ELIMINATE FILING PACKETS FOR ARREST CASES

FILING PACKETS :
WHERE DID THIS IDEA COME FROM TO CREATE AN UNNECESSARY STEP IN THE OFFICER'S RESPONSIBILITIES AS IF CONDITIONS, EVIDENCE, TESTIMONY AND PROBABLE CAUSE BETWEEN THE TIME OF ARREST AND THE TIME OF CASE REVIEW BY THE STATE ARE SUBJECT TO DISPOSAL BECAUSE THE STATE DOESN'T GET A "SECOND BLESSING" OF A PILE OF REDUNDANT DOCUMENTS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE IN THE CASE FILE ?

WITNESS STATEMENTS SHOULD BE SENT WITH THE ARREST PAPERWORK.
THE CRIMINAL HISTORY CAN BE OBTAINED BY THE STATE.
THERE IS ALOT OF TIME AND COURT ACTIVITY BETWEEN ARREST AND TRIAL. PLENTY OF TIME FOR COPIES OF PHOTOS OR TAPES OR LATENT ANALYSIS. I'M NOT BASHING THE PROSECUTORS. THE FILING PACKET IDEA FOR ARRESTS SEEMS REDUNDANT AND UNNECESSARY AND JUST CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ERROR. THE DEPUTIES ARE WORKING THEIR TAILS OFF JUST TRYING TO DEAL WITH TODAY'S CALLS . THEY DON'T NEED THESE TRAILING EFFECTS OF LAST WEEK'S WORK.

And the State Attorneys Office could care less. We are doing THEIR work for them.

The SAO started this requirement.

I agree, why do we have to do this extra work?
Do other PD's in Palm Beach County have to do this too?

Yes, all agencies are required to send in the 14. It is pure lazyness on the part of the SAO. You know why so many of our cases are no filed? Because, and I am paraphrasing exaclty what I was told by a high level ASA who wishes to remain unnamed, if they ASA no files a case, it is considered "cleared". The exact same status is assigned to a case which the def. pleads guilty, or which goes to trial and the def. is found guilty or innocent. They are required by their "higher ups" to clear up as many cases as possible, so they look for reasons to no file. If they no file, they do not have a supervisior which goes over the facts, they just check it off as "completed".

[Blue Light]

What's also sad and a total waste is the amount of paperwork involved in filing a case that many times will go nowhere. In Palm Beach County, you have to send copies of all the paperwork (reports, PC's, etc) - Most of which were already forwarded from the jail. The SA at the intake office will give it a glance and see what makes their cut. They should just review the PC, and if they are interested in pursuing the case, request paperwork at THAT point.

Now, since the average packet (with report, PC, criminal history and all that) is about 15 sheets of paper and they 'No File' or reduce to misdemeanor in about 2/3 of these cases (roughly 7,000+ cases a year), you have to ask -

How much officer time was wasted completing the packet and delivering it?

How much fuel and vehicle wear was wasted to deliver it ? (Some agencies just mail them in)

How much paper was wasted (then shredded and put in a land fill)?

Xerox materials wasted, electricity wasted and so on

The Judicial Circuit in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee has been using electronic filing for several years. If you speak with any LEOs up there, they tell you that they use Palm Beach County as an example of how NOT to do things (court-wise). Why can't this 'progressive' County (or even the State for that matter) get on the stick to do it's part to run more efficiently and waste less? The technology is available to electonically file - use it.

Ok, so why can't we electronically file to save time, paper, electricity and gas? It is much easier to send all of it wireless to them. This system has not changed one bit in over 25 years. It's time to move into the 21st century.

Many deartments have the computer technology to do it. Those who don't just have to do it the old fashioned way.

in addition... most other judicial districts still allow complainants to directly file cases with the state attorney's office.. instead of having to call the police, make a report and send in a filing package for every single case.

Just to show you that the State Attorney's office doesn't always know what one another is requiring. In the Glades we always do filing packets even for misd arrests. The JAM Unit started out here and found out we had to do filing packs for VOP arrests, their Sgt called the SAO and had that changed, the SAO on the coast didn't know that we were doing that in the Glades....But this goes to show how one branch of the SAO doesn't know what the other is doing.....We are doing more than needs to be done.....with the new laptops why can't we e file??????

Oh really? Call Mike Morgan and ask him how long he has to decide what he is going to do with a case? After an x amount of time, if it is not moving forward, it has to be "cleared".

[quote="No quota???"]Oh really? Call Mike Morgan and ask him how long he has to decide what he is going to do with a case? After an x amount of time, if it is not moving forward, it has to be "cleared".[/quote
FIRST, MIKE MORGAN IS A VERY EXPERIENCED AND VERY GOOD PERSON TO REVIEW YOUR INCOMING CHARGES.
BUT
THERE IS NO REASON TO HAVE A THING CALLED A FILING PACKET
SEND YOUR PC AND WITNESS STATEMENTS WITH THE ARREST PAPERWORK WITH TRANSPORT AND BE DONE WITH IT.
THE ACT OF NO FILING A CASE IS TO PUT A BLACK MARK ON A CASE .
FOR THIS TO OCCUR BECAUSE THE SAO DIDNT GET ANOTHER COPY OF PAPERWORK THEY ALREADY HAVE IS LUDICROUS AND AN INSULT TO THE PUBLIC WHOSE TAXES PAY FOR THE SYSTEM.