House Bill 0937

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 937

        By Representative Posey






  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 nothing in the section

  5         relating to the rights and privileges of law

  6         enforcement and correctional officers shall

  7         limit the right of a law enforcement or

  8         correctional agency to discipline or pursue

  9         criminal charges against an officer; amending

10         s. 112.533, F.S.; revising provisions with

11         respect to the receipt and processing of

12         complaints; amending s. 112.534, F.S.;

13         providing a penalty for failure to comply with

14         pt. VI of ch. 112, F.S.; providing a

15         definition; providing an effective date.

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

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

20  section 112.532, Florida Statutes, to read:

21         112.532  Law enforcement officers' and correctional

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

23  correctional officers employed by or appointed to a law

24  enforcement agency or a correctional agency shall have the

25  following rights and privileges:

26         (1)  RIGHTS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND

27  CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION.--Whenever a

28  law enforcement officer or correctional officer is under

29  investigation and subject to interrogation by members of his

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

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 937

    532-239-00






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

  2  conducted under the following conditions:

  3         (j)  Notwithstanding the rights and privileges provided

  4  by this part, nothing in this part shall limit the right of an

  5  agency to discipline or pursue criminal charges against a law

  6  enforcement officer or correctional officer.

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

  8  112.533, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  9         112.533  Receipt and processing of complaints.--

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

11  officer or correctional officer with a law enforcement agency

12  or correctional agency and all information obtained pursuant

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

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

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

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

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

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

19         1.  Concluded the investigation with a finding not to

20  proceed with disciplinary action or to file charges; or

21         2.  Concluded the investigation with a finding to

22  proceed with disciplinary action or to file charges.

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24  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the officer who is

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

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

27  witnesses immediately prior to the beginning of the

28  investigative interview. If a witness to a complaint is

29  incarcerated in a correctional facility and may be under the

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

31  investigation, only the names and written statements of the

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 937

    532-239-00






  1  complainant and nonincarcerated witnesses may be reviewed by

  2  the officer under investigation immediately prior to the

  3  beginning of the investigative interview.

  4         Section 3.  Section 112.534, Florida Statutes, is

  5  amended to read:

  6         112.534  Failure to comply.--

  7         (1)  If any law enforcement agency or correctional

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

  9  law enforcement officer or correctional officer employed by or

10  appointed to such agency who is personally injured by such

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

12  the county wherein such agency is headquartered and

13  permanently resides for an injunction to restrain and enjoin

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

15  the performance of the duties imposed by this part.

16         (2)(a)  Any person who deliberately, with corrupt

17  intent, violates any of the provisions of this part is guilty

18  of a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a fine not

19  exceeding $500. A court shall award attorney fees to the

20  prevailing party.

21         (b)  "Corrupt" means the term as defined in s.

22  839.25(2), which addresses official misconduct by public

23  officers and employees.

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

25  law.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                 HB 937

    532-239-00






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  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Revises provisions of law governing rights to law
  4    enforcement and correctional officers to:

  5         1.  Provide that such powers shall not limit the
      right of a law enforcement or correctional agency to
  6    discipline or pursue criminal charges against an officer.
           2.  Revise described provisions with respect to the
  7    processing of complaints.
           3.  Provide that a person who violates Part VI of
  8    chapter 112, F.S., is guilty of a noncriminal infraction,
      punishable by a fine not to exceed $500.
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10    See bill for details.

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