Criminal Investigations

If probable cause exists, make a warrantless arrest for battery.

Even when the battery is not committed in your presence, you have the authority to arrest a suspect for a battery.

Inspect the room of the missing person with the caregiver to learn if personal items are missing.

Hairbrushes, drinking glasses, toys, and other items are valuable sources of fingerprints, DNA, and scent. Be aware of the location of diaries, computers, cell phones, game systems, and other electronic devices. They may contain evidence and useful information for further investigation.

Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control their victims.

Human trafficking crimes can involve multiple violations of various other state and federal laws and regulations.

While on patrol, you may be required to process lost, stolen, or found property.

A victim of a burglary could find his or her stolen property at a pawnshop, a person might call about a lost cell phone, or someone may turn in prescription drugs or a valuable object to law enforcement. General guidelines for responding to these types of incidents are below; however, follow your agency policies and procedures.

The DCF investigator will conduct a social services investigation.

A social services investigation is separate from a criminal investigation. The DCF can conduct its investigation with or without a criminal investigation. Your job will be to conduct a criminal investigation if warranted. Due to the hostile nature of these types of calls, the unarmed DCF investigator is at risk for physical violence. One of your primary responsibilities is to provide security while the DCF investigator conducts his or her social services investigation.

Chapter 825, F.S., outlines the elements of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly persons and disabled adults to include the following definitions:

Abuse of a disabled adult or elderly person, disabled adult, vulnerable adult, Exploitation of a disabled adult or elderly person, (Lacks capacity to consent, Care, supervision, and services), Facility.

Burglary

According to s. 810.06, F.S., to establish probable cause for possession of / document the suspect intended to commit a burglary or trespass and had in his or her possession a tool, machine, or implement that he or she intended to use or allowed someone to use in the commission of burglary or trespass. The suspect did some obvious act toward the commission of a burglary or trespass.

Scan the area surrounding the body for potential hazards or evidence by performing a 360-degree visual sweep of the perimeter.

Any evidence on or near the body should be preserved as you secure the scene. Determine the best path to the body so as not to destroy or contaminate possible evidence. Mark the path to the body so that any subsequent officers will follow the same path while conducting the investigation, reducing crime scene contamination.

Florida Statutes provides additional penalties for trespassing in chapter 810, F.S.

Any person who does not have legitimate business on a school campus is trespassing.

The suspect viewed, broadcast, or recorded the victim at a time when the victim was dressing, undressing, or privately exposing his or her body.

At the place and time when the suspect viewed, broadcast, or recorded the victim, the victim had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The viewing, broadcast, or recording of the victim was without the knowledge and consent of the victim.

All Florida human trafficking crimes are Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) offenses.

Both federal and state human trafficking laws do not require force, fraud, or coercion to determine sex trafficking of persons less than 18 years of age and prohibits procuring persons less than 18 years of age for prostitution.

The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist on U.S. soil.

Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) to update traditional slavery laws and combat trafficking in persons.

Your responsibilities include conducting an initial investigation to determine if a crime has occurred, and if so, which crime.

Determine where it happened, and the date and time of the incident. If a crime has or has not occurred, document the incident and take appropriate action. If you cannot establish where the incident occurred, treat the entire area as a crime scene. If appropriate, secure the scene to avoid destruction of or tampering with evidence.

Fraud is theft by deception.

Different forms of fraud can include confidence games, such as the "pigeon drop," the bank examiner swindle, three card Monte, and shell games.

Section 827.03(e), F.S., provides a comprehensive definition of child neglect.

Document that the victim was less than 18 years of age to establish probable cause for child neglect without bodily harm. The suspect was a caregiver for the victim and willfully, or by culpable negligence, failed or omitted to provide the victim with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the victim's physical or mental health, or failed to make a reasonable effort to protect the victim from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person.

There are several different kinds or categories of burglars.

Professional burglars commit only a few offenses yearly, have sophisticated knowledge of security systems, and target only residences or businesses with significant assets. Some burglars will travel across county lines in an attempt to prevent law enforcement from tracking the items stolen in the burglary. Juvenile burglars target schools, their own family or friends, authority figures, and tend to steal age-appropriate items. Juvenile burglars often commit vandalism and may set fires.

Occasionally, you may respond to a false alarm of a fire.

Section 806.101, F.S., states that anyone who, without reasonable cause, makes a false alarm of fire is guilty of a misdemeanor for the first conviction and a felony for any subsequent convictions. Any later convictions of making a false alarm of a fire will constitute a third-degree felony.

Prior to submitting a final report, permit the victim to review the final report, and provide a statement as to the accuracy of the final report.

Statute protects the identity of a victim of sexual battery and exempts the victim from Florida public records law. You are required by s. 794.052, F.S., to present the victim of a sexual offense with a "Victim's Rights Brochure" and a "Sexual Battery—Victim's Rights and Services" brochure from the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence.

The Florida order will not necessarily be the proper and enforceable one.

Such cases involve application of the "Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act" and can be legally complex.

Many jurisdictions include areas of state-owned or state-controlled land, on which archaeological sites are located.

The federal government protects these sites under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA, 1979) and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA, 1991). Section 267.13(1)(a)-(c), F.S., addresses the protection of archaeological sites under state law.

Child neglect can be repeated conduct or a single omission.

The neglect can result in, or be expected to result in, serious physical or mental injury, or pose a substantial risk of death to the child.

Under federal law, trafficking victims can be U.S. citizens or legal or illegal immigrants.

This is a crime about exploitation, not movement, or immigration. Physical force is not a required element; showing psychological coercion suffices. The fact that a person consented to be smuggled into the United States illegally does not preclude him or her from becoming a trafficking victim.

Obtain statements from victims and witnesses to gather basic information regarding the robbery.

This will allow the responding investigator to follow-up during subsequent interviews.

Florida has a reputation as a retirement state with a large population of elderly people.

Though it is somewhat common for elderly people to have certain disabilities related to the aging process, people with disabilities could be any age.

Trespassing and burglary are similar, yet different, and can be confusing.

Trespassing involves being somewhere that you do not own and without the permission of the owner. The difference with burglary is that you are somewhere that you do not own and without the permission of the owner; however, the intent of being there is different. The intent for being there is to commit another crime, such as theft.

Chapter 810, F.S., outlines several elements of trespassing.

Trespassing in a dwelling, structure, or conveyance occurs when the suspect, without authorization, willfully enters or remains in any dwelling, structure, or conveyance.

Voyeurism

When establishing probable cause for voyeurism, document that the suspect secretly observed the victim and committed the alleged act with a lewd, lascivious, indecent intent. The words lewd, lascivious, and indecent mean the same thing, a wicked, lustful, unchaste, licentious, or sensual intent on the part of the person doing the act.

embezzlement

a form of theft. Embezzlement is a misdemeanor or felony depending upon the value of the property stolen.

The suspect in interference with custody may be a noncustodial parent or other adult housing

a runaway under the assumption that he or she is assisting a child in need.

To establish probable cause for human trafficking,

document that the suspect knowingly, or in reckless disregard of the facts, engages in, or attempts to engage in, or benefits financially by receiving anything of value from participation in a venture that has subjected a person to human trafficking. The victim can be an unauthorized alien, a foreign national in the United States on a valid visa, or a United States citizen. The suspect uses coercion for labor, services, or commercial sexual activity.

To establish probable cause for felony battery,

document that the suspect actually and intentionally touched or struck the victim against his or her will and that the suspect caused the victim great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement.

To establish probable cause for aggravated battery,

document that the suspect intentionally touched or struck the victim against his or her will, or the suspect intentionally caused bodily harm to the victim.

To establish probable cause for battery,

document that the suspect intentionally touched or struck the victim against his or her will, or the suspect intentionally caused bodily harm to the victim.

When establishing probable cause for theft,

document that the suspect knowingly and unlawfully obtained or used, or endeavored to obtain or to use the property of the victim, doing it intentionally to temporarily or permanently deprive the victim of his or her right to the property or any benefit from it. The suspect takes the property of the victim for his or her own use or the use of any person not entitled to it.

To establish probable cause for loitering or prowling,

document that the suspect loitered or prowled in a place, at a time, or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals.

To establish probable cause for the possession of a controlled substance,

document that the suspect possessed a certain substance, the substance was a controlled substance, and the suspect had knowledge of the presence of the substance.

According to s. 812.131, F.S., to establish probable cause for robbery by sudden snatching,

document that the suspect took the money or property from the person of the victim and in the course of the taking, the victim was or became aware of the taking.

To establish probable cause for robbery,

document that the suspect took the money or property from the person or custody of the victim by using force, violence, and assault, or by placing the victim in fear during the course of the taking.

To establish probable cause for carjacking,

document that the suspect took the motor vehicle from the person or custody of the victim using force, violence, assault, or by placing the victim in fear during the course of the taking. The suspect took the property with the intent to deprive the victim of his or her right to the motor vehicle, temporarily or permanently, or any benefit from it. The suspect took the property to appropriate the motor vehicle of the victim to his or own use or that of any person not entitled to it.

To establish probable cause for human smuggling,

document that the suspect transported into this state an individual who the suspect knows, or should know, is illegally entering the United States from another country. Human smuggling is a crime against the sovereignty of the United States. It is not a crime against a person. Some instances of human smuggling can lead to human trafficking, while others do not. It is possible to have one without the other.

To establish probable cause for disorderly conduct,

document that the suspect was endangering the safety of another person or property, was in a public place or conveyance, and causing a public disturbance.

To establish probable cause for disorderly intoxication,

document that the suspect was intoxicated, endangering the safety of another person or property, in a public place or conveyance, and causing a public disturbance.

To establish probable cause for aggravated stalking,

document that the suspect willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly, followed, harassed, or cyber-stalked the victim, and the suspect made a credible threat with the intent to place the victim in reasonable fear of death or bodily injury.

According to s. 827.03, F.S., to establish probable cause for aggravated child abuse,

document that the victim was less than 18 years of age and the suspect did any of the following acts: • committed aggravated battery upon the victim • willfully tortured the victim • maliciously punished the victim • willfully and unlawfully caged the victim • knowingly or willfully committed child abuse upon the victim and in so doing caused great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement, or used a deadly weapon

To establish probable cause for false imprisonment,

document the fact that the suspect had no lawful authority and that the suspect forcibly, secretly, and by threat confined, abducted, imprisoned, and/or restrained the victim against his or her will.

To establish probable cause for criminal mischief,

document the suspect injured or damaged real or personal property that belonged to the complainant and the suspect willfully and maliciously caused the injury or damage.

To establish probable cause for fraudulent use or possession of personal identification information,

document the suspect willfully and without authorization, fraudulently used, or possessed with intent to use fraudulently, personal identification information concerning the victim. The suspect did so without first obtaining the consent of the victim.

In Florida,

domestic violence is not a criminal charge. When you arrest a person for a domestic violence incident, the actual charge will be from a related statute.

Section 741.29, F.S., states that no law enforcement officer is liable in any civil action for an arrest based on probable cause,

enforcement of a court order, or service of process in good faith arising from an alleged incident of domestic violence.

The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

enforces United States laws, including federal immigration laws and regulations. The HSI performs computer forensics examinations and investigates smuggling, trafficking,fraud, money laundering, and narcotics trafficking cases as well as domestic and international criminal activities occurring on or facilitated by the internet. HSI can determine the true immigration status of victims, witnesses, and offenders and can aid in the detection of travel and identity document fraud.

Equality

exists when two participants operate with the same level of power in a relationship, no control, or coercion by either party.

When establishing probable cause for exploitation

f a disabled adult or elderly person, document that the victim was an elderly person or a disabled adult, and the suspect knowingly used deception or intimidation to obtain, use, or endeavor to obtain or use the victim's funds, assets, or property. The suspect did so with the intent to deprive the victim temporarily or permanently of the use, benefit, or possession of his or her funds, assets, or property to benefit someone other than the victim. The suspect stood in a position of trust and confidence and had a business relationship with the victim at the time.

Other narcotics evidence tasks include

field-testing, counting, and weighing seized drugs, sealing and labeling the evidence, transporting it to the lab, and maintaining a properly documented chain of custody during each step.

If appropriate, separate the victim of child abuse or neglect

from the suspected abuser.

Organized crime is often associated with

gambling, loan sharking, narcotics, prostitution, human trafficking, extortion, pornography, white-collar crime, fencing, unions, corruption, numbers games, auto theft, drive-by shootings, adult entertainment, and money laundering.

Remember that sexual offenders and predators that are on probation or parole may not

have any pornography in their possession, and are court ordered not to have a computer at all.

In domestic violence cases,

he charge can be battery, aggravated battery, or sexual battery, etc.

Arrest is the preferred response only with respect to the primary aggressor;

however, not with respect to a person who acts in a reasonable manner to protect oneself or other family member from violence.

Florida law is similar to federal law;

however, state law does not provide access to immigrant benefits for non-citizens. Florida law includes sex trafficking offenses in the list of sexual predator qualifying offenses and provides the office of statewide prosecution jurisdiction to bring to trial human trafficking violations. The criminal penalty for human smuggling and associated offenses are felonious crimes.

Section 932.706, F.S., allows you to profile drug couriers;

however, you may not profile a person based solely upon that person's race or ethnicity.

A parent does not commit child abandonment or neglect, or contribute to a child's dependency,

if he or she leaves a newborn infant at a hospital, EMS station, fire station, or brings a newborn infant to an emergency room and expresses intent to leave the infant and not return. Florida Statutes outlines the difference between abandonment and surrendering a newborn infant in ss. 827.035 and 383.50, F.S.

Some of the methods law enforcement uses to combat organized crime

are asset forfeiture, concentration on vice offenses, gathering intelligence information, interagency cooperation, and prosecution under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), chapter 895, F.S.

Common targets of robberies

are people at home, retail stores, convenience stores, banks, and ATMs, including situational victims, senior citizens, drunken people, drug suspects/participants, homeless persons, and prostitutes.

Trafficking victims

are people who cannot leave captors without risking punishment or retaliation. The term trafficking comes from the intentional agreements to curtail the international trade in slaves, but movement and trade are not required. Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery that involves holding people (including minors) in compelled service for commercial sex trade or otherwise legitimate labor.

Alcohol and tobacco violations

are vice crimes committed most frequently among people less than 21 years of age.

Be careful not to rely on this statute

as a crutch when reaching high levels of frustration with a suspect.

False imprisonment

as outlined in s. 787.02, F.S., occurs when the suspect forcibly, by threat, or secretly confines, abducts, imprisons, or restrains another person without lawful authority and against his or her will with any purpose other than those referred to in kidnapping.

Deadly Weapon

if the suspect uses or threatens to use it in a way likely to cause death or great bodily harm.

Section 856.021, F.S. states that "it is unlawful for any person to loiter or prowl in a place,

at a time, or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals, under circumstances that warrant a justifiable and reasonable alarm or immediate concern for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity." If a person runs away after observing a law enforcement officer, refuses to identify or tries to conceal him- or herself or an object, that person may be loitering or prowling.

Many elderly individuals receive assistance through federal or state programs and live on a limited income,

at or near the poverty level. The fear of losing the support or assistance of the people who may very well exploit, neglect, or abuse them may cause elderly people to hesitate reporting crimes committed against them.

Suspects may conceal drugs

in items such as children's toys, or other commodities.

It is unlawful for any person,

in violation of a court order, to lead, take, entice, or remove a minor beyond the limits of this state, or to conceal the location of a minor, with personal knowledge of the order.

Other types of fraud

include bank kiting or floating checks between banks, and insurance and telemarketing fraud, which often target the elderly via the phone, mail, or internet.

A dwelling is a building or conveyance of any kind,

including any attached porch, whether such building or conveyance is temporary or permanent, mobile or immobile, which has a roof over it and intended for people to lodge in at night, together with the enclosed space of ground and outbuildings immediately surrounding it.

Section 812.014, F.S., outlines the different types of theft based upon several factors,

including the value of the stolen property.

If a suspect has exclusive possession of a controlled substance,

infer or assume the suspect had knowledge of its presence. If a suspect does not have exclusive possession of a controlled substance, you may not infer or assume the suspect had knowledge of its presence.

Florida Statutes clearly outlines enhancements and penalties for criminal mischief

based upon several factors to include value and age of the offender.

However, you may not charge, prosecute, or penalize for possession of a controlled substance

because a person acting in good faith seeks assistance for an individual experiencing a drug-related overdose.

Common methods used to transport drugs include

both private and public conveyances and shipments via commercial delivery companies such as UPS, the U.S. Postal Service, and FedEx.

Florida Statutes requires all individuals to report to the DCF any suspicion or knowledge of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment

by a parent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare by calling the Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE or for law enforcement use only, 1-866-LE-ABUSE. These reporters can remain anonymous.

missing child

is a person younger than 18 years of age whose temporary or permanent residence is in, or believed to be in, this state. The missing child's location has not been determined and someone reported the child as missing to a law enforcement agency. Runaways fit that definition. There is nothing in Florida Statutes that indicates that law enforcement should not take the same steps to find the missing child if the child is a runaway and that runaways are simply a subset of missing children.

public place

is a place where the public has a right to be and to go.

home invasion robbery

is a robbery that occurs within the victim's dwelling while the victim is present and aware that a robbery is taking place. This is often confused with burglary to an occupied residence or vacant residence, which differs in that there is no use or threat of violence against the occupant, as defined in s. 812.135, F.S.

Abandonment

is a situation in which the parent or legal custodian of a child or, in the absence of a parent or legal custodian, the caregiver, while being able, has made no significant contribution to the child's care and maintenance or has failed to establish or maintain a substantial and positive relationship with the child, or both.

open house party

is a social gathering at a residence that is legal unless minors consuming alcohol or drugs are present. A person with control of a residence where a house party occurs, who knows that alcoholic beverages or drugs are in the possession of or are being consumed by a minor at the residence, is in violation of s. 856.015, F.S. The person in control of the residence must take reasonable steps to prevent the possession or consumption by minors of alcoholic beverages and drugs.

Schedule I

is a substance, compound, or mixture that has a high potential for abuse and has no currently accepted medical use.

Credible threat

is a threat made with the intent to cause the person, who is the target of the threat, to fear for his or her safety, the safety of family members, or that of the individuals closely associated with the victim. The threat must be to cause bodily injury to or end the life of a person.

forgery

is altering, forging, or counterfeiting a public record, certificate, legal document, bill of exchange or promissory note, etc., with intent to injure or defraud someone.

hate crime

is an aggravation of a crime by selecting a victim based on prejudice.

Mental Injury

is an injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child as evidenced by a discernible and substantial impairment in the ability to function within the normal range of performance and behavior.

trafficking

is an offense against a person. Section 787.06, F.S., defines human trafficking as transporting, soliciting, recruiting, harboring, providing, enticing, maintaining, or obtaining another person for the purpose of exploitation of that person. Traffickers maintain ongoing control over the victim. Trafficking is often a financially based business that exploits cheap labor.

smuggling

is an offense against the integrity of the United States borders. Section 787.07, F.S., defines a human smuggler as someone who transports into this state an individual he or she knows is illegally entering the United States from another country. It is transportation based, whereas trafficking is exploitation based.

Harassment

is any behavior that targets a specific person and causes that person substantial emotional distress, and serves no legitimate purpose.

Facility

is any location providing day or residential care or treatment for elderly persons or disabled adults. The term "facility" may include, but is not limited to, any hospital, training center, state institution, nursing home, assisted living facility, adult family-care home, adult day care center, group home, mental health treatment center, or continuing care community.

imaging device

is any mechanical, digital, electronic viewing device; still camera, camcorder, or motion picture camera; or any other instrument, equipment, or format capable of recording, storing, or transmitting visual images of another person.

Sexual Performance

is any performance or part of the performance, which includes sexual conduct by a child less than 18 years of age

alien

is any person who is not a United States citizen.

Performance

is any play, motion picture, photograph, or dance or any other visual representation exhibited before an audience or just one person.

Sexual bestiality

is any sexual act between a person and an animal involving the sex organ of the one and the mouth, anus, or vagina of the other.

Juvenile sexual abuse

is any sexual behavior that occurs without consent, without equality, or because of coercion.

Abuse

is any willful act or threatened act that results in any physical, mental, or sexual injury or harm that causes or is likely to cause the child's physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired. Abuse of a child includes acts or omissions. Florida Statutes clearly defines the elements of child abuse, neglect, and abandonment in chapter 827, F.S.

Abuse of a disabled adult or elderly person

is any willful or threatened act by a caregiver that significantly impairs or is likely to impair a vulnerable adult's physical, mental, or emotional health. A caregiver is a person entrusted with or who has assumed responsibility for the care or the property of a disabled adult or elderly person. This includes, but is not limited to, relatives, court-appointed or voluntary guardians, adult household members, neighbors, health care providers, and employees and volunteers of facilities.

Physical Injury

is death, permanent or temporary disfigurement, or impairment of any body part.

Broadcast

is electronically transmitting a visual image with the intent that another person views it.

Sadomasochistic abuse

is flagellation or torture by or upon a person, or the condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically restrained, for the purpose of deriving sexual satisfaction from inflicting harm on another or receiving such harm oneself. Sexual battery is oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by, or union with, the sexual organ of another or the anal or vaginal penetration of another by any other object; however, sexual battery does not include an act done for a bona fide medical purpose.

An Injunction for Protection Against Stalking pursuant to s. 784.0485, F.S.,

is for people who are the victim of stalking; Florida Statutes also helps the parent or legal guardian of a minor child who is living at home who is seeking an injunction for protection against stalking.

Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence pursuant to s. 784.028(3), F.S.,

is for people who meet the statutory definition of family or household member who is the victim of domestic violence.

Cyber-Stalking

is harassment communicated through words or images by using email or other electronic forms of communication.

Child pornography

is illegal to produce, possess, or distribute. You are most likely to encounter a pornography case by responding to a call from the film-processing section of a retail store.

uttering

is knowingly exhibiting or publishing a document to someone or attempting to cash a check by claiming the check and the endorsement is real.

The fact that a victim may have initially consented to perform an illegal act (prostitution)

is not a defense to the subsequent use of force, fraud, or coercion. Things that a victim hears about other workers suffering are admissible to show a "climate of fear" in which they were held.

However, any act done for bona fide medical purposes

is not a sexual battery.

Prostitution

is often associated with adult entertainment venues, massage parlors, escort services, and callouts. Street prostitutes tend to be located in particular geographical areas and truck stops. Prostitutes may be victims of human trafficking.

There are four basic characteristics of an organized crime operation;

it has a specific structure, usually hierarchical or paramilitary. The business has profit continuity; it has both criminal and legitimate businesses. It is monopolistic, or is a provider of a product or service in a particular market, and rarely shares areas of crime or territory with other groups.

It is a misdemeanor to walk on an archeological site and remove an object;

it is a felony to dig into the site to retrieve an object.

Culpable negligence is more than a failure to use ordinary care for others;

it is gross and flagrant negligence, committed with an utter disregard for the safety of others.

When investigating an interference with custody,

keep an open mind and determine the intent of any suspects allegedly interfering with a parent's custody of their child. It is common for a juvenile to give false information to adults to gain access to a home and stay for a period without the juvenile's parents having knowledge of the situation.

The community may see human trafficking,

know about it, or possibly suspect something is not right with an individual or a situation long before it comes to the attention of law enforcement. The better informed the community is about what human trafficking is, who the victims are, and what resources victims need, the better position law enforcement will be in addressing the problem.

When any person dies in Florida by criminal violence, accident, suicide, suddenly (when the person has a history of good health), or through any suspicious or unusual circumstance,

law enforcement must notify the medical examiner (ME).

Criminal mischief, as outlined in s. 806.13, F.S., is a willful,

malicious crime where the offender injures or damages property belonging to another. Injury or damage can include the placement of graffiti or the commission of other acts of vandalism.

Theft from individuals

may involve pick pocketing, purse snatching, confidence games, auto theft, or taking personal property from homes, businesses, or vehicles.

Person authorized

means an owner or lessee, or his or her agent, or any law enforcement officer whose agency has received written authorization from the owner or lessee, or his or her agent, to communicate an order to depart the property in case of a threat to public safety or welfare.

Structure

means any building of any kind, either temporary or permanent, that has a roof over it, and the enclosed space of ground and outbuildings immediately surrounding that structure.

Conveyance

means any motor vehicle, ship, vessel, railroad car, trailer, aircraft, or sleeping car; and to enter a conveyance includes taking apart any portion of the conveyance.

Sexual Violence

means any one incident of sexual battery (a lewd or lascivious act committed on or in the presence of someone younger than16 years of age). This includes luring or enticing a child, sexual performance by a child, or any other forcible felony where a sexual act is committed or attempted, regardless of whether the state attorney filed, reduced, or dismissed the criminal charges based on the incident. An Injunction for Protection Against Sexual Violence pursuant to s. 784.046, F.S., is available for victims of sexual violence.

Union

means contact

Authorization

means empowerment, permission, or competence to act.

Consent

means intelligent, knowing, and voluntary consent and does not include coerced submission. Consent does not mean the failure by the alleged victim to offer physical resistance to the offender. Evidence of the victim's mental incapacity or defect, if any, may be considered in determining whether there was an intelligent, knowing, and voluntary consent.

Willfully

means intentionally, knowingly, and purposely.

Intoxication

means more than merely being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. Intoxication means the defendant must have been so affected from the drinking of an alcoholic beverage as to have lost or been deprived of the normal control of his or her body, mental faculties, or both. Intoxication means the same thing as drunk.

Fraudulently

means purposely or intentionally suppressing the truth or perpetrating a deception or both.

Family or household

means spouses, former spouses, people related by blood or marriage, people who are presently residing together as a family or have resided together in the past as a family, and people who are parents of a child in common, regardless of whether they have been married. With the exception of people who have a child in common, the family or household members must be currently residing or in the past have resided together in the same single dwelling unit.

Mentally incapacitated

means that a person is temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his or her conduct due to the influence of a narcotic, anesthetic, or intoxicating substance administered to that person without his or her consent, or due to any other act committed upon that person without his or her consent.

Deliver or delivery

means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer from one person to another of a controlled substance, whether or not there is an agency relationship.

Constructive possession

means the controlled substance is in a place over which the suspect has control, or in which the suspect has concealed it.

Actual possession

means the controlled substance is in the hand of or on the suspect, or in a container in the hand of or on the suspect, or so close as to be within ready reach and is under the control of the suspect. Mere proximity to a controlled substance is not sufficient to establish possession over the substance when it is not in a place over which the suspect has control.

Manufacture

means the production, preparation, packaging, labeling or relabeling, propagation, compounding, cultivating, growing, conversion or processing of a controlled substance, either directly or indirectly. Manufacturing can be by extraction from substances of natural origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis. It can also be by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis.

Advanced age

means the victim is older than 65 years of age.

Homeless status

means the victim lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence or has a primary nighttime residence that is either a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations, or a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people.

In the presence of

means the victim saw, heard, or otherwise sensed the act was taking place.

Possession

means to have personal charge of or exercise the right of ownership, management, or control over the thing possessed. Possession may be actual or constructive.

Possession

means to have personal charge of or exercise the right of ownership, management, or control over the thing possessed. Possession may be actual or constructive.

Promote

means to procure, manufacture, issue, sell, give, provide, lend, mail, deliver, transfer, transmute, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit, or advertise or to offer or agree to do the same.

sell

means to transfer or deliver something to another person in exchange for money or something of value or a promise of money or something of value.

Kidnapping

occurs when the suspect forcibly, secretly, or by threat confines, abducts, or imprisons another person against his or her will.

Interference with custody

occurs when the suspect, without lawful authority, knowingly or recklessly takes or entices any child less than 18 years of age from the custody of its parent, guardian, or other lawful custodian. Concealing or removing minors from the state with full knowledge of a court order is also interference with custody. The suspect must have knowledge of the court order or receive notice of the pending proceeding.

Grand theft can also involve theft

of any commercially farmed animal or fish, 2,000 or more individual pieces of citrus fruit, items taken from a designated construction site identified by the posting of a sign, and anhydrous ammonia, used in methamphetamine production. Theft of property, funds, or assets may be reclassified to a higher degree if the victim was a person 65 years of age or older.

When you determine the incident shows signs

of the crime of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a disabled adult or elderly person, consider the criminal conduct a public concern, not merely a private family matter. Florida Statutes requires the following individuals to report suspicion or knowledge of disabled adult or elderly person abuse, neglect, or exploitation by a caregiver, legal custodian, or other person responsible for the person's welfare to the DCF by calling the Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE or for law enforcement use only, 1-866-LE-ABUSE.

The chief judge in your judicial district has set guidelines and limits

on interviewing child abuse or sexual abuse victims who are less than 16 years of age. The limits also apply to persons who are intellectually disabled. The purpose of the limitations is to protect the victim from psychological damage caused by repeated questioning about a traumatic incident.

Uttering a false, forged, or altered record, deed, or other instrument with the intent to injure

or defraud someone is a third-degree felony under Florida law. The most common types of forgery law enforcement officers encounter are forgery of the signature or endorsement on a check, use of a fictitious name, forgery by alteration, and check washing.

An elderly person is a person 60 years of age or older who is suffering from the infirmities of aging as showed by advanced age or organic brain damage,

or other physical, mental, sensory, or emotional dysfunction, to the extent the ability of the person to provide adequately for the person's own care or protection is impaired.

Culpable negligence is consciously doing an act or following a course of conduct the suspect must have known,

or reasonably should have known, was likely to cause death or great bodily harm.

A person can be guilty of trespassing on property

other than a dwelling, structure, or conveyance if he or she willfully enters or remains on the property.

Altering an archaeological site or artifact by means

other than excavation, including removal, destruction, or effacement of property, is a violation of state-controlled land.

According to international watchdog group estimates,

slavery holds up to 27 million people worldwide. Human trafficking is a lucrative business, second to drug trafficking, with an estimated $32-34 billion or more in profits each year and with reputed ties to organized crime. Unlike drugs and arms traffickers, human traffickers can continue to exploit their victims after the initial point of sale.

Investigating child abuse can be a very difficult task for a law enforcement officer. You must overcome many barriers,

such as defensive parents who are afraid that you will remove their child from home and children who fear their parents or other children.

You are exempt from any civil action

that may result from an arrest based on probable cause in good faith relating to domestic violence cases.

lividity

the color change due to settling of blood according to gravity

Florida's Safe Harbor Act addresses

the growing number of runaway children who are at risk of sexual exploitation.

If the value of property taken during a retail theft is less than $300,

the offense is a misdemeanor.

algor mortis

the postmortem cooling of the body

rigor mortis

the stiffening of body muscles after death

In addition, document that while committing the battery,

the suspect intentionally or knowingly caused great bodily harm, permanent disability, permanent disfigurement, or used a deadly weapon.

Chapter 810, F.S., classifies burglaries according to

the type of location entered, such as a dwelling, structure, or conveyance. Penalties are more severe for burglary of a dwelling than for a structure or conveyance. A structure is a building of any kind.

Harm

can be any of the following: • sprain, dislocation, or cartilage damage, bone or skull fracture, brain or spinal cord damage, intracranial hemorrhage, or injury to another internal organ • asphyxiation, suffocation, or drowning • injury resulting from the use of a deadly weapon • burns or scalding, cuts, lacerations, punctures, or bites • permanent or temporary disfigurement, permanent or temporary loss or impairment of a body part or function

Exploitation

can be prostitution, working at strip clubs, child pornography, escort services, and working at massage parlors. This occurs at rest stops, migrant farms, construction sites, bars, restaurants, hotels, private homes, sweatshops, the back seats of taxis, or anywhere that will accommodate a child and adult.

The victim in a theft case

can provide information helpful to the investigation, such as a thorough description of the property taken including unique characteristics or serial numbers.

For example, theft of a will,

codicil, or other testamentary instrument, a firearm, motor vehicle, stop sign, or fire extinguisher is grand theft. Motor vehicles are self-propelled vehicles not operated upon rails or a guide-way, and do not include bicycles, motorized scooters without a seat, electric personal assistive mobility devices, or mopeds.

This statute defines a firebomb as a container filled with flammable,

combustible liquid or an incendiary chemical mixture, with a wick or other means of causing ignition.

If you are conducting an investigation of child abuse prior to DCF notification,

contact the abuse hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE or 1-866-LE-ABUSE (law enforcement only) to mobilize additional resources.

Evaluate each party's statements separately to determine whether there is probable cause for arrest.

If probable cause exists to believe that two or more people have committed a misdemeanor or felony or if two or more people make complaints, try to determine the primary aggressor. Determine who the primary aggressor is by analyzing the totality of the circumstances of the incident. By comparing all information obtained and then looking for inconsistencies and untruths, you should be able to identify the primary aggressor in almost all incidents that involve two or more combatants.

Regardless of the outcome, Florida Statutes requires you to document the domestic violence incident with a written report.

If you do not make an arrest in a domestic violence incident, you are required to document the incident, as stated in s. 741.29, F.S., indicating in a full report why you did not make an arrest. In doing so, you and your agency assume a certain amount of liability should the parties reengage in violence and injury occur.

The TVPRA is a victim-centered law.

It ensures the criminal justice community views trafficking victims as victims of a crime, even if they are living in the United States illegally. The law no longer treats them as aliens, but as victims of a crime with rights.

The initial search should include buildings and areas where someone last saw the missing person

Make sure the person is not inside the residence, especially when you are searching for children. It is somewhat common to find children sleeping or hiding in the residence the caregiver is reporting them missing from. If the missing person is not in the building, contact your supervisor for further direction.

Trafficking victims are often "invisible."

Many are undocumented aliens and fear United States authorities. Traffickers exploit this fear. U.S. citizens can be victims of human trafficking, within the borders of the United States, exploited by criminal organizations, which seek out and prey on vulnerabilities. Victims may be physically isolated, guarded, or held through psychological coercion. Many victims do not speak English and have no idea where they are in the United States.

The United States Department of State estimates that 20 million people are trafficked worldwide annually.

Of these, 1.39 million are victims of commercial sexual servitude and 56 percent of all forced labor victims are women and girls. In 2001, investigators opened 54 human trafficking cases and received conviction on 15 cases. In 2011, investigators opened 141 cases and received convictions on 103 cases. Rough estimates hold that 18,000 to 20,000 trafficking victims enter the United States annually. During 2001-2008, 48 percent of prosecuted human trafficking cases occurred in California, Florida, Texas, and New York.

Keep in mind that the reporter or complainant of the abuse might have valuable information to aid the investigation.

On the other hand, the complainant may have a negative agenda, such as retaliatory actions. The reporter or complainant may be a family member, caregiver, neighbor, a DCF investigator, medical worker, or any other person who encounters the adult. Due to statutory reporting guidelines, always protect the identity of the reporting person during this type of investigation.

Physical evidence is very important in an investigation.

Photograph and document evidence carefully or document the lack of evidence. It may be necessary for you to return in 24-48 hours to take additional pictures of the victim to document any bruising fully.

Sexual conduct is any of the following:

• actual or simulated sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse, sexual bestiality, masturbation, or sadomasochistic abuse • actual lewd exhibition of the genitals • actual physical contact with a person's clothed or unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if such person is a female, breast, with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of either party • any act or conduct that constitutes sexual battery or simulates that sexual battery is being or will be committed

When probable cause for arrest does not exist, and all the people involved in the incident are calm enough to be reasonable, bring them within hearing distance of each other to explain the options available. For example, you could ask participants to sit at their dining room table and discuss:

• obtaining counseling • acting on information provided on handouts covering domestic and dating violence and injunctions • seeking assistance from social service agencies • arranging for transportation or safe haven

Section 39.202, F.S., outlines that the following individuals are legally required to provide their names when reporting child abuse, abandonment, or neglect:

• physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment • health or mental health professional • practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing • school teacher or other school official or personnel • social worker, day care center worker, or other professional child care, foster care, residential, or institutional worker • law enforcement officer • judge

Section 415.1034, F.S., outlines that the following individuals are legally required to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a disabled adult or elderly person:

• physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, paramedic, emergency medical technician, or hospital personnel engaged in admission, examination, care, or treatment • health professional or mental health professional • practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing • nursing home staff, assisted living facility staff, adult day care center staff, adult family-care home staff, social worker, or other professional adult care, residential, or institutional staff • state, county, or municipal criminal justice employee or law enforcement officer • employee of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation conducting inspections of public lodging establishments • Florida advocacy council member or long-term care ombudsman or council member • bank, savings and loan, or credit union officer, trustee, or employee

To establish probable cause for neglect of an elderly person or a disabled adult, document that at the time,

the victim was an elderly person or a disabled adult. The suspect was a caregiver for the victim and the suspect willfully or by culpable negligence failed or omitted to provide the victim with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the victim's physical or mental health, or failed to make a reasonable effort to protect the victim from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person.

When the suspect was observing the victim or the victim's intimate areas,

the victim was in a public or private dwelling, structure, or conveyance in which he or she had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The term intimate area is any portion of a victim's body that he or she covers by clothing, with the intention of protecting the area from public view.

Aggravated stalking occurs if an injunction is in place,

the victim was under the age of 16 when the crime occurred, and/or if there are court-ordered restrictions. These three conditions change the degree of the offense.

A business can be a theft victim

through shoplifting, embezzlement, skimming from cash registers or petty cash, smash-andgrab attacks, hijacking of delivery trucks or their cargo, quick-change artists or theft of agriculture, services, or construction site materials.

Suspects will also fraudulently obtain and use bankcards (debit or credit cards)

through falsified applications, burglary, theft, or robbery. A dishonest store employee can skim a bankcard or keep a card forgotten by a customer.

The property taken was of some value and the taking was with the intent

to deprive the victim or the owner, permanently or temporarily, of his or her right to the property.

Occasionally, a fire is set as a technique

to distract law enforcement authorities' attention away from the location of other crimes.

If the suspect reasonably believed that his or her actions were necessary to prevent the child from being seriously injured or did not have any intent

to harm the health, safety, or welfare of the child, the court will consider that belief to be a valid defense.

Section 827.04, F.S., outlines the elements of contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child,

to include penalties. Examples include an adult keeping a child home from school, committing a crime in the presence of a child, or serving alcoholic beverages to a child. Establish probable cause for contributing to a child becoming a delinquent or dependent child, or a child in need of services by documenting that the suspect knowingly commits any acts that cause, tend to cause, encourage, or contribute to a child becoming a delinquent or dependent child or a child in need of services.

The suspect knowingly used deception or intimidation

to obtain, use, or attempt to obtain or use, the victim's funds, assets, or property, and did so with the intent to deprive the victim temporarily or permanently of the use, benefit, or possession of his or her funds, assets, or property to benefit someone other than the victim. In addition, the suspect knew or reasonably should have known the victim did not have the capacity to consent at the time.

If the suspect reasonably believed that his or her actions were necessary

to prevent the child from being seriously injured or did not have any intent to harm the health, safety, or welfare of the child, the court will consider that belief to be a valid defense.

Interruption or impairment of a business operation or public communication,

transportation, water, gas or power supply, or other public service that costs $1,000 or more in labor and supplies to restore, is a third-degree felony.

A mother's breastfeeding of her baby does not constitute,

under any circumstance, sexual conduct.

DO NOT disturb the body

until authorized by the ME, pursuant to multi-agency agreements.

Many times stalking events do not come to the attention of law enforcement

until the situation has progressed to another crime such as sexual battery, aggravated assault, or murder.

To establish probable cause for sexual battery

upon a person 12 years of age or older, document that the victim was 12 years of age or older, and the act was committed without the consent of the victim. The suspect committed an act upon or with the victim in which the sexual organ of the suspect or victim penetrated or had union with the anus or vagina of the victim or suspect, or the suspect committed an act with an object that penetrated the anus or vagina of the victim.

Narcotic investigations may involve undercover operations,

use of informants, surveillance, and trash pulls.

A conveyance can be a

vehicle, boat, or airplane.

Drug addicts burglarize

vehicles, homes, and businesses, looking for prescription or non-prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and anything of value that they can easily sell for drugs.

Sometimes called "victimless crimes,"

vice crime activity includes offenses such as prostitution, gambling, alcohol and tobacco violations, and pornography.

Ideally, the DCF investigator will determine

when and where to place the child in protective custody.

If the victim was pregnant at the time of the battery,

whether the suspect knew or should have known the victim was pregnant, this upgrades the battery charge to aggravated battery, or an additional or separate offense.

Provide the victim of assault or battery with a victim's rights packet,

which explains options for problem resolution or a possible course of action.

Base the arrest on probable cause,

which may consist of physical evidence and/or sworn statements; however, document that a threat of continued violence exists if you do not make an arrest.

An injunction is a court order,

which requires a person to do or avoid doing specific acts.

Signs indicating human trafficking in labor camps or sweatshops may include security intended to keep victims confined or self-contained camps

with barbed wire angled in, bars on windows, bouncers, guards,and guard dogs, and excessive amounts of garbage. Signs indicating a brothel situation that might involve sex trafficking can include large amounts of cash and condoms, a customer logbook, and a receipt book (trick book). Sparsely furnished rooms may contain only luggage, travel photographs, alcohol, lubricant, paper towels, and tokens (cards, marbles, bobby pins, and condom wrappers). Men come and go frequently, and there are used twin mattresses stacked up outside of the residence.

Secure and cordon off the scene of a robbery

with crime scene tape to prevent contamination and to allow for evidence processing. When responding to any bank robbery, secure the scene, pending notification from the FBI as to their response.

You can arrest an individual for retail theft

without a warrant even when the offense is not committed in your presence

A place and time when a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy is a statutory reference to when a reasonable person would believe that he or she could fully disrobe in privacy,

without being concerned their undressing was being viewed, recorded, or broadcasted by another. This includes, but is not limited to the interior of a bathroom, changing room, fitting room, dressing room, or tanning booth. Privately exposing the body occurs when a person exposes a sexual organ.

The fact that a person is out at odd hours,

without showing any other suspicious activity, will not warrant an arrest for loitering or prowling.

Interference with custody is a felony,

yet statute recognizes there are times when an adult may step in to assist a child in need, offering several defenses to mitigate the actions of an adult accused of interfering with custody. Be aware of these modifications during the investigation of interference with custody cases. Section 787.03, F.S., outlines the elements and defenses of interference with custody.

For sex trafficking that involves a child less than 18 years of age,

you do not need to prove the suspect knew the person was under 18 years of age. The same holds true for a child less than 15 years of age; however, the offense escalates from a first-degree felony to a life felony.

Gambling offenses

you may encounter include bolita (a numbers game popular especially in South Florida), dog or cock fighting, high stakes card games, off track betting, or craps games on the street.

There are two types of theft victims

—businesses and individuals.

To establish probable cause for the sale

purchase, manufacture, or possession of a controlled substance with intent, document the suspect sold, purchased, manufactured, delivered, or possessed the controlled substance with intent to sell, purchase, manufacture, or deliver a controlled substance. The substance was a controlled substance, and the suspect had knowledge of the presence of the substance.

When it does not cause harm to the child,

reasonable corporal discipline of a child by a parent or legal custodian for disciplinary purposes is not abuse.

Sexual intercourse

s the penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ. Ejaculation is not necessary.

Burglary tools may include

screwdrivers, pliers and wrenches, pry bars, or spark plugs, but can also be anything used to gain entry during a burglary such as a rock or concrete block.

Criminal mischief is a

second-degree misdemeanor if the property damage is less than $200 and a first-degree misdemeanor if the damage is greater than $200 but less than $1,000. If the value of property damaged totals $1,000 or more, the crime is a third-degree felony. If the suspect has one or more prior convictions for criminal mischief, the court will provide punishment for a subsequent offense as a felony, regardless of the amount of damage.

Section 741.28, F.S., defines domestic violence as

"any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another family or household member."

Smuggling is typically a short-term

"business relationship" and may be a part of a human trafficking scheme whereas trafficking is a long-term, ongoing captivity and subjugation of victims.

When dispatched to a call regarding a missing person, follow the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) guidelines.

1. Respond promptly to the scene of the report of a missing person. 2. Consider activating a patrol-vehicle-mounted video camera when approaching the scene to record vehicles, people, and anything else of note for later investigative review. 3. Interview the person who made the initial report. Determine if the missing person has a history of running away. 4. Confirm the person is in fact missing by conducting a thorough search of the house. 5. If a child is missing, verify the child's custody status. 6. Identify the circumstances of the disappearance. 7. Determine who last saw the missing person, when and where. 8. Interview the individuals who last had contact with the missing person. 9. Identify the person's zone of safety for his or her age, developmental, physical, and mental state. 10. Make an initial determination of the type of incident. 11. Obtain a description of the missing person including photographs and videotapes. 12. If applicable, obtain a description of any suspected abductors and other pertinent information. 13. Evaluate whether the circumstances of the child's disappearance meet AMBER, Silver, or Blue Alert criteria and other immediate community notification protocol. Discuss plan activation with your supervisor. 14. Provide continuous, detailed, descriptive information to the communications unit for broadcast updates as you obtain new information. 15. Identify and interview everyone at the scene, neighboring residences, or businesses separately. 16. Continue to tell the communications unit about all appropriate developing information for broadcast updates. 17. Extend the search to surrounding areas including vehicles and other hidden places. Determine if surveillance or security cameras in the vicinity may have captured information about the disappearance. Use additional resources to canvass the surrounding areas. 18. Secure and safeguard the area as a potential crime scene. 19. Record if the missing person has access to an online computer, cellular telephone, and pager. 20. Review sex-offender registries to determine if any such individuals live, work, or associate within the area of the child's disappearance. 21. Determine the correct National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File category and ensure entry within two hours of the report. 22. Prepare necessary reports and complete appropriate forms.

Document the names of people at the scene and any changes made to the scene.

Failure to collect, document, or gather evidence makes it difficult to go back and undo the damage done to the integrity of the investigation.

Two threshold questions will help determine if a person is a victim of human trafficking.

First, did the suspect recruit, transport, or hold the victim in the service of another for labor or commercial sex acts? Commercial sexual activity includes prostitution, or an attempt to commit any such offense, sexually explicit performances, and the production of pornography. Second, did the suspect obtain or maintain the victim's service through force, threats, psychological manipulation, or confiscation of legal documents?

Luring or enticing a child

Florida Statutes clearly define the elements of luring or enticing a child in s. 787.025. occurs when a person intentionally lures or entices, or attempts to lure or entice, a child less than 12 years of age into a structure, dwelling, or conveyance for other than lawful purposes.

An elderly person can be embarrassed because of their lack of awareness or authority to be able to avoid these types of situations.

Keep this in mind while conducting an initial investigation of crimes against the elderly or disabled.

Victim Economic Security

Law enforcement must address victim economic security associated with violence against women as victim safety links to economic security. Victims may experience: • debt from healthcare, damaged property and security/relocation costs • dependency on the abuser for basic needs • job loss or lost wages • unfinished education or training • eviction and damaged tenant history • loss of personal property

According to s. 825.1025, F.S., to establish probable cause for lewd, lascivious, indecent assault in the presence of or upon an elderly adult or disabled person, document that the victim was an elderly or disabled person.

The suspect knew or reasonably should have known the victim lacked the capacity to consent or failed to give consent and the suspect performed or enticed the victim to perform any of the acts in the list above.

Inform the victim that he or she could go to the courthouse and file for the appropriate injunction.

The victim must complete an affidavit, explaining why she or he needs the protection. All forms are free of charge from the clerk of court. A judge reviews the affidavit and grants or denies the request. The victim is not assessed filing fees for an injunction. Although an injunction is a civil action, it has criminal implications that are enforceable by law. Law enforcement honors injunctions from another state or country (foreign), and can advise a victim to notify the local clerk of the court to re-issue the injunction in Florida if the victim is now residing in Florida.

Hate crime victims often react differently from victims of other crimes.

The victim realizes the suspect targeted them because of a personal characteristic. The victim may find you threatening if he or she is of another national origin or race, especially if you belong to the same race as the perpetrator.

Living and working conditions for human trafficking victims are usually atypical.

Victims live on or near work premises, reside in overcrowded living spaces, are restricted or have controlled communications, and are forced to move frequently by traffickers. Often there are locks on the outside of windows and doors. Victims may lack personal items or possessions; however, cell phones may be an exception. They often lack individual transportation, knowledge about how to get around in the community, and identification (birth certificates, visa, passport) because someone else has taken possession of them as a form of control.

Domestic minor sex trafficking occurs when children who are younger than 18 years of age are induced to perform commercial sexual acts.

Victims may be foreign or U.S. citizens and male or female. This crime is often unidentified, under-reported, and is a severe form of commercial sex exploitation. The Ohio Trafficking in Persons Study (2010) states 2,879 children (ages 12-17) identified as at risk; traffickers forced 1078 into the sex trade. According to National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Throwaway Children, the greatest risk group of children are runaways and throwaways.

Section 832.05, F.S., outlines the elements of passing worthless checks, drafts, and debit card orders.

When an unauthorized person signs a check, that check is a forged check. A worthless check is signed by the account holder, but written on an account in which there are insufficient funds to pay the amount of the check. A worthless check charge requires proof that a suspect issued a check to a payee for goods or services and the issuer of the check knew there was not sufficient money on deposit in the bank to pay the check.

Florida Statutes clearly outlines the elements of stalking in s. 784.048.

When establishing probable cause for stalking, document whether the suspect willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly followed, harassed, or cyber-stalked the victim.

Recent estimates indicate thousands of people are trafficked into the United States annually

and there are ongoing human trafficking investigations in almost every state.

Any person who willfully and maliciously damages

any place of worship or religious article is guilty of a third-degree felony if the damage is over $200.

Launching a projectile (such as a firearm, bow, or crossbow)

across someone else's land with the intent of taking or killing an animal is trespassing. Failure to leave or remaining on the premises after receiving a warning from or in the presence of law enforcement is trespassing.

It is important to secure the area where someone last saw the person,

and control entry and exit points if the situation seems to be a criminal abduction or if you suspect foul play.

Other burglars have an interest in sexual gratification

and focus on collecting trophies or mementos such as intimate articles of clothing located in bedrooms or bathrooms and typically leave body fluids or defecate on the scene.

Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar global problem that is present in the United States,

and for the most part, this is a destination country for traffickers.

Popular online classifieds

and forums, and some social networking sites, advertise trafficked children for sex.

Section 856.011, F.S., states that no person in the state shall be intoxicated and endanger the safety of another person or property,

and no person in the state shall be intoxicated or drink any alcoholic beverage in a public place or conveyance and cause a public disturbance.

Abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise,

and suspects will "doctor shop," abuse pharmaceuticals, steal prescription pads, or deal in gray market drugs in order to meet their needs.

Occasionally, you may encounter a child custody situation in which one parent has a court order from Florida or another state

and the other parent has a conflicting order issued from a different state or even a different country. You may not enforce a court order issued by another state or jurisdiction unless the court domesticates the court order within your jurisdiction.

A person who willfully and maliciously

defaces, injures, or damages a sexually violent predator detention or commitment facility is guilty of a third-degree felony.

theft

defined in s. 812.014, F.S., is knowingly obtaining, using, or endeavoring to obtain or use property of another with intent to deprive, temporarily or permanently, the other person of the use of the property.

Mentally defective

describes a person suffering from a mental disease or defect that renders that person temporarily or permanently incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct.

If you attempt to verify the child's safety and the parent or guardian refuses access to the child,

determine if the child is in immediate danger. If the child is in immediate danger, contact your supervisor and determine the best method for removing the child.

To establish probable cause for home-invasion robbery,

document that the suspect entered the dwelling of the victim and that at the time the suspect entered the dwelling, the suspect intended to commit robbery. While inside the dwelling, the suspect did commit robbery.

Even if the owner or lessee of the premises or a person authorized by the owner

invites, authorizes, or licenses the suspect onto the property, then warns the suspect to depart, and the suspect refuses to go, the suspect commits the offense of trespassing in a dwelling, structure, or conveyance.

Lewd or lascivious battery

involves engaging in sexual activity with a person 12 years of age or older but less than 16 years of age; or encouraging, forcing, or enticing any person less than 16 years of age to engage in sadomasochistic abuse, sexual bestiality, prostitution, or any other act involving sexual activity.

retail theft

involves taking possession of or carrying away merchandise, money, or negotiable instruments; or altering or removing a label or price tag; or transferring merchandise from one container to another of lower price or removal of a shopping cart with intent to deprive the merchant of possession, use, benefit, or full retail value.

grand theft

involves the theft of anything with a value of $300 or more and other items specified by statute regardless of their value.

Stalking

involves unwanted and repeated attention by the suspect towards the victim, family members, or individuals closely associated with the victim.

Assault

involves verbal threats without physical contact.

If the victim of the assault, aggravated assault, battery or aggravated battery

is 65 years of age or older, the degree of the offense will change.

Newborn infant

is a child whom a licensed physician reasonably believes to be approximately seven days old or younger. Unless there is actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, a parent has the right to remain anonymous when surrendering an infant. You may not pursue or follow a parent that surrenders his or her newborn infant.

Trespassing on a designated, posted construction site

is a felony.

illegal alien

is a foreign national who entered the United States without inspection at a border crossing or airport, with fraudulent documents, or legally as a nonimmigrant, but then violated that status and remained without authority.

A worthless check offense

is a misdemeanor unless the amount of the check was $150 or more, which makes the crime a third-degree felony.

The Child Abduction Response Team (CART)

is a multi-agency child abduction team that permits law enforcement to provide an organized, rapid, and planned response to an abducted child or other missing and endangered child case. The CART consists of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and private sector partners. They agree to participate and work in conjunction with the FDLE Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) to provide personnel and resources to assist in handling missing endangered child cases. Criteria for CART activation are a missing, endangered, or abducted child. The CART has the ability to use the AMBER Alert or the Missing Child Alert when the incident meets the criteria for activation.

Caregiver

is a parent, adult household member, or other person responsible for a child's welfare.

disabled adult

is a person 18 years of age or older who suffers from a condition of physical or mental incapacitation due to a developmental disability, organic brain damage or mental illness, or who has one or more physical or mental limitations that restrict the person's ability to perform the normal activities of daily living.

vulnerable adult

is a person 18 years of age or older whose ability to perform the normal activities of daily living or to provide for his or her own care or protection is impaired due to a mental, emotional, sensory, long-term physical, or developmental disability or dysfunction, brain damage, or the infirmities of aging.

A dwelling is any kind of temporary or permanent building or conveyance (such as a car);

it can be mobile or immobile. When people occupy a dwelling, that means they stay there at night; the dwelling also includes the ground and outbuildings immediately surrounding it.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

is one of several causes of SUID and is the most common cause of death in infants aged one month to one year in the United States. SIDS occurs most commonly in infants two to four months of age and rarely after eight months of age. It occurs more frequently in African Americans, American Indians, and Alaska Natives than in Caucasians. It occurs suddenly and without warning, often during periods of sleep. Ninety percent of the cases occur during a critical period of rapid growth and brain development in the first six months of life. Unfortunately, SIDS, unlike other causes of SUID, is a diagnosis of exclusion. Although most conditions or diseases usually are diagnosed by the presence of specific symptoms, SIDS is a diagnosis that should be given only after all other possible causes of sudden, unexplained death have been ruled out by a thorough investigation. This includes a comprehensive examination of the death scene, an autopsy, and a review of the infant's medical history. A complete death scene investigation is often the only way to make a distinction between SIDS and suffocation as a cause of death

Deviate sexual intercourse

is sexual conduct between people not married to each other consisting of contact between the penis and the anus, the mouth and the penis, or the mouth and the vulva.

petit theft

is taking something valued at less than $300. Petit theft is a misdemeanor; however, if the suspect has a third conviction for petit theft, the court provides punishment for a third-degree felony.

The difference between interference with custody and luring or enticing a child

is that luring or enticing requires the suspect to have an unlawful intention for luring or enticing the child to commit other crimes.

Schedule V

is the classification for a substance, compound, or mixture that has a low potential for abuse and has a currently accepted medical use, though abuse may lead to physical or psychological dependence.

The difference between disorderly conduct and disorderly intoxication

is the element of intoxication. Document evidence of intoxication in such cases the same way they would in a DUI investigation, by identifying specific indicators of intoxication such as slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, staggered gait, etc.

Simulated

is the explicit depiction of sexual conduct, which creates the appearance of such conduct, and exhibits any uncovered portion of the breasts, genitals, or buttocks.

Coercion

is the exploitation of authority or the use of bribes, threats of force, or intimidation to gain cooperation or compliance.

outcry witness

is the first person the child told about the abuse.

Domesticated

is the process of the local court recognizing and adopting an out-of-state or county court order to be in effect within the local jurisdiction through a petition process.

carjacking

is the robbing of a person of his or her vehicle by the use of force, violence, assault, or by putting them in fear during the course of the robbery, as defined in s. 812.133, F.S.

In Florida, domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST)

is the single most under-reported, under-identified, and severe form of trafficking. Traffickers use promises of love, money, and glamour to lure children into various forms of exploitation.

Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID)

is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant due to natural or unnatural causes. Unnatural causes can include suffocation (asphyxia), drowning, electrocution, hyperthermia, hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, and homicide. These causes of infant death can be easily overlooked at first; however, they can be explained after a careful and thorough investigation.

As outlined in s. 817.568, F.S., identity theft

is the unlawful use of a person's identifying information such as a Social Security number, official state-issued or United States-issued driver license or identification number, alien registration number, government passport number, employer or taxpayer identification number, Medicaid or food assistance account number, bank account number, credit or debit card number or medical records to obtain credit, loans, acquire services, establish or take over accounts and commit crimes in the victim's name.

The primary responsibility of an officer after the arrival of fire department personnel

is to assist the fire fighters and the fire marshal in their investigation and to maintain crowd and traffic control.

The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the U.S. Department of Jus

is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States.

Dating violence

is violence between individuals who have or have had a continuing and significant relationship of a romantic or intimate nature. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the following: • the existence of the relationship within the past six months • the character of the relationship includes the expectation of affection or sexual involvement • the frequency and type of interaction must occur over time and on a continuous basis during the course of the relationship This term does not include violence in a casual acquaintanceship or violence between individuals who only have engaged in ordinary fraternization in a business or social context. The investigation of dating violence is similar to domestic violence as per Florida Statutes, s. 784.046 (11-16).

Repeat Violence

means two incidences of violence or stalking, committed by the suspect, one of which must have been within six months of the filing of the petition, and directed against the victim or the victim's immediate family member. If you know the suspect is in violation of an existing injunction for protection against repeat violence, arrest the suspect based on the nature of the violation. Use your arrest powers pursuant to Florida Statutes to enforce the terms of an injunction for protection. An Injunction for Protection Against Repeat Violence pursuant to s. 784.046, F.S., is for people who do not meet the statutory definition of family or household member, but who have been victims of at least two incidents of violence or stalking by the alleged abuser within the last six months.

Joint possession

means two or more suspects may jointly possess an article, exercising control over it. In that case, each of those suspects is in possession of that article.

Battery

moves violence into the realm of physical contact, which is more dangerous to the victim. Both can lead to physical injuries, as the assault can escalate into a battery.

Care, supervision, and services

necessary to maintain the elderly person's or disabled adult's physical and mental health include, but are not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical services that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the elderly person or disabled adult.

If you arrive at the scene of an incident and see a fire,

notify dispatch immediately and request assistance.

Child neglect

occurs when a caregiver deprives a child of, or allows the deprivation of, necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment, or allows the child to live in an environment when such deprivation or environment causes the child's physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired or to be in danger of being significantly impaired.

sexting

occurs when a minor who uses a computer or any electronic device, such as cell phones, to transmit or distribute a nude photograph or video to another minor regardless of whether the minors consented to the act. Section 847.0141, F.S., outlines the elements of a minor committing the offense of sexting.

Lewd or lascivious exhibition

occurs when a person intentionally masturbates, exposes the genitals in a lewd or lascivious manner, or commits any other sexual act that does not involve actual physical or sexual contact with the victim.

Lewd or lascivious conduct

occurs when a person intentionally touches a person less than 16 years of age in a lewd or lascivious manner, or solicits a person less than 16 years of age to commit a lewd or lascivious act.

Lewd or lascivious molestation

occurs when a person intentionally touches in a lewd or lascivious manner the breasts, genitals, genital area, or buttocks, or the clothing covering them, of a person less than 16 years of age, or forces or entices a person less than 16 years of age to touch the offender so.

robbery

occurs when a suspect takes property from a person by using force, violence, or assault. The suspect places the victim in fear, with the intent to deprive the victim, permanently or temporarily, of his or her right to the property, appropriating the property of the victim to the suspect's own use, or to the use of any person not entitled to it. A robbery is a theft plus violence.

Lacks capacity to consent

occurs when an elderly person or disabled adult lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate reasonable decisions concerning his or her person or property. This impairment may occur because of mental illness, developmental disability, organic brain disorder, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication, short-term memory loss, or other causes.

Exploitation of a disabled adult or elderly person

occurs when someone knowingly, by deception or intimidation, obtains or uses a disabled adult's or elderly person's funds, assets or property. The suspect's intent must be to deprive the person of the use, benefit, or possession of the funds, assets, or property, or to benefit someone other than the disabled adult or elderly person temporarily or permanently.

Section 877.03, F.S., defines disorderly conduct as conduct that corrupts the public morals,

outrages the sense of public decency, or affects the peace and quiet of people who may witness it. Brawling or fighting in public may constitute a breach of the peace or disorderly conduct. Urinating in public is disorderly conduct, not an exposure of sexual organs. Disorderly conduct is not a catchall statute. Unless a suspect's words actually incite a reaction from onlookers or create a danger to others, such as shouting "fire" in a crowded theater, freedom of speech protects the individual from arrest. A person who simply curses at others or officers may not be arrested for disorderly conduct unless other factors are present that would threaten the safety of the officer or others.

Document that the suspect entered a structure or conveyance

owned by or in the possession of the complainant to establish probable cause for a burglary. At the time of entering the structure or conveyance, the suspect had the intent to commit an offense other than burglary or trespass in that structure or conveyance.

The Florida Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, chapter 893, F.S.,

places all substances regulated under existing federal law into one of five schedules.

If the situation is a domestic violence situation,

present the "Notice of Legal Rights and Remedies for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Repeat Violence, Sexual Violence, Stalking" brochure, per s. 741.29, F.S. Document in the incident report the victim received the brochure.

Properly advise a person of his or her Miranda rights

prior by asking them to explain their presence and conduct.

Organized crime

promotes public corruption, street crime, and gang activity and can have a significantly negative impact on the economy.

Use the following factors to help identify the primary aggressor and make an arrest:

• Compare physical evidence to statements. • Compare injuries to statements. • Consider evidence or patterns of assault and coercion; include physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. • Compare the victim, witness, and suspect's statements. • Assess the verbal and nonverbal communication of involved parties. • Consider the emotional state, use of physical stature for intimidation, and fearfulness of involved parties. • Consider violent physical acts such as the following: - Who damaged property? - Who injured animals? - Who ripped the phone from the wall? - Does the injury fit the story of the person who claims self-defense?

In order for the crime to be kidnapping, the confinement, abduction, or imprisonment:

• must not be slight, inconsequential, or merely incidental to the felony; • must not be of the kind inherent in the nature of the felony; and • must have some significance independent of the felony in that it makes the felony substantially easier to commit or substantially lessens the risk of detection.

Florida Statutes enhances the penalties for burglary, based on s. 810.02, F.S., in the following situations:

• If during the course of a burglary, the offender commits assault or battery • If the offender enters a dwelling, structure, or conveyance and is armed, or becomes armed in the course of the burglary • If the offender uses a vehicle as an instrument, other than merely as a getaway vehicle, to assist in committing the burglary, and causes damage to the dwelling, structure, or property, and • If the offender causes damage to the dwelling or structure, or to the property within the structure in excess of $1,000

In addition, abusers use economic abuse as a tool of power and control, such as unauthorized use of finances, falsification of records, and coercion into crime. These financial aspects of violence can thwart victims' ability to reestablish their life and move forward. From the initial call and follow-up investigation you can:

• Look for red flags of economic abuse or dependency at the scene, such as whether the offender took the only credit card or set of keys. • Assess if the offender destroyed any property needed for immediate safety (getting to work/school, safe housing, paying bills, etc.). • Document evidence of stolen or damaged property, electronic surveillance, economic crimes and financial threats or intimidation.

The battery of a correctional facility employee requires you to document an additional five elements:

• The suspect was in a correctional facility, in custody. • The suspect intentionally touched, struck, or attempted to touch or strike the victim against his or her will by throwing, tossing, or expelling blood, saliva, chewed food, seminal fluid, urine, or feces at the victim. • The suspect intended to harass, annoy, threaten, or alarm the victim. • The victim was a correctional facility employee. • The suspect knew the victim or had reason to know the victim was a facility employee.

The assault, aggravated assault, battery, or aggravated battery of an officer, firefighter, or EMS provider requires you to document three other elements:

• The victim was at the time of the assault a law enforcement officer, firefighter, EMS provider, traffic accident investigation officer, traffic infraction enforcement officer, parking enforcement specialist, security officer employed by the board of trustees of a community college, or federal law enforcement officer. • The victim was engaged in the lawful performance of his or her duties at the time of the assault. • The suspect knew the victim was one of the workers listed above at the time of the assault.

Look at the victim while talking and avoid looking at the interpreter. Rapport is possible, even through an interpreter. The conversation should begin with the following questions:

• What is your name? • How old are you? • Do you have any identification and travel documents? If not, who has your documents? • Did someone coach you on what to say to us? • Did someone recruit you for one purpose and force you to engage in some other job? • Is someone taking part of your earned money to pay off a smuggling fee? • Does someone force you to perform sexual acts? • Is someone paying you for sex? • Do you have freedom of movement? • Is someone threatening you or your family with harm if you attempt to escape? • Can you freely contact your friends or family? • Is someone threatening you with deportation or law enforcement action?

Legal custody is:

• a legal status created by a court, which appoints a person a custodian or guardian, whether an agency or an individual (for example, the Department of Children and Families may have custody, or a member of the child's extended family may be awarded custody) • the right to have physical custody of the child and the right and duty to protect, nurture, guide, and discipline the child • the right to provide the child with food, shelter, education, and ordinary medical, dental, psychiatric, and psychological care

Types of situations you may overlook as human trafficking incidents can be when:

• a person visits a local clinic for medical reasons, but is not allowed time alone with the physician • a large migrant population exists in a community, but the children of the workers do not attend the local public school • a domestic employee rarely seen outside of the employer's home

You may come across stolen property on routine patrol, traffic stops, arrests, or from a concerned citizen. Upon receiving stolen property, process the property by:

• conducting an FCIC/NCIC and local database search to verify you have stolen property • after verifying you have stolen property, requesting the entering agency to remove the item from the database • attempting to identify the owner and/or the original case report to add a supplemental report • photographing the item • processing the item for physical evidence to include latent prints and touch DNA • returning the item to the owner if there is no forensic value • submitting the item as evidence if you cannot locate the owner or if there is forensic value • forwarding any suspect or item identification to the appropriate department in your agency for a follow-up investigation

Kidnapping is both a statutory and federal violation. According to s. 787.01, F.S., to establish probable cause for kidnapping, document that the suspect had no lawful authority and that the suspect forcibly, secretly, by threat confined, abducted, or imprisoned the victim against his or her will. In addition, the suspect acted with intent to do at least one of the following:

• hold for ransom or reward or as a shield or hostage • commit or help with the commission of a felony • inflict bodily harm upon or to terrorize the victim or another person • interfere with the performance of any governmental or political function

There are multitudes of agencies, service providers, or professions within the community who may encounter victims of human trafficking, such as:

• immigrant, sexual assault, and domestic violence victim advocates • homeless shelters, food banks, and faith-based providers • health care providers, walk-in health clinics, and hospitals • health and labor department, schools, code enforcement, fire marshal, alcohollicensing agency, and building inspectors • utility provider or repair person and mail carrier

To establish probable cause for child abuse, document that the victim was less than 18 years of age and the suspect knowingly or willfully:

• inflicted physical or mental injury upon the child victim • committed an intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to the child victim • actively encouraged another person to commit an act that resulted in or could reasonably have been expected to result in physical or mental injury upon the child victim

To establish probable cause for aggravated assault, document that the suspect:

• intentionally and unlawfully threatened, by either word or act, to do violence to a victim, • must appear to have the ability to carry out the threat at the time, • created in the mind of the victim a well-founded fear that violence was about to take place, and • made a fully formed, conscious intent to commit violence to a victim using a deadly weapon.

To establish probable cause for assault, document that the suspect:

• intentionally and unlawfully threatened, by either word or act, to do violence to a victim, • appeared to have the ability to carry out the threat at the time, and • created in the mind of the victim a well-founded fear that violence was about to take place.

To establish probable cause for video voyeurism dissemination, document whether the suspect:

• intentionally used or installed an imaging device to secretly view, broadcast, or record the victim for his or her own amusement, entertainment, sexual arousal, gratification, for profit, or for the purpose of degrading or abusing the victim, or • intentionally permitted the use or installation of an imaging device to secretly view, broadcast, or record the victim for the amusement, entertainment, sexual arousal, gratification, or profit of another or on behalf of another, or • use of the imaging device was for the purpose of viewing the body of or the undergarments worn by the victim.

To establish probable cause for video voyeurism, according to s. 810.145, F.S., document whether the suspect:

• intentionally used or installed an imaging device to secretly view, broadcast, or record the victim for his or her own amusement, entertainment, sexual arousal, gratification, profit, or for the purpose of degrading or abusing the victim, • intentionally permitted the use or installation of an imaging device to secretly view, broadcast, or record the victim for the amusement, entertainment, sexual arousal, gratification, or profit of another or on behalf of another, or • viewed the body of or the undergarments worn by the victim by using an imaging device.

The Florida Computer Crimes Act or chapter 815, F.S., outlines the definitions and elements of computerrelated crimes. Computers facilitate all sorts of crimes, and individuals are constantly devising new methods to use this technology to commit crimes. Email-facilitated crimes include phishing, fraud, cyber-stalking, threats, and harassment. Internet fraud is any type of scheme that uses email, websites, chat rooms, or message boards to solicit victims, conduct fraudulent transactions, or launder the proceeds of fraud. Some of the everincreasing types of internet fraud include the following:

• internet auction fraud • non-delivery of merchandise or services • Nigerian scams • lottery scams • bankcard fraud • identity theft • email scams • business fraud (get rich quick schemes) • investment fraud

Florida Statutes define the elements of lewd or lascivious offences to include battery, molestation, conduct and exhibition in chapter 800, F.S. To establish probable cause for lewd or lascivious behavior, indecent assault or act upon or in the presence of a child, or sexual battery, document that the victim was less than the age of 16 years and the suspect did any of the following acts:

• made an assault and/or battery upon the victim in a lewd, lascivious, or indecent manner, or handled or fondled the victim in a lewd, lascivious, or indecent manner • committed upon the victim, forced, or enticed the victim to commit: - actual or simulated sexual intercourse - deviate sexual intercourse - sexual bestiality - masturbation - sadomasochistic abuse - actual lewd exhibition of the genitals - any act or conduct which simulated that sexual battery was being or would be committed on the victim • committed an act upon or with the victim in which the sexual organ of the suspect or victim penetrated or had union with the anus, vagina, or mouth of the victim or suspect • committed an act upon the victim in which the anus or vagina of the victim was penetrated by an object • knowingly committed a lewd or lascivious act in the presence of the victim

missing and endangered person is any one of the following:

• missing child, younger than 18 years old • missing adult, younger than 26 years old • missing adult, older than 26 years and believed to be in danger or the victim of criminal activity • missing adult, older than 18 years that meets the criteria for a Silver Alert

Personal identification information means any name or number the suspect may use alone, or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a specific individual, including:

• postal or email address • telephone number • Social Security number • date of birth • mother's maiden name • official state or United States issued driver's license or identification number • alien registration number • government passport number • employer or taxpayer's identification number • Medicaid or food stamp account number • bank account number • credit or debit card number, personal identification number, or code assigned to the holder of a debit card by the issuer to permit authorized use of such card • unique biometric data such as finger, palm, or foot print, voice patterns, facial images, retina or iris image, or other unique physical representation • unique electronic identification number, address, or routing code • medical record • telecommunication identifying information or access device • other number or information that can be used to access a person's financial resources

Victims face tremendous cultural and economic barriers and often do not realize they are victims or they have rights under United States law. Victims can be minors, mentally challenged, or caught in the throes of an addiction. There are many industries where you can find trafficked victims, including:

• prostitution • massage parlors • exotic dancing • pornography • agricultural work • landscape work • domestic work and child care (domestic servitude) • factory work • begging/street peddling • restaurant work • construction work • carnival work • hotel housekeeping • day labor • nail salons • social networking websites • interstate rest areas and truck stops

Some of the circumstances you may consider in determining whether to be alarmed or have an immediate concern is when the suspect:

• takes flight upon appearance of a law enforcement officer, • refuses to identify him or herself, or • attempts to conceal him- or herself or any object.

Force is physical violence that may include beatings, sexual battery, shootings, or physical confinement. Fraud includes false or deceptive offers of employment, marriage, or a better life. Coercion involves:

• using or threatening to use physical force against any person (typically family members of the trafficking victim back in their home country) • restraining, isolating, or confining • using lending or other credit methods as debt bondage • destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, withholding, or possessing immigrant or identification documents • causing financial harm including extortionate extension of credit, loan sharking, or fraudulent employment contracts • enticing or luring by fraud or deceit • giving a person a controlled substance so they can be exploited • using threats of deportation of other United States or Florida legal proceedings against the victim

To establish probable cause for trespassing, document the suspect did both or one of the following:

• willfully entered or remained in a structure or conveyance and the structure or conveyance was in the lawful possession of the complainant. The suspect entering or remaining in the structure or conveyance was without authorization, license, or invitation by the complainant or any other person authorized to give that permission • had been authorized, licensed, or invited to enter or remain in the structure or conveyance by the owner, lessee, or a person authorized by the owner or lessee of the premises warned the suspect to depart and the suspect refused to depart

"Willfully" is knowingly, intentionally, and purposefully. "Maliciously" is:

• wrongful, intentional, and without legal justification or excuse; • established by circumstances from which one could conclude that a reasonable parent would not have engaged in the damaging acts toward the child for any valid reason; and • when the primary purpose of the acts was to cause the victim unjustifiable pain or injury