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Home My WebLink AboutPSCC 012018 MinutesPUBLIC SAFETV COORDINATING COUNCIL Minutes of Meeting Jan. 25, 2018 Convened: 3:43 p.m. Adjourned* 3:59 P.M. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Cathy Townsend called the meeting to order at 3:43 P.M. in Conference Rm 3 2300 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken. Members Presents Members Excuseds Others Presents Commissioner Cathy Townsend, BOCC Chief Judge Elizabeth Metzger,l9' Circuit Diamond Litty, Public Defender Philip J. Vacucci, 191h Circuit Lisa Tantillo for Suzanne Caudell, CORE Program Milne Davis, Florida Department of Correction John Romano, New Horizons Mitch Hilburn for Janet Collins, SLC Bail Bonds Major Pat Tighe, SLSO Bruce Colton, State Attorney Ken Mascara, Sheriff of SLC Roy P. Hudson, SLC Atty/CID Broderick Underwood, Atty/CID William Lawhorn, SLSO Trevor Morganti, SL SO Chris Cicio, SL SO Ivelisse Chico -Randazzo, SLC Atty/CID Robert Worcester, 5LC Atty/CJD Allison Duffy, 5LC Atty/CJD APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes from Oct. 26, 2017 were unanimously approved. Public Safety Coordinating Council Jan. 25, 2018 Page 2 UPDATE by SLC Sherriff's Office- Major Tighe on behalf of Sheriff Mascaras Major Tighe reported the current population to be 1224 and the average daily population at 1229. Major Tighe introduced newly promoted Captain Cicio who is over courthouse security along with the Major. Two articles were brought and briefly summarized by Major Tighe: "To Reduce Recidivism, New York City Tries a Bold New Approach and "Record number of inmates died in Florida prisons last year. And they died younger than past years" (see attached). Major Tighe referenced the Forensic Treatment Center articles in the news regarding Martin County and how it does effect the bottom line in St. Lucie County too for a number of issues. He mentioned that the circuit court judges can send these mentally ill patients to treatment centers in South or North Florida as well as Martin. Some issues he mentioned is that the centers are under staffed and patients have maimed employees and patients come out worse rather than brought back to competency and somehow the jail is blamed for that. Also it does not work with the treatment center being able to charge the patients with violent attacks with the States Attorney's Office. Martin County's 911 center has also been taxed by the number of calls from the treatment center for help. Major Tighe's point was that Martin's staff out numbers the inmates they house and it was stated in the paper they are dangerously understaffed while ST. Lucie's jail staff compares at 353 with an average daily population of 1229. He remarked that it is amazing St. Lucie does not have headlines like Marin, especially with them only having 200 compared to our 400 mentally ill jail population, not to mention the other inmates housed. Major Tighe announced the changing over of one jail management system to another starting February 11th and there may be a possibility of not being able to get on the system to use the public website and jail view during the brief transition, the Clerk and St. Attorney's office won't get downloads, but paper notification will be sent to all affected. UPDATE by Criminal Justice Coordinator -Roy Hudson Mr. Hudson announced accomplishments achieved over the past year for both Pretrial and Drug Screening Lab. Pretrial provided services not only for St. Lucie County, but Okeechobee as well, supervising 840 defendants. Between both Pretrial and Okeechobee operations over $6,376,000 in bed days were saved or 73,163 bed days. Field visits made to monitor defendants were 3,792. The St. Lucie County Drug Lab ran over 26,000 tests and the Okeechobee location conducted over 5,700. Following that report, Roy provided a brief update on a meeting Judge Metzger called for the 1911 judicial circuit regarding Pretrial services. The Martin County Sheriffs Office contacted Mr. Hudson interested in hearing more about the program and a meeting was set up to have a discussion. His report was concluded by mentioning if Martin County comes on board it would only leave Indian River County without a Pretrial Program within the 19th circuit. Public Safety Coordinating Council Jan. 250 2018 Page 3 JUDICIAL UPDATE by Chief Judge Metzgers The assignments came out and Judge McCann moved out of the Felony Division and is now in Juvenile, Judge Vaughn back from Okeechobee on the coast in the Felony Division and Judge Heisey is now in Okeechobee County. Good news reported for Okeechobee recently held its first Mental Health Court and will now have that on going. OLD BUSINESS- None NEW BUSINESS- Court Administration approached Mr. Hudson about having a South County Drug Testing Lab. A study was conducted and 63% of our clients live south of Midway Road. The BOCC approved a Drug Testing Lab as a pilot program part-time at first. The Lab is located on Lyngate and US 1 Suite 105 and the target date is hopefully within six months, two part-timers will have to be hired and a buildout has to be done. The Lab will be sharing the building with the new Care Here Employee Health Center that will be opening soon as well seven days a week. We are happy to have that in the works. Comments — Mr. Romano added that New Horizons have been holding Opioid Task Force Meetings. He asked Commission Townsend if two women who run a program for Medicare Assistance Treatment Program (MAT) to give a presentation at the next meeting. MAT if for chronic substance users to inform this group and circuit on what is and has been happening. ADJOURNMENTS Commissioner Townsend adjourned the meeting at 3:59 p.m. Submitted by, Carlene Busse THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD April 26, 2018