Browsing by Subject "Evidence, criminal"
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Item Educational Needs for Investigating and Prosecuting Environmental Crimes(Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT), 2017) Johnsto, RandallIn the state of Texas, formal training for police officers or prosecutors in the field of environmental enforcement is not provided or required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) or law schools. The training in investigating and prosecuting of these crimes would prove to be an invaluable asset to all agencies and communities in Texas. The need for this type of initial training, along with the required training, would be minimal and would provide awareness of violations, benefits for the community, and safety above all. The cases investigated would include air pollution, illegal dumping, water pollution, and environmental hazards. Communities, both large and small, across Texas have an educated, active environmental enforcement staff and have proven to provide a more safe and valuable place to reside. The education for all practical purposes should be completed in each of the professionals’ initial training academy or college degree plan; however in-service training for veteran officers or prosecutors could be obtained as well. The first statement most administrators and managers across Texas make is about the cost for undertaking this type of education process, rightfully so. The answer is that most of the time, the education is free. There are many resources, such as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the departments regional Council of Governments (COG), and Keeping Texas Beautiful (KTB) that will come to a department and teach the course, and provide books, training materials, and guides to assist in investigating and prosecuting these crimes. Many other resources are available to aid in this process, and the benefit to the community is endless.Item The Property Room: The Department’s Black Hole(Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT), 2016) Wright, WilliamPolice property rooms are still being ignored and not given the attention that is needed to properly store and maintain these areas of the police department. Without the needed attention, this area of the police department could come back and haunt the chief and the workers in the property room. If property is not available for court, the case could be lost. If property is missing, someone could get indicted. A Dallas Police Department detective stated that “evidence for several of his cases could not be found and the cases fell apart. Ballistic evidence in an unsolved homicide investigation has gone missing” (Eiserer, 2007, p. 28). Police departments must have an officer for the disposal of property in their property room to correctly maintain and document that properties disposal. This paper looks at whether departments can afford to have an officer in their property room, itwill look at city court orders, county/district court orders, and non-disposable, long term storage items. These steps need to be taken in all police departments that maintaina property room anywhere in the country.