $20,000. This boat was also seized for forfeiture. In September, a six month long investigation dubbed “Boynton Blues” by our Community Action Team (CAT) investigated the sale of the prescription painkiller Oxycodone. This investigation stemmed from citizen complaints about obvious drug deals in neighborhood parks. The investigation concluded with the service of search and seizure and arrest warrants by our SWAT team at 9 a.m. on September 7. Our officers were assisted by the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Delray Beach Police Department, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation resulted in felony drug trafficking charges against
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more than 100 people who sold or conspired to sell Oxycodone to undercover officers and drug addicts on the streets of Palm Beach County. On October 26, 2011, officers responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Home Depot located at 1500 SW 8th Street, where a victim was shot approximately five times. Witnesses stated the shooter fled the scene in a newer mode white Chevy van. Officers attempted to stop a white van in the area, but the van refused to stop and accelerated onto northbound I-95. A pursuit was authorized which traveled north on I-95 to Lantana Road, east to Federal Highway and then south to Hypoluxo Road. Just prior to reaching Hypoluxo Road, the suspect vehicle stopped in the southbound lanes at which time the suspect pointed a handgun to his head. The suspect then chose to take the handgun from his own head and to point it at the officers on scene, forcing a detective to discharge his firearm to protect his life and the lives of his fellow officer. As a result of the detective’s actions, the suspect’s current and future felonious actions were stopped. Unfortunately the suspect’s shooting victim at Home Depot succumbed to the injuries inflicted on him by the suspect. On November 6, 2011, an officer was on patrol in the area of Miner Road and Congress Avenue when his attention was drawn to a Nissan that had passed him and then stopped on Miner Road. The officer and the driver were the only persons on the road. The driver fired at least 8 rounds. The officer activated his emergency equipment and attempted to stop the Nissan. The driver did not yield and accelerated away from the officer’s vehicle. The officer continued to update dispatch as the driver turned into the Sandalwood/San Savino/Borgata area. The driver then crashed through the gate at San Savino stopping in a driveway. A felony stop was conducted and the man was taken into custody. A Ruger 9mm was recovered. There were 8 shell casings recovered from the initial scene, one live round and one spent casing recovered inside the vehicle. A second weapon (large combat knife) was recovered from inside his car’s seatback. The officer, without hesitation and in a clear and calm manner, engaged a shooting suspect, initiated a vehicle pursuit which concluded in a successful felony stop. Based upon the evidence and circumstances, it is apparent that the suspect fired multiple rounds from his firearm while outside his vehicle and at least one round from the interior of the vehicle. The officer did not hesitate when faced with gunfire and an armed suspect fleeing in a vehicle. The officer’s actions clearly prevented an armed felon who had fired multiple times from his firearm from continued mayhem. The officer prevented significant loss of life or injury to the public through the apprehension, disarming and arrest of this subject. On September 13, 2011, at 0833 hours, officers responded to 2640 NE 4 th Court in reference to a residential burglary. The suspects had removed a flat screen television, jars of change, misc. ammo, and six firearms from the residence during the burglary. While checking the area, an officer located the suspect vehicle around the area of 1900 N. Seacrest Boulevard. The vehicle became evasive as the officer attempted to get close enough to get the vehicle’s tag number. The officer backed off, but the vehicle was picked up by another officer who was able to get the suspect vehicle’s tag broadcast and then keep a visual on the suspects as they drove north on NW 1 st Street eventually crashing into the residence at 51 NW 27th Court. All three suspects ran from the vehicle.
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Officers used their experience and continued northbound where they captured one of the suspects in the area of 3000 N. Seacrest Boulevard. A second subject was captured by K9 near the area of the suspect’s vehicle crash. A third suspect was later identified and subsequently turned himself in to PBCJ on charges stemming from this incident. This was a tremendous effort by everyone involved. On August 15, 2011 at 2230 hours, an officer located a vehicle involved in 5 Delray Beach armed robberies and a carjacking. The officer attempted a traffic stop but the suspect vehicle did not yield. A vehicle pursuit was authorized and the car was eventually stop-sticked by Delray Beach Police at Atlantic Avenue. The vehicle stopped at the 1000 blk of East Atlantic Avenue where the driver and occupants attempted to bail out after hitting a palm tree. The suspects were apprehended by BBPD K9, Delray K9 and BBPD Officers. The suspects were arrested by DBPD for multiple armed robberies and carjacking. This case and the officers actions are an example of outstanding police work, sound pursuit judgment and interagency cooperation. On June 17, 2011, at approximately 1756 hours, there was a report of three victims of an armed robbery. Units responded and met with victims who advised that vehicle keys and a cell phone were stolen from them by two subjects who were brandishing a firearm and an object that resembled a bat. One victim was struck several times by the bat and was bleeding. The suspects left the area in a white pickup truck prior to police arrival. Detectives responded on-scene to investigate and learned that the suspects were now contacting the victims via another cell phone in an attempt to negotiate the return of the stolen items for a payment from the victims. Detectives began immediately arranging for a “sting operation” utilizing several officers as they advised the victims to encourage the suspects to meet near the original area of the robbery. Officers took concealed positions in their marked police vehicles several blocks away from where the suspects would most likely meet. Under cover of darkness, a white pickup truck was observed casing the area in a most unexpected area as it backed up into the driveway of a residence. A white male exited and began walking in the direction of the original robbery site while speaking on a cell phone. An officer drove his vehicle toward the male to investigate. At that time, the male began running and was observed jumping over the fence of a residence. Officers gave pursuit on foot and subsequently caught the male. K9 approached the white truck, which was occupied by a second male. Both subjects matched the original descriptions provided by the victims and a “show up” was conducted. Both subjects were positively identified as the two involved in the armed robbery. The two males were arrested for armed robbery and it was learned that both are currently on probation for robbery. DEPARTMENTAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS The department continues to operate very successful community outreach programs; Citizens Police Academy, Citizens on Patrol, Police Explorer Post, the Teen Academy and Shop-with-a-Cop. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts in the current fiscal year, the department’s Police Athletic League was closed.
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The Citizens Police Academy recently completed its 32nd session, which consisted of 10, three-hour lesson blocks and two officer ride-a-longs, designed to familiarize citizens with the organization and operation of the police department. All of our CPA classes fill to capacity (55) and the department will continue to conduct at least one session per year. The department’s Citizens on Patrol program has over 1,200 participants who serve as the “eyes and ears” of the police department. The COP’s patrol neighborhoods throughout the city in departmental COP vehicles and report suspicious activity to our Communications center. Our Police Explorer Post is a BSA program that introduces young men and women to the operation of a police agency and a law enforcement career. There are currently 18 men and women, between the ages of 14 and 17 participating in our program. They have traveled throughout the state participating in education and competitive programs designed to develop law enforcement skills. In the summer of 2011, the department conducted the third session of the Teen Police Academy. The camp consisted of a weeks worth of confidence building exercises along with practical and academic instruction on police operations were designed to get our older teens interested in law enforcement and to provide a mentorship opportunity for our officers. The session filled to capacity with 40 teens completing the course. “Shop with a Cop” is in its sixth year and provides needy children an opportunity to receive presents during the holidays. Donated funds from businesses and citizens are utilized to make purchases for some less than fortunate children in our community. Crime Prevention officers work with local elementary schools in order to identify children in need of assistance, and in 2011 we were able to make the holidays happier for over 130 kids. Our Crime Prevention Unit also gave away over 600 back packs with school supplies at the beginning of the school year. Most of the backpacks and supplies were donated by Office Depot which we supplemented with donations from the community. We also fingerprinted and photographed over 1,000 children last year, providing the parents with identification cards and crime prevention information. Utilizing funds from the LETF, our officers and volunteers assisted the recreation department’s Youth Violence Prevention Project teens with the restoration of an old Crown Victoria patrol vehicle. The car was transformed from a Black and White patrol vehicle into a Red and White American Heart Association tribute car, which our officers drive to charitable events in and around the city. Hundreds of persons have signed the Heart Car with tributes to heart disease survivors and those who have passed on. Our YVPP kids worked along side of our officers to conduct a complete restoration of the Heart Car, which is our second such project after the restoration of a 1953 Black and White patrol vehicle.
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