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I have a silmilar quetsion rgarding lasers. What are the procedures that must be followed to properly certify officers and what procedures an officer must follow before they can use the laser. Also What certification(s)/classes an officer must attend before using a laser and what procedures the officer must follow pursuant to Florida statutes/codes before the officer can use the laser.
Hi Michael..
Well here are a few things you need to look up:
316.1906. Radar speed-measuring devices; evidence, admissibility.
(e) “Radar” means law enforcement speed radar, any laser-based or microwave-based speed-measurement system employed by a law enforcement agency to detect the speed of motorists.
(2) Evidence of the speed of a vehicle measured by any radar speed-measuring device shall be inadmissible in any proceeding with respect to an alleged violation of provisions of law regulating the lawful speed of vehicles, unless such evidence of speed is obtained by an officer who:
(a) Has satisfactorily completed the radar training course established by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission pursuant to s. 943.17(1)(b).
That law governs the RADAR/LASERS in Florida. The "course" they talk about is one that was designed and developed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. This course was just updated last year, and it was designed to teach both RADAR and LASER in the same course. The course is 40 contact hours long and consist of both classroom lecture and practical exercises. The officer must also make and have recorded a certain number of visual speed estimates and be accurate plus or minus 5 miles an hour on average.
Officers must correctly set up, test and operate the units (both RADAR and LASER), then pick proper locations to run RADAR / LASER taking certain things into consideration. Then they have to operate it, and make the speed estimates.
If you have any further questions, just let me know.
Be well.. and safe...
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Answers by Expert:
Chris Wagoner
Expertise
I have been a police officer for 30+ years! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet and web page I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop (police Officer) in Florida?", which is free, Google it.. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!! If its a question about becoming a police officer, it may be answered here: http://sites.google.com/site/flaleohelp/ My "hobby" website - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487 Military Videos on YouTube and Facebook!!
Experience
I am a 30+ year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others and training all over the world. I have trained over 5000 officers worldwide in the last 16 years of training.
Publications
I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. Also have written and published on the Internet, "So You Want to be a Cop (Police Officer) in Florida?" you can Google it..
Education/Credentials
I have 2 degrees, in Criminal Justice.
Awards and Honors
Phi Theta Kappa, plus 50+ Departmental Awards over the years. FBI Directors award for assisting in a Nationwide investigation into Child pornography.
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