TALLAHASSEE POLICE
DEPARTMENT
INTERNAL AFFAIRS UNIT
2009

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS REPORT

Chief of Police
Dennis M. Jones
Internal Affairs Commander
Edward E. Smith

Internal Affairs Investigators
Joanna Baldwin
George Creamer, Jr
Vetrus Quintana

Administrative Aide
Barbara Hampton

COT-Denson 004048

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Internal Affairs Unit - Introduction

3

Formal Complaints & Administrative Investigations

4

Historical Comparison and Classifications
Dispositions and Biographical Data
Special Investigations
Data Analysis and Summary
Contact Reports - Informal Complaints
Historical Comparison
Complaint Classification
Data Analysis and Summary

4
5
6
7-8

9
9
9
10-11

Biased-Based Profiling Complaints

10-11

Online Satisfaction Surveys
(Data from Accreditation and Inspection Unit)

12

Police Vehicle Operations
(Data from Training Section)

13
13-14

Driver Training
Crashes Involving Police Vehicles
Vehicle Pursuits
Overview and Summary

14-15
15-16
16-17

.Use of Force Incidents
(Data from Training Section)

18

Statistical Data of Types of Force Used
Five Year Historical Comparison
Overview and Summary

18
19
20-21

.

2

COT-Denson 004049

INTERNAL AFFAIRS UNIT
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

The mission of the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) is to protect and uphold the public trust
in the Tallahassee Police Department and its members. The IAU is dedicated to
providing citizens with a fair and effective avenue to address legitimate complaints
against department members, and to protect Department members from false
allegations of misconduct.
The IAU is comprised of three investigators, an
administrative assistant, and a lieutenant. The lieutenant reports directly to the chief of
police.
Complaints on member conduct may be made in person, by letter, electronic mail, or
telephone to the IAU or to any Department supervisor. Additionally, complaints may be
made directly to the IAU via the Internet at Talgov.com. Each complaint received by the
IAU receives an initial assessment and is then classified as either an Internal
Investigation or a Contact Report.
Contact Reports are informal inquiries utilized for allegations of minor misconduct, and
are typically addressed with the member by his or her chain of command, although
some are resolved by the IAU. In either case, IAU maintains managerial control of all
Contact Reports. Internal Investigations are formal investigations of alleged member
misconduct of a more serious nature, and are conducted or managed by the IAU.
The IAU also conducts .in-depth policy compliance reviews, called Special
Investigations. These investigations typically involve duty-specific incidents such as
officer-involved firearm discharges, in-custody deaths, and utilizations of the Tactical
Apprehension and Control Team.
In addition to complaint resolution management and special investigations, the IAU is
responsible for the following tasks in the Department's effort to maintain the highest
professional standards in service to the community: 1) Policy compliance reviews of
member-involved use of force incidents, vehicle pursuits, and secondary employment
activities, and 2) Monitoring member work-related information - such as citizen
complaints, use of force and traffic crash incidents, and policy violations - for
indications of work-related stress and job performance problems. This information is
used to make informed recommendations to the chief of police for mandatory member
participation in the Department's Early Intervention Program.
IAU members remain committed to receiving, reviewing, and impartially resolving all
complaints against Department members, whether the complainant is a citizen 'or
another Department member. During 2009, the IAU undertook the preliminary steps
to becoming more transparent to Department members through an interactive software .'
program on the Department's intranet. The interface will allow members quick access
to closed cases, provide detailed information on what the Department's expectations are
when a member is complained upon, and allow members to make inquiries about
internal affairs related topics.

3

COT-Denson 004050

INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS
HISTORICAL COMPARATIVE DATA

Internal Investigations Conducted
2008

37

37

36
35
34
33
IIiIB Internal Investigations I

32
31

30
29
28
2007

2008

2009

Classification of Internal Investigations

Improper Procedure/Excessive Force
Improper Procedure (all other)
Improper Conduct/Neglect of Duty
Improper Conduct (all other)

2007

2008

2009

4

6

3

9

7

17

2

2

2

17

22

9

.'

4

COT-Denson 004051

2009

INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS
Case Dispositions

.Excessive
Force

Neglect
Of Duty

Improper
Conduct

Improper
Procedure

Total

Withdrawn

-

-

2

4

6

Unfounded

-

-

1

-

1

Exonerated

3

-

-

-

3

Not Sustained

-

-

3

3

6

Sustained

-

2

3

10

15

Total

3

2

9

17

31

Disposition

Race and Gender Data
Member
Demographics
Complainant
Demographics

Black
Female

Black
Male

2

2

Black Male

3

Hispanic Female

1

Black Female

Hispanic
Female

Hispanic
Male

White
Female

White
Male

Total

1

4

9

1

1

5
1

Hispanic Male
White Female
White Male
Internally Initiated

2

5

4

6

12

29

Total

4

11

6

6

17

44

."

5

COT-Denson 004052

SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS
ANNUAL COMPARISON

2009
Case #

Date

Subject and Disposition

09-01

02/05/ 2 009

Vicious animal shooting - Policy compliance

09-02

02/14/ 2 009

Vicious animal shooting - Policy compliance

09-03

04/09/2009

Missing property - II opened

09-04

06/22/2009

Citizen informant file audit- Policy compliance

09-05

06/19/ 200 9

TAC call out - Policy compliance

09-06

07/10/2009

Vicious animal shooting - Policy compliance

09-07

07/19/2009

TAC callout - Policy compliance

09-0g

11/18/2009

Missing property - Policy compliance

09-09

12/3 1/ 2009

TAC callout - Policy compliance

Case #

Date

Subject and Disposition

08-01

05/ 12/ 2 008

Death of confidential informant - II opened

Case #

Date

Subject and Disposition

07-04

02/07/ 200 7

In-custody death - Policy compliance

07-07

02/28/2007

Vicious animal shooting - Policy compliance

07-21

05/08/2007

Firearm discharge/No injury - Policy compliance

07-39

12/03/2007

Firearm discharge/Injury - Policy compliance

2008

2007

0'

6

COT-Denson 004053

INTERNAL INVESTIGATION & SPECIAL INVESTIGATION
DATA ANALYSIS
The IAU conducted 31 Internal Investigations (IIs) in 2009. Thirty-one represents a
16% decrease in IIs when compared to the 37 in 2008. This decrease cannot be
attributed to any particular causation factor, but what is certain is the average number
of IIs has remained consistent throughout this decade. From 2000 - 2004, the mean
number of IIs was 30, and the average was 31 from 2005 - 2009.
Analysis of the allegation classifications for the IIs conducted in 2009 reveal 10% were
for excessive force, 55% were for various other procedural issues, 6% were for neglect of
duty, and 29% were for various other conduct issues. While the excessive use of force
and neglect of duty complaints remained relatively steady over the past three years,
there is a measurable deviation from the norm concerning complaints on procedural
matters versus conduct issues. For every year from 2000 through 2008, improper
conduct complaints have outnumbered complaints of improper procedure; in some
years almost two to one. That is not the case in 2009, in which there was ahnost double
the amount of procedural complaints compared to conduct complaints (17 versus 9).
Although the reason for this shift in complaint classifications may appear to be due to
complainant or member behavior, it has little to do with either. The shift is the direct
result of a 2009 refocus by the IAU in being more precise in terming allegations,
including the restrictive use of the over used classification of "Unbecoming Conduct." In .
2008, 38% of all IIs were classified as "Unbecoming Conduct." In 2009, that figure
dropped to 10%. With the sole exception of the 2008 II concerning the death of a
confidential informant, the circumstances of the 2008 and 2009 IIs were not
significantly dissimilar. Yet, the strict adherence to policy language in terming
allegations in 2009 resulted in the significant change of procedural and conduct
complaint classifications.
Because some IIs involved multiple Department members, the 31 investigations
involved allegations against 44 members. Of the 44 member complaints, 66% (29) were
internally initiated, typically by command staff members, on allegations of misconduct
brought to their attention. The high percentage of internally initiated investigations another consistent mark throughout this decade - reflect the fact the Tallahassee Police
Department is committed to maintaining high professional standards, and is willing and
able to police itself to insure member accountability.
The IAU sustained allegations of misconduct in 15 of the 31 IIs; equaling 48% of the
total investigations conducted. In the remaining 16 IIs, the allegations were either
withdrawn (6), not sustained (6), or unfounded (1), or the Department member was
exonerated (3). This data reflects another deviation from the norm of the last ten years
in conducting IIs. For most years' in this past decade, the IAU has sustained about 33%
of all allegations in IIs. However, in 2006 and again in 2009, almost 50% of all IIs
resulted in sustained findings.

7

COT-Denson 004054

Of the 44 Department members who were the subject of internal investigations, seven
were civilian members, and 37 were sworn officers. The vast majority (41) of the
members were line personnel, while three were supervisors (one sergeant and two
civilians). Concerning the subject member's work assignment, 82% were assigned to the
Districts (uniformed patrol), 7% to Criminal Investigations, and 11% were civilians from
either the Communications Section or the Property and Evidence Section.
The race/gender classifications of the 44 Department members who were the subject of
a formal complaint in 2009 are as follows: 39% - white males, 25% - black males, 14% white females, 14% - Hispanic males, and 9% - black female. There were no IIs against
Department members of other race/gender classifications. The Department's 2009
workforce race/gender percentages in these same classifications are 57% white male,
17% white female, 11% black female, 10% black male, and 3% Hispanic male.
The percentage of complaints against white male and black female Department
members is less than their representation in the workforce, and the percentage of
complaints against black male, white females and Hispanic males is more than their
representation in the workforce. While worth mentioning, the comparative differences
are statistically insignificant.
Additionally, there is no discernable difference in the types of complaints received
against members of different race/gender categories.
To dissect the data even further, 2009'S 16% decrease in formal complaints is also
reflected in decreased complaints against specific race/gender member categories as
follows: white females - down from 13 in 2008 to six in 2009, and white males - down
from 26 in 2008 to 17 in 2009. There have been very few formal complaints against
Hispanic males and black females since 2000, and there were none in 2008. That
changed in 2009. As shown above, there were four formal complaints against black
female Department members in 2009, and six such complaints against Hispanic males.
Although statistically speaking such an increase is significant, the reality is these
complaint numbers - when compared to all complaints and the groups' race/gender
representation in the Department - are not of great concern, and do not presently
reflect the need for counseling or remedial training specific to race/gender issues.
In 2009, Tallahassee Police Department sworn members were involved in 211,708 nontraffic stop incidents and calls for service, worked 9,650 secondary employment events,
and conducted 35,912 traffic stops (t = 254,570). In addition, Department members of
all ranks and assignments had countless contacts with citizens on a daily basis (e.g.,
telephone calls, follow-up investigations, community meeting, and special events). Of
these hundreds of thousands of contacts in 2009, only 31 resulted in Internal
Investigations.

.

There were nine Special Investigations (SI) in 2009. This is a significant increase from .'
2008, when there was only one. All SIs, except one, concluded members complied with
Department policy in their actions. The one exception was a case involving the Property
and Evidence Section. The conclusion of that SI was to open an internal investigation
into the circumstances surrounding an allegation of missing property.

8

COT-Denson 004055

CITIZEN CONTACT REPORTS
Citizen Contact Reports Received Annually
2007

2009

295

16 3

300
250
200
111I Contact Reports I

150
100
50
0
2007

2008

2009

Contact Report Classifications
CLASSIFICATION
"

PERCENT OF TOTAL

',""
Improper Conduct - Rudeness
,

~
21%

Improper Conduct - Various

17%

Improper Procedure - Various

47%

Documentation Only

15%

.

9

COT-Denson 004056

CITIZEN CONTACT REPORTS
DATA ANALYSIS
The Tallahassee Police Department processed 163 Contact Reports (CRs) in 2009. This
is 79 less than 2008, and 132 less than 2007. Those numbers reflect a 33% decrease in
CRs when compared to 2008, and a 4S% decrease when compared to 2007. Since the
CR process has only been in existence since 2006, a long-term review of CRs is not
possible at this time. There is insufficient data to derive an informed supposition about
the three-year decline in CRs.
It is worthy to note CRs are initiated from both line level supervisors and the IAU. If the
CR is initiated in the IAU, the information is forwarded to the appropriate chain of
command for resolution, and conversely, if the CR is initiated at the line level, it is
resolved there unless circumstances dictate the incident be addressed more formally.
Regardless of the method of receipt, all CRs are processed (and records maintained) in
the IAU.

Although there are a wide variety of allegations included in CRs, IAU collates the data
into four categories: 1) Improper Conduct/Rudeness, 2) Improper Conduct/Various, 3)
Improper ProcedurefVarious, and 4) Documentation Only. Additionally, bias-based
profiling complaints are tracked as a sub-category of Improper Conduct/Various.
In 2008, rudeness and various improper procedure allegations each accounted for 30%
of all CRs. In 2009, rudeness allegations dropped to 21% of total CRs, while improper
procedure complaints jumped to 47% of the total.
The nine percent drop in rudeness complaints is a positive sign, but with l/S of CRs still
involving real or perceived rudeness by Department members, supervisors must remain
vigilant in their leadership and mentoring role with their work unit.
The 17% increase in procedural-based CRs mirrors a similar rise in Improper Procedure
lIs for 2009, and this increase is likely the result of the IAU's efforts in being more
precise in terming allegations, as mentioned on page 7.
For reporting purposes, Improper Procedure - Various includes complaints such as
improper search, traffic offenses, improper investigations, unlawful detention and
arrest, and failure to write a report.
Seventeen percent of the" CRs were classified as Improper Conduct - Various.
Allegations in this category include complaints of laziness, taking official action in a
personal matter, lying, and bias-based policing.
In 2009, there were nine bias-based policing complaints against Department members,
which accounts for 6% of the CRs received (eight such complaintS were received in
2008). All of the bias-based policing complaints involved the citizen being stopped as
either a pedestrian or a motor vehicle operator. The bias allegations made by the
citizens were not solely based upon race. In one incident, the allegation was genderbased, while in another the citizen alleged a bias due to his mental illness. Four of the

10

COT-Denson 004057

nine (44%) of the complainants were white persons complaining black officers were
biased against them because of their race. The remaining three bias-based complaints
were black citizens complaining the white or Hispanic officer with whom they had
contact stopped them based solely upon the color of their skin.
Based upon the evidence reviewed (in-car video, offense reports, citations) in each of
these CRs, the Department member's actions were clearly based upon the actions of the
person (traffic violation, crime committed) and not their association with, or sharing a
common trait of, any particular group. No formal investigations were initiated in 2009
for a bias-based policing complaint.
Another 15% of the CRs in 2009 are classified as "documentation only." These CRs
record non-complaints by citizens who are dissatisfied with a police action, but there
was no specific complaint of a policy violation by a Department member. Examples of
this type ofCR include: search warrant service, being cited for a traffic violation, and
being issued a trespass warning.
The CR process continues to provide citizens an informal, yet structured, process to
promptly address their grievances against Department members. Involving the
member's supervisor and commander in the resolution of these minor complaints is
beneficial to improving member behavior, quickly recognizing frivolous complaints, and
instilling citizen trust and confidence in the Tallahassee Police Department.

0'

11

COT-Denson 004058

Online Satisfaction Surveys
Accreditation and Inspections Unit
The Accreditation and Inspection Unit conducted a tabulation of Internet-based
customer satisfaction surveys, encompassing automated responses from our website,
received between January 1'7'!' and December 18th of 2009.
11m Excellent _OK DUnacceptable

As reported:

•

Did you receive prompt service?
Nine (9) citizens responded with a rating of Excellent.
One (1) citizen responded with a rating of OK.
Five (5) citizens responded with a rating of Unacceptable.

•

Were responding officers courteous?
Nine (9) citizens responded with a rating of Excellent.
Zero (0) citizens responded with a rating of OK.
Six (6) citizens responded with a rating of Unacceptable.

•

How useful was the information provided to you?
. Eight (8) citizens responded with a rating of Excellent.
One (1) citizen responded with a rating of OK.
Six (6) citizens responded with a rating of Unacceptable.

•

Were you satisfied with the overall level of service received?
Nine (9) citizens responded with a rating of Excellent.
Zero (0) citizens responded with a rating of OK.
Six (6) citizens responded with a rating of Unacceptable.

•

In the comments section, the survey indicated the following:
Six (6) were positive comments.
Four (4) were negative comments.
Five (5) did not provide a comment. .

12

COT-Denson 004059

53%

I

Driver Training, Traffic Crashes and Vehicle Pursuits -

2009

Officer Michael Walker
Emergency Vehicle Operations and Control Coordinator
DRIVER TRAINING
In-Service Training

In 2009 a total of 353 officers participated in five hours of driver training during our
annual in-service training program. The 18 sessions consisted of analyzing national and
departmental crash trends and an in-depth lecture and discussion of General Orders 22
(Emergency Response Driving) and 27 (Vehicle Pursuits). The driving sessions
consisted of re-training members in Stinger Spikes deployment, safety concerns, as well
as a new swerve, cornering and backing drill. There were no injuries or vehicle damage
reported during 2009 in-service training.
In-House Training

This 4o-hour training for police recruits covered basic driving skills from the academy
as well as an advanced braking and backing drill developed by the driving staff.
Additional training included vehicle operations, pursuit policy, vehicle maintenance,
basic and pursuit driving, along with forcible vehicle stop techniques. Officers were
trained in the Precision Intervention Technique (PIT), implementing roadblocks,
channeling and Stinger Spike deployment. Additionally, more scenario-based vehicle
pursuit training was implemented for more real life application. A comprehensive
written test on emergency vehicle operation and vehicle pursuit polices was
administered to each student. The Training Section conducted one in-house training
session in 2009 with 17 students in attendance.
Other Driver-Related Training

In addition to the normal in-service and in-house training sessions, the Training Section
conducted four SUV Familiarization sessions for Department members assigned sport
utility vehicles.
No remedial driving sessions were needed or conducted this year.
EVOC Equipment

There are 20 vehicles assigned to the Training Section at the Pat Thomas Law
Enforcement Academy for use in the Department's EVOC training (track car) program.

.
'

The City's Fleet Division continues to comment about how the track car prdgram has
saved the Department and City countless dollars. By using these vehicles during
training we are not putting additional wear on our member's assigned vehicle.
Furthermore, the training cars are meticulously maintained and any vehicle issues are

13

COT-Denson 004060

.'

diagnosed before they deteriorate, which saves the City money in the short and long
term.
We are equipped with spare tires, battery chargers and all fluids for the vehicles so
ongoing maintenance can be conducted. Fleet has also arranged for fuel to be delivered
to the academy thus eliminating the need for us to shuttle the vehicles to City fueling
sites, saving us valuable time and money.
TRAFFIC CRASHES
10 Years

of Police-Involved Crashes

NP= Non-Preventable Crash
P= Preventable Crash

Year

00

01

NP
P

55
34

42

53

28

29

45

49

98

77

75

78

02

Total
2009

03

05

06

07

08

09

37

40

38

38

28
38
66

42
40
82

40
28
68

31
30
61

04

Preventable Traffic Crash Details

A. Most prevalent vehicle movement at time of crash:
1.

33% - Backing into an object

2. 13% - Hitting another vehicle in the rear end
B. Half of the crashes were single vehicle involved
C. 43% of the crashes occurred in a parking lot
D. Two crashes occurred during an officer's emergency response to a call for service
E. One crash occurred during a vehicle pursuit
F.. There were no reported injuries in any of the 30 preventable crashes
G. 36% of the crashes occurred between ?pm and 7am
H. 97% of the drivers were sworn members (only one civilian driver involved)

.'
2009

•

Traffic Crash Monetary Damages
Total damage: $28,395.00 (average of $946.50 per traffic crash)

14

COT-Denson 004061

15

COT-Denson 004062

Vehicle Pursuit Termination Classifications
Spikes Deployed - Arrest
Crash/Foot Pursuit - Arrest
Crash/No Foot Pursuit - Arrest
Lost Sight of Suspect Vehicle - No Arrest
Sergeant Ordered - No Arrest

1
1
6
2
2

Vehicle Pursuit by District and Shift:
District
Alpha = 1
Bravo = 1
Charlie = 10

Shift
Days = 3
Afternoons = 5
Midnights = 4

Monetary Damage Due to Vehicle Pursuit Related Traffic Crashes:
Suspect Vehicle Damage:
Police Vehicle Damage:
Other Vehicle Damage:
Total Damage:

$18,600
$ 5,300
$ 4,9 2 0
$28,820

Other Vehicle Pursuit Notes:
•

None of the crashes resulted in injuries to any person.

•

There were two PIT maneuvers attempted in 2009; both were unsuccessful.

TRAINING OVERVIEW
Training Sessions
This year we set a record with 353 members trained during 18 EVOC sessions for inc
service training. Realizing that more officers' lives are lost each year in traffic-related
incidents than gunfire drives the point home of the need for ongoing EVOC training.
Our 2009 training consisted of a backing/cornering drill as well as the proper
deployment of Stinger Spikes for the 5-hour training block. Backing is always included
since backing crashes are consistently the #1 cause of preventable crashes for
Department members operating City vehicles.

16

COT-Denson 004063

Traffic Crashes

This year backing continued to be the #1 vehicle movement resulting in a preventable
crash (10 out of 30). This phenomenon is commonly overrepresented in the law
enforcement driving community as a whole, not just our Department. Several factors
contribute to this, including the diminished rear visibility due to the transport cage
mounted behind the front seats. We will always include a backing or close quarters
driving skills drill during in-service training sessions in an effort to combat this issue.
Vehicle Pursuits

In 2009 members initiated 12 vehicle pursuits. Each pursuit was documented, and
subjected to a supervisory, Internal Affairs Unit, and Training Section review. Each
pursuit was conducted within applicable department policy. The review of the 2009
pursuit data revealed 58% of the incidents resulted in the suspect's arrest at the
termination point, 100% of the pursuits were injury-free, and of the nearly $29,000 of
vehicle damage caused in these pursuit incidents, well over half of the damage was to
the suspect's vehicle in single vehicle crashes.

17

COT-Denson 004064

Use of Force Incidents - 2009
Officer Clay Fallis
Defensive Tactics Coordinator

USE OF FORCE - 2009

Total Reports
Firearms

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

71
88

64
35

70
41

88
79

85
88

74
47

64
83

64
45

66
45

84
55

53
43

67
56

________ -----Discharged
2-ciJJ,- --0
0

_~~p!a~~~

Physical Control
Oleoresin
Capsicum Gas
(OC)

------ ------ -- --

50

61

0
38

0

0

3

2

1

1

1

0

4

3

0

0

0
4

0
2

I
0
-----------

33

1#
44

0
42

Totals

850
705

- - - -- -- -- ----- -- -- --------Z@:$- -----1# 0
0
0
0
6
37

48

61

64

26

20

524

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

1

1

0

2

1

0

2

16

I

0

0

0

0

0

0

0
5

0
2

0
0

2
4

0
0

1
0

.

-~~p!~~~-------" ---- - ----- --- -- -_._--- ------ - _._- ----._.- -----Applied

- - --- - _._- ----- --- - --------

Impact Weapons

-~~p!~~~-------- 0
Applied
0
Canine
1
-~~p!~~~-------- ----AppliedlBite
0
TASER
37
_~~pl~~~ ________
--- -Applied
SagelBean bag

J?~p!~~~

________

Applied
EVNR
Possible
Comnlaints
Hobble
Pepper Ball

"

11

0

1
1
3
1
--- -- -- - -- ------ -----0
0
0
0
27
19
41
40
--- -- - - - -- ------ -----17
16
15
17
0
0
0
0

- ---- -

0
0
1

1
0

.

0
0
-- -- ------ -----0
0
0
43
19
27

0

0

0
0
0

5
0

1
1

1
1

0

-~~p!~~~-------- -- --- - - - -Applied
0
0
Unjustified Force 0
0
Miscellaneous
1*
1*

0
0

0
0

1
0

0

0

5
1

4
0

--- -- ------ ------ -- -0
0
2&

Key:

0
0

0

1*

0

0

0
0
3&

0
0
1

0

2
0
_._-_._0
0

2
1
-----0
0

1&

0

# "" Firearm discharged at injured deer

@ "" Firearm discharged at aggressive dog

5
22

-- --- ---- ----- --- - --------

0
2
28 364
_._-_._-- ------- --- -- ---- ----- -- -- -------16
16
32
11
11
186
9
15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

-- -- --- -- ------ ------ - - -- ---_._.- ------

0

2

-------~

* "" Accidental discharge of TASER

0
0

2
23

--_._-

0
38

--- -

0
0
0

0

4
0

1
0

0
0

0
22

-

- - -- _.- -- -------'-

0

0
0
0

1
0
2

2
0

1
1

29
5

0
0

--- -- - --- -- --- ---- -------0
0
1*

0
0
1*

0
0

0
0

1*

2*

$ :0:: Firearm discharged at injured fox
&:0:: Flashlight used as a weapon of necessity

18
COT-Denson 004065

0
0
14

USE OF FORCE - FIVE YEAR COMPARISON

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Number of- 1+
Ch~pa;'ing
2008 to 2009

,

1046

705

-341

8

2

,9

6

-3

99

253

448

586

557

-29

407

624

525

461

524

+63

65

54

40

15

14

-1

24

40

24

18

24

+6

53

54

66

24

22

-2

6

7

7

4

1

-3

61

77

94

62

41

-21

15

8

4

2

-2

2,342

2,422

2,229

1,896

-333

942

1210

Firearms
iliscilarged
,
"
,

5

;

'T'

"

"

;,~

,,

",

,;", '< :.':".:
,

1208

Firearms
Displayed

-"~"

'
'

,

,

". _,0, '

',"

,'Ol~oresin
Capsicum Gas
(OC)

.

,

SagelBean Bag
,

Other (Includes
:peppet:,~all'lIobbl~,

EV~ ~'n4Weapon
ofNecessitvl

None (Po;sible

14

.'

Comnlaints)

Total Incidents

1,676

19

COT-Denson 004066

USE OF FORCE - SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS

Department officers interacted with citizens in just over a quarter of a million (254,570) incidents in
2009. These incidents include calls for service, traffic stops, and secondary employment details.
Officers used force in only 850 of these incidents. These uses of force were employed to affect an
arrest, protect themselves, or protect other officers and citizens. These 850 use of force incidents
show officers used force less than 0.33% of the time during interactions with citizens.
The Training Section gathered data from all 850 Use of Force Reports written during 2009. The data
was not only analyzed from the checked boxes of the reports, but also from the narrative sections.
The review of the narrative section provides a clearer picture of the type of resistance officers are
encountering, and the types of force officers are using to combat the threat.
There were 1,878 applications of force during the 850 incidents. There are two reasons for the
numerical difference: 1) a single officer using multiple force options in an incident, and 2) multiple
officers using force in an incident. The intent of this review was to discover how many times officers
used different force options currently available.
Of the 1,878 use offorce applications:
1. 705 were officers giving verbal commands with a firearm displayed (38% of force applications).
2. Hands and feet (physical control) were used 524 times (28% offorce applications).
3. OC (pepper spray) was used 22 times (less than 1% offorce applications).
4. Pepper ball was utilized (displayed only) five times (less than 1% offorce applications).
5. Impact weapons were used 14 times (less than 1% offorce applications).
6. Canine, as a use of force option, was used 24 times in 2009 (just over 1% of force applications). Of
the 24 canine applications, only two were physical apprehensions. In the remainder of the
applications, the canine was only displayed.
7. The M/X26 TASER was utilized 550 times or 29% of the total force applications. Of the
applications, the Taser was displayed 364 times (66%) and applied 186 times. Of the 186 Taser
applications, 128 were in the firing mode and 58 discharged in the "touch stun" mode.
Additionally, eight accidental/unintentional discharges were reported.
8. Officers discharged their firearms (deadly force application) six times in 2009, and all of these
applications involved either a seriously injured or vicious animal.
The Department discontinued use of the SAGE in 2009, and th~re were no "tPplications during the
year. The Department is transitioning to the Bean Bag shotgun system as the SAGE replacement
weapon, and there was one Bean Bag shotgun application in 2009. The Bean Bag system has a
greater linear range than the SAGE, and should prove itself a valuable addition to the less lethal
arsenal.

20
COT-Denson 004067

In further analysis of the data, during the 1,878 use of force applications, officers utilized verbal
commands accompanied by only the display of a firearm or a weapon 1104 times (59%), compared to
774 (4 1 %) use of force applications where the officer used actual physical force and/or use of a
weapon or firearm against a suspect.
All 2009 use of force applications were reviewed and classified as justified. This fact is something in
which the Police Department, the City of Tallahassee, and the citizens of Tallahassee should be very
proud. The Training Section will continue to steadfastly train Department officers in the proper uSe
of force. Additionally, scenario-based training will continue to occur in future In-Service Training
seSSlOns.
It is noteworthy that in 36% (303) of the use of force reports reviewed, the officers reported using less

force than authorized by Department policy. This, along with the continual drop in the injury rate to
both suspects and officers, shows officers continue to use restraint in their use of force encounters.
Twenty-three (23) officers were injured in 2009 during use of force applications, as were 79 suspects.
All injuries were reported as minor. This injury rate, 4% of total use of force applications, is
significantly low when considering the violence manifested in some of the use of force encounters.
TASER probe impact accounted for a majority of the reported injuries.
.
Overall use of force applications dropped 17% compared to 2008. That fact, coupled with the low
injury rate, and 100% policy compliance, reflect an ongoing trend of Department officers in use of
force incidents - proper training, weapon proficiency, honed verbal skills, and abundant restraint.
The available weapons systems, both less-than-Iethal and less lethal, are proving themselves well
chosen. Our annual in-service training continues to provide officers with the operational knowledge
and technical proficiency of these weapons systems to successfully operate in use of force encounters
with resistive suspects.

0'

21

COT-Denson 004068

PROFESSIONAL TRAFFIC STOPS - 2009 ANNUAL REpORT

Introduction

The Tallahassee Police Department implemented its Professional Traffic Stop
policy to provide officers with guidelines for conducting traffic stops and to
ensure appropriate operational controls were in place. As a result ofthe required
procedures the department is able to compile relevant data that can be used to
determine ifbias - race and gender - exists in the way officers conduct traffic
stops. This report is based on data collected during 2009 and provides summary
analyses that will help the department more fully understand how traffic stops
impact the Tallahassee community.
Data Methodology

Previous professional traffic stop program annual reports used the department's
patrol districts to geographically divide the data. Patrol districts have now been
reduced to two operational sectors. Because of this change, this report uses eight
patrol zones forthe geographic division of data. Race/gender delineation uses
the following categories as used by the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning
Department:

• Asian Female
• Asian Male

• Black Female
• Black Male
• Hispanic Female
• Hispanic Male

• Other Female
• Other Male

• White Female
• White Male

The data captured as part of the Professional Traffic Stop program includes three
types of search results:
•

Consent Search - With or without other authority the officer asked and
received consent to search the area within the control of the driver.

•

No Search - The officer either did not request permission to conduct a
consent search or did make the request, but the driver refused.

•

Other Search - The officer conducted a search based on legal authority to
do so, e.g., search incident td arrest, possession of search warrant, etc.

COT-Denson 004069

Statistical Review

The following maps show boundaries for census tracts and the Police
Department's patrol zones within the city limits of Tallahassee:

By race and ethnicity, Leon

County's total estimated
population of 274,803
includes 60.7% nonHispanic white, 31.4% nonHispanic black, 5.0% of
Hispanic origin and 2.9% of
Population Growth by Census Tract 2000 - 2008
"other" races and
-_.._. _... _ .•~
ethnicities. By gender, the
population of those residents in the primary driving age of 18-79 includes 36.7%
males and 40.6% females. (Source: University ofFlorida, Bureau ofEconomic and Susiness Research,
"Florida Population Studies, Bulletin 157", June 2010)
Sector and Beat Boundaries

Total citywide traffic stops with
validated race/gender recorded:
• 20 0 7 - 3 0 ,438
• 2008 - 31,975
• 2009 - 33,102

.'

.'

Sao",,, AfcGIS ""dTPO OoUt. P,.P"'d 10/1f,lOlU,byP.lrickP"":'W,IQov.""",
Upd8lOd 7ilaCJ10

COT-Denson 004070

The summary data provided below is broken out by total traffic stops for each
patrol zone. Zones 7 and 8 are historically higher than other zones because of the
disproportionate number of college students living in those zones.
Traffic Stops per Patrol Zone
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000

o
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7 Zone 8

The following charts display a three-year comparison of the total number of
traffic stops by gender type and race where the result of the stop was a "no
search":
2007-2009 Total Male/Female "No Search"

15000
II Female No Search

10000

• Male No Search

5000

o

2007

2008

2009

2007-2009 Total "No Search" Traffic Stops by Race

I!iIAsian
• Slack

o Hispanic
DOlher
• While

2007

2008

2009

COT-Denson 004071

Total Citywide Traffic Stops 2007-2009

fi'0'4i;tfiJBII
iEiWii;;ii, iSf2~
!i"";iii
! /fi'S?
nllX
l/i/,/y§:';PR!i.iEiiYV!l:!iYiW0
ii/
iii
DiE!2cz\2N
Asian Female
Consent
0
1
°
No Search
118
131
137
1
Other
3
°
Asian Male
Consent
1
°
°
No Search
176
167
164
Other
6
2
4
Black Female
Consent
14
17
38
No Search 5621 6076 6605
Other
62
85
90
Black Male
Consent
80
75
183
No Search 754 2 7Q46 9780
Other
404
476
339
Hispanic Female
Consent
1
1
2
No Search
222
224
305
2
Other
1
5
Hispanic Male
Consent
1
13
7
No Search
472
456
517
18
Other
22
19
Other Female
Consent
1
1
1
No Search
86
88
85
Other
1
°
°
Other Male
Consent
1
2
°
No Search
218
207
231
Other
4
3
5
White Female
Consent
15
14
33
No Search 6707 70 23 593 2
Other
31
35
34
White Male
Consent
56
76
3°
No Search 8572 88 19 8263
Other
11'.l
122
CJ7
iii.0j
iT
.·'i.·.·'.·lCUud!!2i;!;,Ji2i!!

COT-Denson 004072

Conclusion
Based on the three years of data included in this report it appears the Tallahassee
Police Department is conducting traffic stops in an equitable manner. This
conclusion is drawn from the lack of any significant increase in the overall
number of traffic stops by race and/or sex. The one area with a notable increase
in traffic stops involves black male drivers. Between 2007 and 2009 the number
of traffic stops involving black males increased from 7,961 to 10,439. This
increase results from a recently instituted operational emphasis in increasing the
use of traffic enforcement in known high-crime areas. Within many of these
areas the demographics reflect a high percentage of black residents.

Evidence that the department's Professional Traffic Stop program is successful is
reflected in the consistently low number of complaints received by the
department's Internal Affairs Unit regarding racial profiling. Over the last three
years there have been 21 traffic related bias-based profiling complaints handled
by the Internal Affairs Unit:
•
•
•

200 7- 5
2008 - 8
2009 - 8

All of the complaints were investigated; however, none ofthe allegations were
sustained.

.
'

COT-Denson 004073