Frequently Asked Questions
1.What is accreditation and what does it do for the Police Department?
2. When can I pick up a copy of a police report?
3. If the property I found and turned into the police department is not claimed, can I have it?
6. How do I file a complaint about a police department employee?
7. How do I get information about the Alarm Ordinance?
8. What programs or services does the Police Department offer that would benefit my family or me?
1.What is accreditation and what does it do for the Police Department?
Accreditation lists standards that the agency must meet to qualify for accreditation. These standards tell an agency what it should do, how to do it is up to the agency. The standards cover 6 major topic areas:
1. Relationships with other agencies.
2. Organization and administration.
3. Personnel administration.
4.
Law enforcement operations.
5. Prisoner and court related services.
6.
Technical services.
2. When can I pick up a copy of a police report?
POLICE RECORDS AND REPORTS
Police reports are public records except as otherwise made exempt or
confidential by statutory authority. Every citizen is permitted to obtain or
examine nonexempt or non-confidential police reports. A person who comes into
possession of exempt or confidential information contained in police or crash
reports may not use that information for any commercial solicitation of the
victims or relatives of the victims of the reported crimes or crashes and may
not knowingly disclose such information to any third party for the purpose of
such solicitation during the period of time that information remains exempt or
confidential. (For a generalized listing of exempt and/or confidential police
records, refer to Florida Statute 119.071).
TRAFFIC CRASH REPORTS
Florida Statutes 316.066(3)(a-e), "Written reports of crashes", governs the
completion and subsequent distribution of traffic crash reports. Traffic crash
reports are exempt from public disclosure for a period of 60 days after the date
the report is filed. Dissemination is permitted during the 60 day exemption
period for parties involved in the crash and other specific individuals and
entities as outlined in the statute upon presentation of identification. This
statute also provides criminal penalties (third degree felony) for the unlawful
disclosure of confidential personal information and for unlawfully obtaining or
attempting to obtain confidential personal information via crash reports.
Nonexempt Police and crash reports are available approximately 5-7 business days
after the date of incident.
You may email the Police Department Records Unit at
pdrecords@margatefl.com to initiate
a request for a copy of a nonexempt police or crash report.
Report pick-up hours are 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. Monday through Thursday, excluding
legal holidays.
Fees: $ .15 single sided copy, per page
$ .20 double sided copy
$1.00 per page certified true copies
Other fees may apply as prescribed by statute for nonexempt photos and other
miscellaneous type records.
Faxing of nonexempt police records may be done only in exigent situations.
Please contact the Records Unit telephonically to coordinate this type request.
ALARM PERMIT INITIAL APPLICATION AND FINE PAYMENT
The initial alarm permit fee for an unregistered security alarm system is
$25.00. This fee represents a one time fee that is valid as long as the
residence or business does not change ownership or control. Alarm permit
applications may be obtained in person at the main police department, the
Neighborhood Policing Office (located at 311 South State Road 7) or via download
from the Alarm Ordinance tab on the police department homepage.
Alarm violation fines are accepted via mail or in person at the Records Unit.
Equipment Repair Violations
Equipment repair verifications for vehicles cited
for equipment violations, payment of parking fees and other related requests for
nonexempt records may be obtained from the Records Unit during normal business
hours.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT OFFER FINGERPRINTING
SERVICES.
3. If the property I found and turned into the police department is not claimed, can I have it?
Yes. First the person who found the property must post a $30.00 fee with the department within 30 days of the date the property was found. If it has not been claimed after 90 days, the property can be turned over to the person who found it.
4. What is needed to claim property which was stolen from me and was recovered by the police department?
All that is needed is a copy of the police report listing the stolen property and some form of picture identification that identifies you as the person who made the report.
5. Why does the police department sometimes hold a person’s property when someone responsible for stealing it is arrested?
It is sometimes necessary to hold property as evidence in case it is needed at trial. We try to photograph property whenever possible and return it to the owner.
6. How do I file a complaint about a police department employee?
You can call the police department and ask to speak to a supervisor. A Personnel Complaint Report will be filled out by the supervisor, or will be mailed to you to fill out. A copy of the complaint will be mailed to you. If possible, you can come to the police department and fill it out yourself. You will be given a copy of the complaint. You will be notified of the results of the complaint investigation. In most cases complaints are investigated by the officer’s or employee’s supervisor. Serious complaints are assigned to the Professional Standards Division.
7. How do I get information about the Alarm Ordinance?
The purpose of the Alarm Ordinance is to encourage security alarm users and alarm businesses to maintain the operational reliability and the proper use of alarm systems thereby limiting unnecessary police emergency responses to false alarms/alarm malfunctions.
Alarm ordinance applications and information packets can be picked up at three locations: the Police Department at 5790 Margate Blvd., Public Works, 101 Rock Island Rd. and the Neighborhood Policing Division at 311 South State Road 7. The information packets contain what you need to know about getting a permit, the one time fee of $25.00, the $100.00 assessment for anyone operating a non- permitted alarm system, alarm system operation and maintenance, false alarm notifications and fine schedule, and revocation or loss of the alarm permit.