1. Dealing with Career Criminals ROP – Repeat Offender Program July 2009
Back to Basics
Dealing with Career Criminals ROP – Repeat Offender Program
July 2009
17 Slides
This course is approved by LVMPD training
Course content provided by: Detective D. Franc Repeat Offender Program

2. Why was this topic chosen?
Explain the importance and limitations of the Repeat Offender Program (ROP).
Familiarize department members with the criteria used to identify repeat offenders.
Emphasize the importance of quality investigations completed by patrol officers on a subject that qualifies as a repeat offender.
Provide helpful steps that can be taken into consideration during these investigations.

3. = = ROP Career criminal terms Career Criminal Repeat Offender Repeat
Program

4. Career criminal / repeat offender
Refuses to reform their criminal behavior.
Chooses to repeatedly prey on society.
Is expert at taking advantage of the criminal justice system, manipulating through programs to obtain…
- release from custody
- shortened sentences
- deferred punishment
with the intension of returning to predatory activities against others. …

5. Career criminal prosecution
Therefore
Career criminal prosecution teams
&
Aim to more effectively incarcerate repeat offenders.
Habitual
statutes
substantial
Sentences may range from 5-20 years in prison up to life without the possibility of parole.

6. ROP prosecution considerations
Due to substantial sentences:
Need to look beyond Probable Cause to a higher standard of Beyond a Reasonable Doubt.
Cases -
Receive far more scrutiny from Courts and Public Defenders
Must be trial ready, a.s.a.p.
Therefore, making it very important that NO corners are cut on ROP cases. Take a little extra time and do a very thorough job, because your initial investigation is vital to the case.

7. ROP prosecution considerations
Do not advise a suspect that he has been identified as a Repeat Offender.
Do not make any references to ROP status in any of your reports.
There is no such thing as a routine ROP arrest or ROP case.

8. Career criminal criteria goals
Show that a person had numerous opportunities to reform their behavior, and has consistently made the choice to continue their criminal behavior.
Thus, they established a consistent pattern of criminal behavior throughout their life.
Once a person has been convicted of a felony crime on three separate occasions, it is reasonable to conclude that they have chosen a certain criminal lifestyle that they are not likely to change.

9. Career criminal criteria
ROP has set standard criteria for those criminals that would qualify for prosecution under the program.
This criteria is deliberately stricter than what NRS mandates.
Defendant must have no less than three prior felony convictions, and
The three prior felony convictions:
must be in three separate years, and
must not be drug offenses (convictions for drug offenses may be present but must not be part of the qualifying three felony convictions) and
The new case
cannot be a narcotics offense
must have sufficient merit, and
must be trial worthy

10. Career criminal contact considerations
When officers are contacting career criminals either through FIs or arrests, it is important to be very thorough when providing subject information.
Repeat offenders move around very frequently. The more addresses and vehicles we have to look for, the better chance we have of locating them at a later date.

11. ROP procedures
When you come in contact with a subject that is flagged in SCOPE to FI and forward to ROP, in the narrative:
No need to mention that SCOPE said to FI.
Give an explanation of how you came in contact with the person.
List where subject says they are coming from.
List where subject says they are going to, all in as much detail as subject is willing to give.
If the subject is in a vehicle,
indicate if subject is the driver or passenger.

12. ROP interview question points
Ask questions about:
Who the vehicle belongs to.
List all associates that are with the subject.
- use full names and ID numbers or dates of birth.
How often subject drives the vehicle.
What other vehicles does the subject own or drive.
Where is the subject living.
Who lives there with them and how long they have lived there.
What other addresses the subject may stay at.
Ask about family and friends.
Ask about employment.
Identify all phone numbers that are connected to the subject.

13. ROP investigation
If at all possible, obtain a copy of any video and impound it into evidence. Make sure to list the name and contact number of the person you obtained the video from, and who if anyone was operating the camera.
If the suspect is on video, if he is identified by a victim, or if a clothing description is given during the crime, take pictures of the suspect at the scene and impound his clothing.
If a gun is located, and it is safe to do so, leave it in place. Call for ID and have them recover the gun.
Take individual pictures of all evidence prior to impounding, and download all pictures into DIMS. Good close up pictures of checks, credit cards and ID’s are essential. Note in the report that pictures were taken, and who took them.

14. ROP arrest report documentation
On property reports, make sure to complete a narrative saying exactly where each item was found and what the officers name is that found it. Try to avoid passing evidence between several officers. Chain of custody on evidence issues always are addressed in court. If the item passes through several hands, name each officer.
Never refer to officers as a generic term. (i.e. – officers observed the subject). Always name the officers and P#’s and specify exactly what they saw in reports.
When the subject is with other people when arrested, always name the other people. List their full names and ID numbers or dates of birth. Don’t write, conducted a vehicle stop, subject in the rear passenger seat was identified as John Doe. He was arrested on warrants. Give a good description of the vehicle, why you stopped it, and who the other people in the car were.
Read Miranda to suspects, and interview them about the crime. ROP targets often will talk to patrol more readily in the field because they think they can talk their way out of the situation. Always indicate in your report that Miranda was read, and if the person said they don’t want to talk or if they asked for an attorney.

15. Discussion Points
Field Interview cards are very valuable to all sections of the department. Here in ROP we DEPEND on them.
If you are arresting a career criminal, we can ensure that if you put a quality case together, the career criminal will receive harsh prosecution from the Major Violator’s Unit at the Clark County District Attorney’s Office.
If you receive credible information about a career criminal’s plan to commit criminal activity, please do not hesitate to contact us. With over 700 career criminals in the valley we value your assistance!

16. Contacting us
If you arrest or FI a person that is flagged as a ROP Target, or you know would qualify as a ROP Target. Please call During office hours the office staff will be glad to take down the suspect’s name, ID number, and the event number. If it is after hours please leave the information on the answering machine.
For further assistance feel free to contact any ROP Supervisor:
Dayshift / Admin – Sgt. Chris Leveque……
Swingshift / Surv. – Sgt. Jim Siwy………………
Section LT. – Ted Lee ……………………………

17. Course content provided by: Detective D. Franc Repeat Offender Program
End of Presentation
Back to Basics
completed
Dealing with Career Criminals ROP – Repeat Offender Program
July 2009
17 Slides
Course content provided by: Detective D. Franc Repeat Offender Program