What is a Crime Commission?
Crime
commissions can fit a variety of different descriptions. Some are independent
bodies, privately funded by civic-minded corporate and business leaders. Others are affiliated with the government and
perform a variety of functions. The main
types of crime commissions (and most prominent) are citizens’ crime
commissions. Governmental crime
commissions encompass survey commissions, state crime commissions, truth
commissions, and presidential crime commissions.
A
Crime Commission’s primary purpose is to study, report and make recommendations
in all areas of public safety and protection. With an expressed interest in
continually improving the Criminal Justice System, one of the main edicts of a
Crime Commission is to preserve the integrity of the governmental process, so
that law enforcement is best and fully equipped to better protect the citizenry
and community.
Most
of the time this includes:
1. Public Security;
2. Business Intelligence Policing;
3. Human Resource Initiatives;
4. Police Science & Technology;
5. Inter-Agency Cooperation;
6. Law Enforcement Finance & Economics
Two
of the first and still active Crime Commissions that evolved in the country
were founded in Chicago and New York.
What is the Broward County
Crime Commission?
The
Broward County Crime Commission is a 36 year old state chartered office, acting
judiciously on behalf of law – abiding citizens in maintaining an unwavering
vigilance against crime and corruption in the community. Founded in 1976 as an independent, fact
– finding agency, the Crime Commission has distinguished itself as a laureate
governing body, which works diligently to improve the Criminal Justice System,
as well as strengthen and preserve the key components of Public Safety in
Broward County.
As
an advocate to the Law Enforcement Community, and in its pursuit to reduce
crime, the Broward County Crime Commission supports the major elements of the
Criminal Justice System and works in conjunction with local, state and federal
regulatory bodies, and law enforcement agencies, in its fiduciary role as a
Crime Commission.
What does the Broward County Crime
Commission do?
The Crime Commission’s primary
activities address current issues at hand, as well as ongoing concerns of
society, in order to protect the laws and public welfare of the populace. They include but are not limited to:
1. Hurricane
Contractor and Vendor Fraud
2. Identity
Theft Awareness and Prevention
3. Child
Predator Awareness
4. Counter
Terrorism Awareness
5. Public
Security
6. Police
Personnel Recruitment
7. Criminal
Justice Inter-Agency Think Tank Meetings
8. The
Broward County Crime Commission’s Best Practices Program
9. Law
Enforcement Economics and Finance
10. Criminal
Justice Research
11. Criminal Justice Training and Continuing
Education
12. Criminal Justice Academic Education
13. Criminal Justice Family Support Groups
14. Anti-Gang Initiatives
15. Child and Juvenile Advocacy Programs
16. Anti-Narcotic Programs: Drug Abuse and Illicit Narcotics Trafficking
17. The Broward County Crime Commission
Public Safety Technology Incubator
18. Criminal Justice Science and Technology
How is the Crime Commission
funded?
As
an independent body, the Broward County Crime Commission is not funded
with tax payer dollars. The Crime
Commission is funded by businesses, corporations, individuals, philanthropies, grants,
events, and effective implementation of certain programs of the
organization.
Are there other Crime Commissions
in the United States?
Yes. Including the Broward County Crime Commission,
there are approximately 21 Independent Crime Commissions across North America
spanning from Austin, Texas to Wichita, Kansas.
Chicago and New York are some of the earliest conceived entities.
On
the governmental side, there are approximately 17 crime commissions across the
country spanning from Anoka, Minnesota to Warren, Michigan.
Is
the Broward County Crime Commission a Governmental Law Enforcement Agency?
No. The Broward County Crime Commission is an independent entity, comprised of leading criminal justice officials, law enforcement administrators, private business owners, corporate executives, and community leaders whose express purpose is to assist the Criminal Justice system in its responsibility and endeavors to eliminate crime and corruption in the community, and to support all levels of public safety for our citizens.
The Broward
County Crime Commission has a unique mission and is a source of intelligence
and historical data that serves to enhance the work of governmental law
enforcement and regulatory bodies, including the traditional law enforcement
community.
Law enforcement
entities, such as the FBI, County Prosecutors ' Offices, Local Police, State Police and the state Attorney General's
Office, conduct criminal investigations designed to result in prosecution. The Broward
County Crime Commission, in its role as a Crime Commission, will conduct fact-finding
probes, and pass its findings onto the appropriate law enforcement and
regulatory body.
The Crime
Commission may make its results public even if no criminal prosecution is
contemplated. The Broward County Crime Commission is a complementary body and does
not interfere with the workings of other agencies.
In its exclusive propriety as a Crime Commission, the
Broward County Crime Commission does not encompass prosecutorial
functions. Instead, it introduces information of
potential criminality to the designated regulatory body
and applicable enforcement authority.
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