| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to youth custody officers; amending s. |
| 3 | 985.2075, F.S.; authorizing a youth custody officer to |
| 4 | take a youth into custody if the officer has probable |
| 5 | cause to believe that the youth has escaped from a |
| 6 | facility operated by or under contract with the Department |
| 7 | of Juvenile Justice or has absconded from the supervision |
| 8 | of the department; authorizing the youth custody officer |
| 9 | to file certain criminal charges and gather evidence for |
| 10 | court; revising a provision concerning an officer |
| 11 | informing local law enforcement agencies of his or her |
| 12 | activities; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. Section 985.2075, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 17 | to read: |
| 18 | 985.2075 Youth custody officer.-- |
| 19 | (1) There is created within the department of Juvenile |
| 20 | Justice the position of youth custody officer. The primary |
| 21 | duties of each youth custody officer shall be to take youth into |
| 22 | custody if the officer has probable cause to believe that the |
| 23 | youth has violated the conditions of probation, home detention, |
| 24 | conditional release, or postcommitment probation, or has failed |
| 25 | to appear in court after being properly noticed. The authority |
| 26 | of the youth custody officer to take youth into custody is |
| 27 | specifically limited to this purpose. |
| 28 | (2) A youth custody officer who, while in the performance |
| 29 | of his or her duties, takes a youth into custody for any reason |
| 30 | specified in subsection (1) and has probable cause to believe |
| 31 | that the youth has committed violations of criminal law, may |
| 32 | file the appropriate criminal charges and gather evidence for |
| 33 | prosecution. Each youth custody officer is subject to and shall |
| 34 | have the same arrest and other authority provided for law |
| 35 | enforcement officers generally in chapter 901, including s. |
| 36 | 901.15, and shall have statewide jurisdiction. Such officers |
| 37 | have full law enforcement powers granted to other peace officers |
| 38 | of this state, including the authority to make arrests, carry |
| 39 | firearms, serve court process, and seize contraband and the |
| 40 | proceeds of illegal activities. |
| 41 | (3)(2) A youth custody officer must meet the minimum |
| 42 | qualifications for employment or appointment, be certified under |
| 43 | chapter 943, and comply with the requirements for continued |
| 44 | employment required by s. 943.135. The department of Juvenile |
| 45 | Justice must comply with the responsibilities provided for an |
| 46 | employing agency under s. 943.133 for each youth custody |
| 47 | officer. |
| 48 | (4)(3) A youth custody officer should shall inform |
| 49 | appropriate local law enforcement agencies of his or her |
| 50 | activities under this section. |
| 51 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. |