600-40 POLICE STOREFRONTS, COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAMS Flashcards
Patrol divisions shall use non-patrol methods, including police storefronts, community officers, and
Differential Response Teams, to conduct _____. The Narcotics Division’s _____ shall address specific illegal activities covered by Chapter 125 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code using code enforcement and judicial remedies.
1) community outreach, code enforcement, and nuisance abatement
2) Forfeiture Abatement Support Team (FAST Unit)
Combination.
For purposes of this General Order, three or more persons who collaborate in conducting criminal activities.
Common Nuisance.
A place a person knowingly maintains where people habitually go for any of the following purposes in direct violation of the Penal or Health and Safety codes:
a. Prostitution, promotion of prostitution, or aggravated promotion of prostitution.
b. Gambling, gambling promotion, or communicating gambling information.
c. Discharging a firearm in a public place or reckless discharge of a firearm.
d. Engaging in organized criminal activity as a member of a combination.
e. Delivering, possessing, manufacturing, or using a controlled substance.
f. Trafficking of persons.
g. Any other conduct or condition as described specifically in the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §125.001 or other law.
Differential Response Team (DRT).
A team of officers that uses problem-solving strategies and implements community policing concepts directly in the neighborhoods by working in partnership with residents and business managers.
DRT officers utilize non-traditional policing methodologies to improve the quality of life in the community. DRT officers work proactively to solve problems and reduce the fear of crime at the neighborhood level. This strategy identifies problems and seeks out the root causes of community crime issues. This process
then combines government and private resources in efforts to solve the problems.
Police Storefront.
A police facility located in the community and manned by civilian police service officers (PSOs) and classified officers who generate incident reports, process requests for action, make referrals to other agencies or City departments, and provide informational services to citizens.
Public Nuisance.
As defined in the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §125.062 and §125.063, a public nuisance is a combination or criminal street gang that continuously or regularly associates in gang activities; or the habitual use of a place by a combination or criminal street gang for engaging in gang activity.
POLICE STOREFRONTS
All police storefronts shall prioritize _____ in the community in which they are located. Division commanders are responsible for establishing and maintaining a _____ within each police storefront’s jurisdiction. All employees assigned to police storefronts shall follow the procedures contained within the department’s General Orders and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Any request for a new police storefront location shall be initiated by the division commander and may be approved by only the _____
1) serving and interacting with the citizens
2) Citizen Advisory Board
3) Chief of Police.
COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS
Community service officers are responsible for making _____, _____, _____, and other safety related programs. Each patrol division commander shall designate officers to perform those community service duties. Officers may be assigned to work out of storefronts or other divisional locations.
1) community presentations and conducting various crime prevention programs
2) Positive Interaction Programs (PIP)
3) school programs
DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAMS
The primary responsibility of DRT officers is to _____ in their assigned areas to _____, thereby reducing the need for police services. All DRT officers shall attend the departmental certification training and annual update training to maintain their departmental certification. Civilian personnel may attend DRT training at the request of their division commander.
1) proactively identify and address crime issues
2) increase the quality of life in the communities
DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAMS
DRT officers are responsible for inspecting _____ to ensure compliance with City ordinance. DRT officers are also responsible for conducting _____, in addition to _____. Case files shall be maintained on all investigations and shall include DRT warning forms and regulatory inspection check sheets. Digital photographic evidence shall be stored in the Digital Crime Scene system.
1) convenience stores
2) regulatory and permitting inspections
3) health and fire code investigations
DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAMS
The Chief of Police, or the Chief’s designee, shall appoint a citywide DRT coordinator who shall ensure uniformity of DRT operations among the patrol divisions. The coordinator shall supervise and schedule the _____ in coordination with the Police Academy. The DRT coordinator shall liaison with the municipal prosecutor’s office and other City departments in matters relating to DRT activities. The citywide DRT coordinator shall report _____ with recommendations for changes in operations or training.
1) DRT certification courses and annual update classes
2) annually to the Chief of Police
NUISANCE ABATEMENT
When an officer identifies or is notified of a potential nuisance and the officer believes the information meets the definition of a common nuisance or public nuisance, the officer shall _____. The officer shall also _____ of the potential nuisance and communicate as much information as possible (e.g., types of offenses taking place, how the officer became aware of the nuisance, any citizen contact information, and the name and contact number of the division’s ORT supervisor).
1) inform the concerned division’s DRT supervisor of the problem
2) notify the FAST Unit via email at FAST@HoustonPolice.org
NUISANCE ABATEMENT
Divisional DRT officers shall address nuisances, including common nuisances or public nuisances in their area of responsibility, and shall _____and _____over the location of the nuisance.
1) coordinate the investigation of such nuisances with the concerned division
(e. g., nuisances with a narcotics nexus with the Narcotics Division; nuisances with a human trafficking nexus with the Vice Division)
2) the Crime Suppression Team (CST)
NUISANCE ABATEMENT
The FAST Unit shall assist the DRT officers and the concerned divisions by coordinating with appropriate legal departments. When the FAST Unit receives information that a property is a possible nuisance, a FAST Unit supervisor shall determine whether to open a case file for possible legal action or refer it back to the originating or concerned division for further investigation. Upon completion of an investigation, the FAST Unit shall determine whether to forward a case file to the _____, _____, or the _____ for review and further abatement action. The notified legal department is responsible for obtaining a consent agreement or litigating in order to abate problems associated with the nuisance.
1) City of Houston Legal Department
2) Harris County District Attorney’s Office
3) Office of the Harris County Attorney
NUISANCE ABATEMENT
If the originating officer receives an update related to final disposition of the case, the officer shall notify the FAST Unit through the chain of command of the outcome. When notified of the outcome by the originating officer or notified legal department, the FAST Unit shall notify the _____ over the location of the nuisance and the concerned division through the chain of command of the outcome.
division commanders
