Senate Bill 1174

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1174

    By Senator Campbell





    33-640B-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to law enforcement and

  3         correctional officers; amending s. 112.532,

  4         F.S.; providing that a law enforcement or

  5         correctional agency may discipline or pursue

  6         criminal charges against an officer; amending

  7         s. 122.533, F.S.; providing that the subject of

  8         a complaint may review oral statements made by

  9         or on behalf of the complainant and witnesses;

10         amending s. 122.534, F.S.; providing a penalty

11         for failure to comply with part VI of chapter

12         112, F.S.; providing for the award of

13         attorney's fees; providing an effective date.

14

15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

16

17         Section 1.  Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (1) of

18  section 112.532, Florida Statutes, to read:

19         112.532  Law enforcement officers' and correctional

20  officers' rights.--All law enforcement officers and

21  correctional officers employed by or appointed to a law

22  enforcement agency or a correctional agency shall have the

23  following rights and privileges:

24         (1)  RIGHTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND

25  CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION.--Whenever a

26  law enforcement officer or correctional officer is under

27  investigation and subject to interrogation by members of his

28  or her agency for any reason which could lead to disciplinary

29  action, demotion, or dismissal, such interrogation shall be

30  conducted under the following conditions:

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1174
    33-640B-00




  1         (j)  Notwithstanding the rights and privileges provided

  2  by this part, this part does not limit the right of an agency

  3  to discipline or to pursue criminal charges against an

  4  officer.

  5         Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section

  6  112.533, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  7         112.533  Receipt and processing of complaints.--

  8         (2)(a)  A complaint filed against a law enforcement

  9  officer or correctional officer with a law enforcement agency

10  or correctional agency and all information obtained pursuant

11  to the investigation by the agency of such complaint shall be

12  confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1)

13  until the investigation ceases to be active, or until the

14  agency head or the agency head's designee provides written

15  notice to the officer who is the subject of the complaint,

16  either personally or by mail, that the agency has either:

17         1.  Concluded the investigation with a finding not to

18  proceed with disciplinary action or to file charges; or

19         2.  Concluded the investigation with a finding to

20  proceed with disciplinary action or to file charges.

21

22  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the officer who is

23  the subject of the complaint may review the complaint and all

24  written statements made by or on behalf of the complainant and

25  witnesses immediately prior to the beginning of the

26  investigative interview. If a witness to a complaint is

27  incarcerated in a correctional facility and may be under the

28  supervision of, or have contact with, the officer under

29  investigation, only the names and written statements of the

30  complainant and nonincarcerated witnesses may be reviewed by

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1174
    33-640B-00




  1  the officer under investigation immediately prior to the

  2  beginning of the investigative interview.

  3         Section 3.  Section 112.534, Florida Statutes, is

  4  amended to read:

  5         112.534  Failure to comply.--

  6         (1)  If any law enforcement agency or correctional

  7  agency fails to comply with the requirements of this part, a

  8  law enforcement officer or correctional officer employed by or

  9  appointed to such agency who is personally injured by such

10  failure to comply may apply directly to the circuit court of

11  the county wherein such agency is headquartered and

12  permanently resides for an injunction to restrain and enjoin

13  such violation of the provisions of this part and to compel

14  the performance of the duties imposed by this part.

15         (2)  Any person who deliberately, with corrupt intent,

16  as that term is defined in s. 839.25(2), violates any

17  provision of this part is guilty of a noncriminal infraction,

18  punishable by a fine of not less than $500.

19         (3)  A court shall award attorney's fees to the

20  prevailing party in any action filed under this part.

21         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

22  law.

23

24            *****************************************

25                          SENATE SUMMARY

26    Provides that provisions that specify the rights and
      privileges of law enforcement officers do not limit the
27    right of an agency to discipline or pursue criminal
      charges against an officer. Allows an officer against
28    whom a complaint has been filed to review all oral and
      written statements made by or on behalf of the
29    complainant. Provides a penalty for failure to comply
      with part VI of chapter 112. Provides for the award of
30    attorney's fees in actions filed under that part.

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