MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE


General Order


CHAPTER:

041

TITLE:

Intelligence / Crime Analysis

EFFECTIVE DATE:

August 25, 2010

NO. PAGES:

6

REVIEWED/REVISED:

April 5, 2022


Sheriff of Monroe County


  1. PURPOSE: The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines and define the responsibilities of the Intelligence Unit.


  2. DISCUSSION: The purpose of law enforcement intelligence is to gather, collate, analyze, and disseminate information concerning known or suspected criminal activity, or threats to the community. This information can be tactical or strategic in nature. Tactical intelligence reference to information concerning known, ongoing criminal activity, which is developed and intended for immediate use. Intelligence of this type would be developed prior to the service of a search warrant for the purpose of identifying and planning for potential problems. Strategic intelligence is that information which is collected from a wide variety of sources, which identifies on-going or potential criminal activity, subjects, groups, trends and relationships. These files are not related to the records kept by the records section and are used as an aid in combating criminal conduct that presents a threat to the community. These files are maintained under the control of the intelligence unit. The intelligence unit is manned by an intelligence officer and is directly responsible to the Special Operations Supervisor. This centralized position permits the continuous flow of raw intelligence data into a central point from all sources, provides a secure records system where evaluated data are properly cross-referenced to reflect relationships and to ensure complete and rapid retrieval, establishes a system for dissemination of information to appropriate sources. It is a necessity that certain confidential information on criminal activities and persons involved, not obtainable through regular law enforcement channels, be maintained.


  3. POLICY AND PROCEDURE


    1. Collection and Reporting


      1. The collection and reporting of intelligence information is the responsibility of each member of the Department. Information coming to the attention of Department member concerning on- going or suspected criminal activity, which has not been documented in a Department incident report, shall be reported to the intelligence unit in a timely manner on an MOIR (Memo of Information Received) memo.


      2. The intelligence unit shall be responsible for, but not limited to, the monitoring of the following types of criminal activity;


        1. Organized Crime: Monitors the activities organized crime, investments, land purchases, or any businesses made by them or their associates.


        2. Unions


        3. Foreign investments

        4. MC gangs/traveling criminals


        5. Gypsies, carnies


        6. Terrorists


        7. Extremist groups


        8. Dignitaries


        9. Narcotics


        10. Gangs


        11. Vice


        12. Hate groups


        13. Matters of special concern, if any


      3. Intelligence data will not be collected on persons merely on the basis of ethnicity or race.


      4. Intelligence data will not be collected on any individual merely on the basis of the individual’s religious and/or political affiliations.


      5. No employee, or their agent, shall gather information by unlawful means.


      6. No member of the Department will use data for political and/or economic purposes.


      7. The collection of raw data is the primary step in the intelligence process. The information that may be included in the file system will be collected from a variety of sources including;


        1. Media publications;


        2. Official police reports;


        3. MOIR’s;


        4. Other law enforcement agencies;


        5. Confidential informants;


        6. Public records;


        7. Other records gathered via legal methods


      8. Once the raw data has been collected, it will be subjected to collation, analysis and evaluation to determine the accuracy of the information, identification of subjects involved, determination of criminal activity and then possible dissemination to operational units for enforcement action.


    2. Terrorism Related Intelligence


      1. Any employee of the Sheriff's Office has a duty to gather and relay information / intelligence on possible terrorist activities within Monroe County, State of Florida, US or internationally.

      2. Employees should keep in mind that terrorist activity may be local individuals or groups as well as regionally, nation or internationally based groups, targeting within Monroe County or elsewhere.


      3. Such information may be documented in the MOIR form and submitted to the Intelligence Unit. It should be conspicuously noted on the MOIR that the information is Terrorist related.


      4. Employees may contact the Intelligence Unit directly if they feel the information is of an urgent nature and requires immediate attention.


    3. In support of its mission, the Intelligence Unit is further charged with the following related responsibilities;


      1. Insure the legality and integrity of the intelligence effort by avoiding indiscriminate collection or distribution of information, to include periodic purging of out-of-date information. After a five

        (5) year period, if the intelligence information is not placed back on active status, the information will be purged from the intelligence system and disposed of in an appropriate manner, as regulated in Florida State Statute 119.041. (This audit will not include informant information.) Safeguard, analyze, collate and control intelligence records in a secure area separate and apart from the records section. Security of the intelligence unit and data will be of the utmost concern and the following guidelines will be strictly adhered to;


        1. Access to the intelligence files and work area will be limited to those persons from duly constituted law enforcement agencies authorized to review intelligence files.


        2. Persons seeking information from intelligence files shall do so only when accompanied by the Intelligence Officer or Unit Supervisor.


        3. The Intelligence Officer’s work area and files will be locked at all times when unit personnel are not in the area.


        4. Intelligence Unit waste shall be shredded or burned at the end of each workday.


        5. Unit personnel are subject to call to respond to urgent information requests.


        6. Intelligence files stored on a computer system will be secured and accessible only with a password assigned to the Intelligence Officer and Special Operations Division Supervisor(s).


    4. Provide liaison, on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, on intelligence/terrorism information matter with other agencies including, but not limited to;


      1. Regional Organized Crime Information Center (ROCIC)


      2. Florida Intelligence Unit (FIU)


      3. Department of Homeland Security Task Force


      4. Florida Department of Law Enforcement


      5. US Coast Guard


      6. US Border Patrol


      7. Federal Bureau of Investigation

    5. Review of Intelligence Information


      1. The Special Operations Division Supervisor will review all reports to be recorded and filed.


      2. The Intelligence Officer will review narcotics related reports or any reports of special concern and/or suspicious activity and notify appropriate personnel.


      3. All Intelligence Files will be mark in the management soft wear for a review within five (5) years of its creation. The Intelligence Officer will evaluate the information to determine if it is out of date and of no value or incorrect. Files should be continually monitored for incorrect information. All files found to be out-of-date and having no further value or containing incorrect information shall be purged. Electronic date should be deleted and paper files should be shredded.


      4. A recommendation to destroy the intelligence will be based upon the following:


        1. How often the information has been used?


        2. How valid is the information?


        3. Has the information been confirmed by other sources or is it unsubstantiated?


        4. Can the information be obtained from another source?


        5. Could the data be useful in the future?


      5. Surveillance photographs will be maintained with the intelligence reports. In the event a file is purged all photographs relative to that particular file will also be destroyed in accordance with law.


      6. Electronic surveillance tapes will be maintained with the intelligence reports, or as evidence in the property room.


      7. On an annual basis all Intelligence recommended for destruction pursuant to guidelines set forth herein and upon approval of the Division of Archives, History and Records Management of the State, will be destroyed.


      8. On an annual basis the Commander of Special Operations or is designee will review by memo form, the procedures and processes used by the Intelligence Unit. Special attention will be paid to the effectiveness and efficiency of the processes being used.


    6. Dissemination]


      1. Dissemination of intelligence information to other criminal justice agencies and office members only on a need-to-know basis.


      2. Terrorist related intelligence shall be disseminated to the appropriate agency / organization based on the nature and timeliness of the information.


      3. Transmission of such information should be documented as to the date, time, agency and person transmitted to


    7. Utilization of the Intelligence Information Unit: All requests for the utilization of Intelligence personnel, equipment, and/or techniques shall be coordinated and requested through the Intelligence Officer and/or the Division IV Commander. The intelligence officer’s position shall allow

      for the training and development of individuals assigned to that role.


      1. Unit personnel are subject to call to respond to urgent information requests.


      2. Assist with department investigations in the intelligence support role, which will include the preparation of informational BOLOs, background information and intelligence bulletin. The intelligence officer shall collect and receive, on an on-going basis, information concerning investigations being conducted by their unit. This information will include, but should not be limited to names, addresses, license plate numbers and telephone numbers.


      3. Emphasize the collection of intelligence information by the unit through the use of informants, prisoner debriefings, and by attending roll call briefings.


      4. Act as the contact between the unit, Patrol, and the Special Operations Division on a routine basis.


      5. Establish and maintain membership in state and regional intelligence groups.


      6. Maintain the department’s intelligence files.


      7. Maintain the convicted felon registrations program.


      8. No intelligence files will be kept at any office other than the Intelligence Unit Office.


    8. Crime Analysis:


      1. It is the policy of The Sheriff that collecting and analyzing readily available crime data and making this analyzed information regularly available to individual line officers and investigators can make them more informally aware and consequently more effective. Crime analysis is a scientific process, in the sense that it involves the collection of valid and reliable data, employs systematic techniques of analysis, and seeks to determine for predictive purposes, the frequency with which events occur and the extent to which they are associated with other events. The Crime Analysis Section provided useful information to aid operational personnel in meeting their crime control and prevention objectives by identifying and analyzing methods of operation of individual criminals, providing crime pattern recognition, and providing analysis of data from field interrogations and arrests. In addition, much of the information developed by the Crime Analysis Section is used by the Office in its long-range planning efforts by providing estimates of future crime trends and assisting in the identification of enforcement priorities. More specifically, the functions and responsibilities of the crime analysis section include:


        1. The collection of crime data


        2. The collation of crime data


        3. The analysis of crime data


        4. The dissemination of analyzed crime information


        5. Feedback analysis and program evaluation


        6. Crime Analysis reports posted in Outlook


        7. Advise the Sheriff of any crime pattern or trends as they develop. This can be accomplished via email

      2. The Crime Analysis section shall have access to the following information on a daily basis:


        1. Patrol Incident Reports


        2. Supplementary Reports


        3. Arrest Reports


        4. Investigative Reports


        5. Field Intelligence Reports