Homeland Security & Special Investigations
Bringing together the Tallahassee Police Departments specialized resources and expertise to provide a unified approach to deterring and responding to potential terrorist threats, as well as fighting the war on illegal drugs, The Homeland Security & Special Investigations Division (HSSI) was recently created. Members of the HSSI work on a daily basis with partners from other local agencies as well as state and federal agencies to make our community a safer place to live.
| Vice | Hazardous Device Team | TAC Team |
| Criminal Intelligence | Canine Unit | Special Response Team |
| Crime Analysis | Airport Security | |
Vice
The responsibility of working day-to-day drug cases, with emphasis on "crack houses" and mid-level drug dealers, as well as developing long-term narcotics investigations, is the responsibility of the General Narcotics Unit. Targeting locations, businesses, and other avenues where illegal contraband or drugs can enter our community is the responsibility of the Narcotics Interdiction Unit. Specializing in the use of cutting-edge technology to enhance police services, the Technical Services Unit provides investigative and operational support to the entire agency.
These units, in a combined effort, were able to stop the dissemination of approximately 3.2 million dollars worth of illegal drugs into the Tallahassee community. The drug seizures included $1,110,166 in powder cocaine, $1,979,439 in marijuana, $61,980 in crack cocaine, and $39,598 in designer drugs, steroids, and methamphetamine. In addition, the Unit seized $379,177 in assets, made 383 arrests, and served 123 search warrants. (Information is from FY 04-05)
The current trends in the Tallahassee are similar to most areas. Powder cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana are continually being encountered throughout the area. Designer Drugs such as XTC (methlenedioxymethamphetamine), GHB (Gama Hydroxy Butyrate), LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) and "roofies" (Rohypnol) are also being targeted in our college communities and local nightclub venues. A growing trend is the resurgence of methamphetamines manufactured in local clandestine laboratories.
Criminal Intelligence
The Tallahassee Police Department's Criminal Intelligence Unit Gathers, analyzes, disseminates, and maintains criminal intelligence information for the Tallahassee Police Department and other surrounding law enforcement agencies. One important task of the CIU is to establish and maintain open lines of communications between various sections within the Department to effectively combat crime.
The CIU can begin collecting intelligence information only when a criminal predicate has been established. Intelligence information includes, but is not limited to, activities involving the following crimes: Murder, Rape, Robbery, Auto-Theft, Burglary, Larceny, Arson, Narcotics Violations, Career Offenders or any violation of criminal law.
The intelligence information is entered into computers containing a state-of-the-art criminal intelligence tracking software program that provides the necessary links between all related records. The software also offers numerous ways to search for data after it is stored in memory.
The criminal intelligence Unit is also responsible for identification and tracking of criminal street gangs. The CIU works closely with the State Attorney's office and other agencies in the area to identify and prosecute criminal street gang members involved in illegal activity. The CIU has also taken an active role in educating other law enforcement officers and the community about criminal street gangs.
Crime Analysis Unit
The Crime Analysis Unit is responsible for reviewing police reports and all related documents for the purpose of providing timely and pertinent information to the agency's personnel. This information is relative to crime series, patterns, and historical data. The daily tasks of the unit are instrumental in planning and deployment of personnel for crime prevention efforts, deterrence of criminal activity and assistance with case clearance.
Many hours are expended to verify correct crime information relating to classification, general incident information and potential suspects. This information is prepared for dissemination on a daily basis in Daily Reports and weekly for the Statistics, Tactics and Crime Control (STACC) initiative.
As part of other assignments, the unit develops tactical bulletins that contain analytical summaries of identified patterns, series or trends along with corresponding maps and suspect/arrestee profile information. The unit has a significant role in the area of Sex Predator/Offender information notifications and database updates on the subjects who are a part of this program. The unit also responds a vast amount of law enforcement and non-law enforcement (internal and external) requests for assistance.
For the 2005 calendar year, the activity of the Crime Analysis Unit was responsible for 548 Law Enforcement Requests Completed (4425.75 hours expended), 403 Non-Law Enforcement Requests Completed (447 hours expended), 56 STACC packages completed (2006.5 hours expended), 24,139 Reports reviewed (4984 tracked), 1159 Phone Calls Received, and 937 Phone Calls Processed.
Hazardous Device Team
- Utilizes advanced Police technology and equipment
- Component of our departmental Homeland Security efforts
- Provides bomb-technician services to our entire region
- Teaches advanced security methods to first responders
The Tallahassee Police Department Hazardous Devices Team (Bomb Squad) is a full time 3-man unit. The TPD HDT became a Nationally Accredited Bomb Squad in October 1999. TPD was one of only 200 squads in the nation that were part of this inaugural accreditation process. In 2003 TPD HDT again gained a consecutive National Accreditation demonstrating its continued standard of excellence in this critical field of public safety. The TPD HDT has maintained FBI federally certified Hazardous Devices Technicians since 1991. TPD's Hazardous Devices Team is a member of the Big Bend Regional Bomb Squad and the North Florida Domestic Security Task Force. .
Since 1991, close to 1 million dollars has been spent on equipment to make our jobs safer. It is the goal of our team to make every situation non-life threatening, even to our bomb technicians. Technology allows us to do this 90% +/- of the time. We can incorporate various tools with our Hazardous Duty Robot that allow us to observe (3 Cameras), move (6 axis articulated arm), perform diagnostic tests, and perform a render safe procedure on a device.
The Hazardous Devices Team can safely transport a device in our WMD Gas-Tight Total Containment Vessel (TCV). The TCV provides protection from all fragmentation, toxic gases and blast over pressure from a device. The TCV is mounted on a hydraulic transporter, which is towed on a trailer behind our response vehicle. The hydraulic transporter allows bomb technicians to place the TCV as close as practical to the device so the risk to life and property, during movement, is kept as low as possible.
After the Oklahoma City bombing (1995), TPD recognized that Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) were a viable threat. Research was started and training was received in this area. WMD protective equipment was selected and purchased because it is the bomb technician's job to render safe any dispersal system.
The best part is that TPD saw the need BEFORE September 11th and all of this equipment has been utilized for several years now.
September 11th has increased TPD's area of responsibility and continues to take the lead in public safety for our community. The Hazardous Devices Team now responds to a 13 county area. Our coverage area is, roughly, from the Apalachicola River to the Suwannee River. TPD Hazardous Devices Team Members have provided WMD training throughout this area and were instrumental in the development of the Domestic Terrorism Taskforce's training curriculum for all Emergency First Responders in our region.
TPD has shown its commitment to this field by making the Hazardous Devices Team a full time position. WMD personnel protective equipment has been specified and all Sworn Officers and Forensic Specialist have been trained and outfitted with hazard appropriate equipment. Continuing commitment by the TPD towards this critical area of public safety is ongoing and upgrades to existing equipment with more specialized equipment is already being considered.
TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL SECURITY TASK FORCE AREA
Canine Unit
The K-9 Unit consists of six (6) individual K-9 teams (officer and K-9 partner). All of the teams are certified in the areas of Patrol Work and Tracking. Four of the teams are also certified in Narcotics Detection and two other K-9 teams that specialize in Explosive Detection.
Additionally, the TPD K-9 Unit assists in training 15 other K-9 Teams in North Florida and South Georgia.
Airport Security
Responsible for providing law enforcement service to the Tallahassee Regional Airport complex is the Airport Police. The unit consists of a Sergeant and 12 officers who provide constant coverage helping ensure safe and secure air travel to the public.
The main duties are the enforcement of local, state, federal laws, as well as the new Federal Transportation Security Administration rules and regulations. Because of new security procedures the time it takes to receive your boarding pass and get tot he boarding gate has increased significantly. The flying public is urged to arrive two hours before their scheduled departure time to insure they have plenty of time before their flight departs.
Many of the security procedures have changed so everyone should contact the airline they are flying to make sure what they can and cannot carry on board an aircraft.
Tactical Apprehension and Control (TAC) Team
The TAC Team, formed in 1980, is used in high risk operations to include Barricaded Subjects, Dignitary Protection, High Risk Arrest and Search Warrants, and Hostage Situations. The TAC Team averages about 3 deployments a month. TAC members volunteer for and then compete in a rigorous physical and mental evaluation process for placement on the Team, which is in addition to their regular duty assignment. TAC members are on-call on a 24 hour basis.
Currently the TAC Team consists of 38 members in 6 areas of responsibility. Fifteen members are on Entry and are the ones who are the "first through the door" and the "hands on" people. These members serve as Rescue Teams, Arrest teams, Search Teams, Assault Teams or whatever the situation calls for. The second component of TAC is the Sniper/Observer Team which now has 8 members. These members are remarkably skilled in marksmanship but more importantly play a vital role as "scouts' and intelligence gatherers for TAC. The third area of specialization is our Crisis Negotiators, comprised of 9 members who are specifically skilled and trained in the art of communication. CNT members constantly train and work to bring about peaceful resolutions to crisis situations. The fourth area of responsibility is our Logistics Team, which currently has 2 members. They are tasked with ensuring all specialty equipment and vehicles make it to the scene and are in working order. The fifth component is made up of the two members assigned to the Hazardous Devices Team.
Special Response Team (SRT)
The Special Response Team-Mobile Field Force is specifically responsible for deployment during incidents involving crowd management problems, various forms of protests, and any other events that may potentially involve civil disobedience. The part-time SRT team is comprised of 32 members including team commanders, a logistics officer, a team medic, team leaders, and members of the response team. The SRT team practices on a regular basis and utilizes state of the art equipment in accomplishing its' mission.