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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution_16-99/00_11/09/1999• RESOLUTION NO. 16-99/00 A RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING / WORKING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILES, AND AUTHORIZING THE VILLAGE MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The Memorandum of Understanding/Working Agreement Between the Village of Tequesta and the Florida Department of Children & Families, Attached Hereto as Exhibit "A" and Incorporated by Reference as a Part of This Resolution, is Hereby Approved and the Village Manager of the Village of Tequesta is Authorized to Execute the Same on Behalf of the Village of Tequesta. THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION WAS OFFERED BY Councilmember Schauer who moved its adoption. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Canretta and upon being put to vote, the vote was as follows: FOR ADOPTION AGAINST ADOPTION Capretta Dalack Hansen LJ • The Mayor thereupon declared the Resolution duly passed and adopted this 9th day of November, A.D., 1999. MAYOR OF TEQUESTA i ~~ Carl C. Hansen • ATTEST: oann Mangani llo Village Clerk • MEMORANDUM TO: Joann Manganiello, Assistant Village Manager FROM: Stephen J. Allison, Chief of Police,t~~ SUBJECT: Agreement Signature Page DATE: 12/ 15/99 Attached is a copy of the completed signature page for our agreement with the Department of Children and Families. You requested a copy to attach with resolution 16- 99/00. • ~i r¢-Q ~'~2.e...-~-¢- !-` ,~ -, ~ a~- ~~v ~--~- ~ ~~~ ~.- ~ -~~~('/ FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ~ CHILDREN & FAMILIES December 9, 1999 Stephen J. Allison Chief of Police Tequesta Police Department 357 Tequesta Drive Tequesta, Florida 33469-0273 Dear Chief Allison: Jeb Bush Governor Kathleen Kearney Secretary Attached for your records is a co~ay of the signature page for the Memorandum of Understanding/Working Agreement between your department and the Department of Children and Families with the appropriate DCF signatures. • Please let me know if you have any further questions regarding this matter. Sincerely, ~ `Z. Lynn Boughner Program Operations Administrator C7 Family Safety and Preservation Program 1845 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach, Fl. 33483 The Department of Children and Families is committed to working in partnership with local commcrnities to ensure safety, well-being and self-sz fficiency for the people tive serve. THE CENTER FOR INFORMATION 8L CRISIS SERVICES, INC. Helplnp peopleJtnd a wnp BOARD OF DIRECTORS AFFILIATE AGREEMENT ~ruce W. Parrish, Jr. aw Offices of Bruce Parrish, PA Pies/d~nf To ensure continuity of care and support to clients, The Center for Information Diane Carlino Achievement Dynamics and Crisis Services enters into the following agreement wit Vlce-Pna/dent John oeese VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA Credd Union of PBC P O BOX 3273 Tiusur~r . . Or. Yvette Couney (Print or type your agency name here.) A, FLORIDA 33469 Human Services Consultant Secr~fery Jonathan E. Cole Edwards b Angell rees: rvices a i S d C i i f I f Th C PestPraa/dint g e s on an r s enter or ormat n e Howard Bregman Greenberg, Traurig 1. To refer appropriate callers to the Affiliate without regard to race, Robert G. H.oCarrall, 111 i ^ national origin, age; sex or economic status for creed color .t.t .e Ca-±.^u: ti?y , .ep: ese. , , D assessment\on-going services. orsey Ray Accordia Southeast 2. To be available as a resource to the Affiliate's clients 24 hours a George Elmors da for tele hone counseling and information and referral to Y p Hardrives of Delray Anita R. Finley community resources. GerantolagisvPublicRelations 3. To be available to the affiliate's staff for information about and Sonia Gregersen referrals to community resources. Palm Beach Motocan Ksnneth Graves Edwards Elect"` cerp. The Affiliate agrees: . Art HillDralh an•Hill 1. To receive clients without regard to race, color, creed, national IsHewden ° Palm a°aoh P°~' origin, age, sex or economic status who are referred by The Center. Harold Kern To advise clients of the 24 hour availability of The Center's 2 Community Represantativs . Services. Nancy Albano Lembrecht c°mm°nityR.prese"tat"° 3. To advise staff of the availability of The Center as a resource. James J. Jenerson 4. To update The Center when changes arise within the Affiliate. Community Representative Jay H. Rossbach, Jr. Community Reprasantativa Helenlewis This letter of agreement maybe amended or terminated by either party contingent Community Reprasenlativs , upon thirty (30) days notice and will be revised annually. JansMeGregar Community Representative BillObsdink The Center for Information and AFFILIATE Community Representative Crisis Services, Inc. Irving Pearl Harmony Music Hank Poroher Paul Hanna Management ~////~ ~L~ ~, c-`z J w~ Billy Riggs PBCShariHsOHice . xecutive Director Theresa Swanberg NCCI Thomas Tribby / ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - Republic Security Bank Date Signed Date Signed P.O. Box 3588 -Lantana, Florida 33x65.3588 - (561) 547-8637 -FAX (561) 547.8639 A te~io~ew.u~rwtrr'or urvledWayAQMCY ~ t~pU]ttV$ T~1 CHILDREN ~ K~ • ~e.,.m~ L' Village of ~'eaues FE B 0 1 2000 Village Manager's Office • ~ ~ ~ •/ • MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDINGNVORKING AGREEMENT Tequesta Police Department and the Department of Children & Families The agencies named in this document agree to the following: A. PURPOSE The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding is to coordinate services to the families of Palm Beach County through cooperation, collaboration, and the sharing of appropriate information by agencies within this jurisdiction. Specifically, this agreement establishes operational protocols for the joint investigation of abuse reports involving criminal allegations in order to: • provide standard, consistent and thorough investigations • maximize the resources through a joint investigative process • minimize-the number of interviews for children who are victims of abuse or neglect • • allow for the orderly collection of evidence in the criminal investigative process • ensure the provision of appropriate services when deemed necessary for children and their families • provide a forum for on-going communication and resolution of issues involving family safety in this community and foster an effective collaboration among • law enforcement • state attorney • judiciary • domestic violence providers • child protection team • local school system • Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Department of Children and Families (DCF) B. DEFINITIONS "Abandoned": A situation in which the parent or legal custodian of a child or, in the absence of a parent or legal custodian, the caregiver responsible for the child's welfare, • while being able, makes no provision for the child's support and makes no effort to communicate with the child, which situation is sufficient to evince a willful rejection of • parental obligations. [39.01(1), F.S.] "Abuse ": 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. For the purpose of protective investigations, abuse of a child includes the acts or omissions of the pazent, legal custodian, caregiver, or other person responsible for the child's welfare. [39.01(2), F.S.] "Criminal Investigation ": An investigation conducted by an appropriate law enforcement agency for the purpose of uncovering evidence which may lead to an individual's prosecution for adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation, or child abuse, neglect, or abandonment, or other appropriate criminal charges. avated assault, battery, aggravated battery, "Domestic Violence ": means any assault, aggr avated stalking, or any criminal offense sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggr resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another who is or was residing in the same single dwelling unit. "Emergency Placement -Child": The temporary care of a child who is alleged to be or who has been found to be dependent, pending further disposition, before or after adjudication or after execution of a court order. The placement may be with a relative, • non-relative or state licensed home or facility. "False Report ": A report of abuse, neglect, or abandonment of a child to the central abuse hotline, which report is maliciously made for the purpose of: (a) harassing, ersonal financial gain for the reporting embarrassing, or harming another person; (b) p erson in person; (c) acquiring custody of a child; or (d) personal benefit for the reporting p any other private dispute involving a child. The tea ade in rood faith to the entral a report of abuse, neglect, or abandonment of a clul g abuse hotline. [39.01(2, F.S.] "Family or Household Member ": means spouses, former spouses, persons related by blood or marriage, persons who are presently residing together as if a family or who have resided together in the past as if a family,, and or have res ded together at any tnimen regardless of whether they have been mam "Joint Investigation ": Two agencies conducting concurrent criminal and protective investigations. "Neglect ": Occurs when the pazent or legal custodi d of orllallowsla cluldto bee of a parent or legal custodian, the caregiver depnves a chil , • deprived of, necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medicament causes the hild's physical, live in an environment when such deprivation or enviro • mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired or to be in danger of being significantly impaired. [39.01(46), F.S.] "Protective Investigation ": The acceptance of a report alleging child abuse, abandonment, or neglect by the central abuse hotline or the acceptance of a report of other dependency by the department; the investigation of each report; the determination the determination of the disposition of each of whether action by the court is warranted; riate; and the referral of a child report without court or public agency action when approp F.S.] to another public or private agency when appropriate. [39.01(58), ~. INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURES 1. The Department of Children and Families shall immediately notify the Tequesta Police Department as required onment, or n gect is received andreport of known or suspected child abuse, aband suspected to have occurred in the city of Tequesta. The Tequesta Police Department shall review the report, determine ~'" ldren and Famaillies Offigetinn is warranted and notify the local Department of Clu Palm Beach County. The Florida Abuse Hotline shall be responsible, as required by Section • 39.201(2)(a), F.S., for transfemng all calls with information that a child has been harmed by anon-caretaker to the Sheriff of the county in which the harm occurred. a, The Sheriff will be responsible for establishing procedures for accepting follow-u hard copy report from DCF, and such information including any P transferring it to any other appropriate law enforcement jurisdiction. b, The law enforcement agency designate a De eCartn ent; the phone number is calls for Tequesta is the Tequesta Polic P child-on-child 561-746-7474. Hard copies of DCF reports documenting sexual allegations will be forwarded 469 ~T~ 48 hours ofDreceia P ent, 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, F133 Bement or required by law, all 2, Unless otherwise specified in this written agr the DCF Abuse Hotline for reports of alleged abuse or neglect of a child taken by the area under the jurisdiction of the law enforartment of Children and Families agreement will be transmitted to the local Dep Office in Palm Beach County. 3, The Department of Children and Families protecDtie eartmentgastrequitred by Section • responsibility for notifying the Tequesta Police p . • 39.30(15) Florida Statutes, immediately upon receipt of a report alleging or immediately upon learning during the course of investigation or when providing services that: a. the immediate safety or well-being of a child is endangered; b. the family is likely to flee; c. a child died as a result of abuse or neglect; d. a child is the victim of aggravated child abuse as defined in Section 827.03; F.S.; e. a child is the victim of sexual battery or of sexual abuse as defined in Section 39.01(64)(a-g), F.S.; 4. The protective .investigator shall immediately notify by either telephonic or electronic means, the Tequesta Police Department that the Department of Children and Families has received a report or learned of a situation covered by Section C.3 of this agreement. A written copy of the report will be delivered to the Tequesta Folice Department within one working day. 5. The Tequesta Police Department is responsible for assessing and responding to potential criminal allegations enumerated under Section C.3 above. As required by Section 39.301(15), F.S., the Tequesta Police Department will assume lead in conducting any potential criminal investigations involving children in cases specified in Section C.3 above. The protective investigation will be coordinated with the criminal investigation. Evidence gathered in criminal investigations will be handled according to the policies -and procedures of the Tequesta Police Department. In addition to proper storage an ent of Children and Familiescwill e Tequesta Police Department and the Departm , ensure proper storage of maintenance of records/case file information in accordance with their policies and procedures. 6. The agencies agree to conduct joint share information on an on-going andch investigations, the agencies agree to continuous basis. Both agencies understand that the safety of the victim is of primary concern and that the request for protective investigation by the Department of Children and Families must be responded to by DCF within 24 hours of receipt of the report. When the Tequesta Police Department determines that probable cause exists for possible filing of criminal charges in the case of child abuse, notification to the State Attorney will be processed as required and the Department of Children and Families will be notified. 7. If the Tequesta Police Department requests that the alleged perpetrator not be interviewed by the protective investigator, that request shall be honored. The • Department of Children and Families case record must document the date and time of the. request, the person making the request and the reason for the request. 4 The Tequesta Police Department agrees to advise the Department of Children and Families when and if a protective interview can be conducted and, when appropriate, share the results of any interview conducted by the Tequesta Police Department. 8. Pursuant to 39.301(17), F.S., when the Tequesta Police Department participates in a child protective investigation, they shall take photographs of the child's living environment. Such photographs shall become part of the investigative file.. 9. The Department of Children and Families will be responsible for assessing the immediate safety of the child and taking the necessary actions that will ensure the continued safety of the child. The Department will also be responsible for determining and implementing necessary services to support the family. 10. The Child Protection Team will be utilized in accordance with Section 39.303, F.S. by both the Department of Children and Families and the Tequesta Police Department as appropriate in order to obtain needed assessments, interviews and staffings to assist in gathering evidence and providing services to children and their families. 11. The Department of Children and Families and the Tequesta Police Department shall develop, implement, and provide training on joint .investigative protocols for the assessment of family violence during abuse investigations and the assessment of abuse during family violence investigations. 12. To the extent set forth in this memorandum of Understanding/Working Agreement or the written protocol which is attached to and incorporated by reference, the Tequesta Police Department has assumed partial or full responsibility for conducting certain components of protective investigations under Sections 39.201-39.302, F.S., related to cases involving criminal investigations and assures that it will be in compliance with the procedural requirements of Section 39.201-39,302. In reports that have been determined to be false, as defined in Section 39.01(27), F.S. aad Section B of this agreement, the Department of Children and Families will refer to the Tequesta Police Department such information for a criminal investigation. This referral will be made with the consent of the person who was originally identified as the alleged perpetrator. The Department of Children and Families-will refer all subsequent reports. involving children in the same family to the Tequesta Police Department for all responses during the pending criminal investigation. • 13. Any conflict in the interpretation of this Memorandum of Understanding/Working Agreement shall be resolved through communication between the Chief of Police 5 of the Tequesta Police Department, or his designee, and Rebecca A. Walker, • District Program Manager for the Department of Children and Families, Family Safety or her designee. D. SHARING OF INFORMATION 1. The Department of Children and Families is recognized as a criminal justice agency for the purpose of child protective investigations, pursuant to Section 943.045. F.S. Pursuant to Section 39.306, F.S., and within statutory guidelines, the Tequesta Police Department is authorized to share with assigned Department of Children and Families protective investigators, Florida criminal history information accessed through the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and local criminal history and not otherwise exempt from Section 119.07(1), F.S. a. Such information may be used only in the furtherance of a specific child protective investigation, including the emergency placement of an endangered child. The agencies will clearly define those investigations specified under this section. b. Such information will be provided without charge. c. Such information may be provided by the assigned criminal investigator or through Special Investigative Unit. d. The release of such information will be documented in accordance with applicable Florida Department of Law Enforcement FCIC procedures. 2. Within statutory guidelines, the Tequesta Police Department will, upon request, provide to the designated child protective investigator a copy of all initial law enforcement reports relating to a domestic violence incident, including a narrative description of the incident, and any subsequent, supplemental or related reports. a. Such reports shall be clearly defined as part of this agreement but shall include those in which children are present when family violence occurs. b. Such reports shall be used only for the purpose of child protective investigations and placement of children under DCF care. 3. Within statutory guidelines, the Tequesta Police Department shall develop procedures to allow access to or otherwise share all appropriate local criminal information on an individual under investigation with the assigned protective • investigator. 6 ~,,.. 4. Within statutory guidelines, the Department of Children and Families will provide to the law enforcement agency copies of protective investigation reports during criminal investigations. Any reports shall be provided without cost to the law enforcement agency. Copies of these reports shall include the name of the reporter, whose identity should remain confidential pursuant to Section 39.202, F.S. ' 5. All information, reports, documents, etc., provided under the provisions of this agreement shall retain any confidential status provided under law and shall not be distributed outside the undersigned agencies unless otherwise authorized or mandated by law. . . ~`t/_~ ~~~ THOMAS G. $RADFORD VILLAGE MANAGER o~,~„~.. DES GNA D CONTACT STEPHEN J. ALLISON CHIEF OF POLICE REBECCA A. WALKER DISTRICT PROGRAM MANAGER DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ,~ DESI~ ATED CONTA `I` L BOUGHNER PROGRAM OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATOR DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ~~-1z-~5 DATE //-~6-94 DATE 2/a/p DATE DATE CJ