Brittany Smith Crowned Miss Florida Seminole at 52nd Annual ...

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2E • The Seminole Tribune • July 31, 2009Larry PayneFort PierceChris PaolantonioFort PierceDeitra TuringHollywoodMeet Your SeminolePolice DepartmentService AidesRicky AliHollywoodLarry HamiltonHollywoodGene MillerHollywoodMiguel MelendezHollywoodShawn GreggHollywoodFran PouxHollywoodCynthia ReyesHollywoodBrian SignoreTampaCheri RolleTampaTeresa BassBrightonJacklyn HinesHollywoodTiffany FarlessFort PierceTerry Tartshah Sr.HollywoodDavid HughesFort PierceBrandon MercadoHollywoodJeannie HaganBrightonSEMINOLE POLICE DEPARTMENTSPD Service Aides Provide Assistance to OfficersBY LIEUTENANT JERRY MEISENHEIMERContributing WriterThe Seminole Police Dept. (SPD) employs 19 civiliansto assist the sworn police officers in providing thebest service to the Seminole communities they serve.These 19 are called police service aides (PSA) andunlike SPD officers, they wear gray and black uniforms.Their patrol cars will also say Service Aide under the“Police” decal.Their duties vary greatly according to the needs ofthe reservation they are assigned to.In Tampa, one PSA is in charge of maintainingall the property and evidence stored there. He is alsotrained to process crime scenes and gather evidence andto investigate accidents. Another Tampa aide covers thefront desk, delivers criminal reports to the State Attorney’sOffice, patrols the parking lot of the Hard RockHotel & Casino and performs other tasks to help the policeofficers.PSA’s operate the guard gatehouse at the Fort Piercecommunity on a 24-hour schedule. They control accessto the reservation and assist the residents and police officersin any way they can.On the Brighton Reservation, one service aide isassigned to work with the Youth and Elders Unit. In addition,she is in charge of the custody of the evidenceroom there. Another service aide assists with officework, servicing police vehicles, and the weekly mail runto SPD’s Hollywood Records Office.The Hollywood service aides also perform a widevariety of assignments: one is assigned full time to theYouth and Elders Unit, one mans the Tribal Headquartersfront desk, and another operates the security gate atthe front entrance.One PSA is trained to investigate traffic fatalities,while others patrol the community, investigate accidents,deliver messages and direct traffic outside theHard Rock Hotel & Casino on the weekends. Still anotheris in charge of the Property and Evidence Roomand coordinates with the State Attorney’s Office.Two former PSA’s are now in the police academytraining to be certified police officers. There are plans tohire more PSA’s in the future as needs require.Tribal citizens are encouraged to consider applyingfor a career as a police service aide with the SeminolePolice Dept. Training is provided.For more information, please contact the SPD HumanResources Dept. at (954) 967-8900.New Seat Belt Law in Effect in FloridaSUBMITTED BY THE SEMINOLE POLICE DEPARTMENTSUBMITTED BY THE SEMINOLE POLICE DEPARTMENTThe Seminole Police Dept. has launched a new programfor Tribal youth called the Explorer Program.This program is designed for all male and femaleSeminoles, ages 6-19, interested in learning about lawenforcement as a career choice. Participants must alsobe enrolled in school and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA.In order to qualify for the program, each personmust not have had any serious criminal infractions, pastor present. All applicants must also complete an oral interviewwith an SPD Review Board and anyone youngerthan 18 must have a signed parental permission form toparticipate.The mission of this program is to further the knowledgeand understanding of law enforcement throughtraining and experience, to provide an insight into thecriminal justice system in order to encourage membersto become law enforcement professionals in the future,As of July 1, a new seat beltlaw took effect in Florida. Thenew law states that everyone ina vehicle must be wearing a seatbelt at all times.In addition, law enforcementofficers can now stop a vehicle ifthe officer sees anyone in the vehiclenot wearing their seat belt.The old law stated that police hadto have another reason for pullingvehicles over.Under the new law, if the driveror any passengers are seen not wearinga seat belt, the police officer canissue a non-moving violation foreach person without a seat belt on.The fine varies in each county.The Seminole Police Dept. hasbeen handing out fliers announcingthis change to the Tribal community.Anyone with questions shouldplease feel free to talk to a local SPDofficer.SPD Launches Explorer Program for Tribal Youthand to help create a better understanding between ourdepartment and the youth of our community.These young men and women will be representativesof SPD and their community. As such, they willhave their own uniform and chain of command. Theywill follow a code of conduct becoming of an SPD Explorer.However, program attendance will be voluntaryand will no participants will have any law enforcementauthority.The program will be led by an advisor who will bean SPD full time employee .They will act as a leader andmentor to the police explorers and will be responsiblefor appointing, directing and reviewing the membersand establishing and coordinating their roles and assignment.If anyone is interested in joining the program, orknows of someone who would be interested in it, pleasefeel free to talk to any SPD officer about it.
SEMINOLE POLICE DEPARTMENTSPD to Hold Citizens’ Police AcademyBY ELIZABETH LEIBAStaff WriterHOLLYWOOD — Tribal citizens will be able tostep into the shoes of the Seminole Police Department(SPD) during a 10-week Citizens’ Police Academy onJuly 30-Oct. 1.The program is being conducted by members fromseveral SPD departments including the Training Divisionand Youth and Elder Unit. Their goal is to giveTribal citizens a taste of how it feels to be a police officer,with classes offered on traffic stops, crime sceneevidence collection, community policing and more.Sgt. George Gonzalez, who coordinated the program,said he expects topics like identity theft, crimeprevention and domestic violence will be of interest tocommunity members.“I think it’s going to be fun,” Gonzalez said. “Ourmission is not only to make it fun, but to make it informative.”According to Gonzalez, 95 percent of police agenciesconduct some type of citizens’ academy. Their goalis to bridge the existing gap between the police departmentsand the communities they serve, he said.This is the second time the program has been held inHollywood. The first academy took place in May 2005.As a result of the positive feedback from Tribal citizens,SPD decided to renew the program. The original academytrained 12 community members who learned aboutthe police department from the classes held, with openforums for question-and-answer sessions.“The majority of the questions were legitimate,good questions,” Gonzalez admitted.Community members were curious about everythingfrom traffic stops and the number of officers typicallyinvolved to the attitude of police officers.Participants were given insights into some of theirquestions from candid answers from SPD staff as wellas the hands-on training activities, which included opportunitiesto conduct their own simulated traffic stopsand building searches.“Sometimes we had a bad guy [in the building];sometimes we didn’t,” Gonzalez explained. “We nevertold them.”Gonzalez said the experience gave the communitymembers a different outlook on SPD.“When it was all said and done, they had a new respectfor us,” he said.The police department hopes to duplicate their effortsthis year and have scheduled at least 15 officers topresent the training classes that will be held each Thursdayevening from 6-9 p.m. during the 10-week period.On successful completion of the program, participantswill take part in a graduation ceremony at the HollywoodTribal Headquarters on Oct. 1.Members of SPD hope this year’s program willhelp to build a lasting relationship between the departmentand the community.“I think nothing but good things will come out ofthis,” said Officer Bobby Betz of the Youth and ElderUnit. “If it wasn’t for the community, we wouldn’t behere right now. They need us and we need them.For more information please contact Sgt. GeorgeGonzalez at (954) 967-8900, Ext. 10416.Elizabeth Leiba(L-R) Sgt. George Gonzalez, Training Assistant Terry Tartsah Jr., Sgt. Bill Maynard and Officer Bobby Betz discuss plans forthe Citizens’ Police Academy.HOLLYWOOD — The Seminole Police Dept.made strong moves toward establishing better and saferTribal communities at the Community Oriented PolicingService, or COPS, Native American Training Series,held at the Hard Rock Hotel on June 19.During the presentation, law enforcement membersfrom all reservations learned about the COPS program,a nationwide effort designed to improve and implementmore effective community police initiatives.SPD Lt. Jim Polan helped assist and implement atrain-the-trainer presentation for the first time event.“We want our officers to develop a strongrelationship with the Tribal community,” Polansaid. “Hopefully this event will create a bettercommunity for them.”“The positive thing is that what some of theinstructors told our officers has already been putinto play,” he added. “It is all nice because itreinforces that we are on the right track.”The Native version of the COPS programhas provided Tribal policing grants along withtraining and technology for 10 years. Some ofthe program partners include the CommunitySafety Institute, specializing in developing,training and technically assisting governmententities, and the Upper Midwest CommunityPolicing Institute (UMCPI), a nonprofit organizationthat builds bridges between law enforcementand the communities they serve.“We want this to give them the tools topromote police and community partnerships,”said UMCPI Services Director Wayne Shellum.“The chief [William Latchford of the SeminolePolice Dept.] has really committed to communitypolicing.”July 31, 2009 • The Seminole Tribune • 3ESeminole Police Dept. officers take notes during presentations in the COPS Native American Training Series.SPD Focuses on Native Training in PresentationsBY CHRIS C. JENKINSStaff ReporterChris C. Jenkins“Many police departments want to do this and thisgives departments an opportunity to really try to improvethe quality of life and build a bridge or foundationof trust within these communities,” Shellum added.COPS program goals include modifying and meetingthe needs of Natives across America, developingnew information tailored to Native communities and developinga plan to bring to Tribal policing agencies andcommunity partners together.According to the COPS website, www.cops.usdoj.gov, the national program places an emphasis on advancingthe practice of community policing as an effectivestrategy to improve public safety. It also operates asa component of the U.S. Justice Department.Chris C. JenkinsUpper Midwest Community Policing Institute Services Director WayneShellum discusses problem solving solutions within communities.
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