One department that has taken a creative, cost-effective approach to digital imaging is the Polk County Sheriffs Office in central Florida. Located in the geographical center of the State of Florida on Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando, Polk County encompasses approximately 2,000 square miles of urban, rural and industrial land. Many of its 475,000 residents work in the area’'s two major industries - phosphate mining and agriculture.
Like other parts of the United States, Polk County has seen a significant increase in gang violence in recent years. In fact, it is home to more than 30 criminal street gangs, many of which are connected to larger, nationally prominent gangs.
According to Detective Scott Lawson, head of the Polk County Sheriff’'s Office Gang Suppression Team, “Over the past five years, we’'ve seen a 100 percent increase in the number of gang-related crimes reported.”
“This rapid growth can be attributed to several factors including: rising gang membership; law enforcement’'s ability to gather better-quality gang intelligence; increased reporting of gang crime; and increased community awareness.”
“And while gang-related crimes - homicide, drive-by shootings, weapons violations, drug trafficking, burglary, auto theft and assaults - account for only 5 percent of the total crimes committed, gangs are the fastest growing criminal segment we face.”
Polk County’'s location between Tampa and Orlando places it directly in the path of gangs expanding their territories beyond the city limits. Folk Nation, People Nation, Norte, Sureno, Crip and Blood gang sets, as well as local, independent gangs, operate within the boundaries of the county.
“Every gang and gang set has its own distinctive culture, symbols, language and style of dress, and instant photography is the only practical way to gather detailed intelligence like this analysis,” says Lawson.
Multiple Applications
The tools frequently used in the fight against gang violence in Polk County are Polaroid instant and digital imaging technologies.
The foundation of Detective Lawson’'s imaging arsenal are Spectra camera kits and Polaroid PhotoPad scanners. In the field, sheriff’'s deputies use the Spectra kits in a variety of applications--field booking photos; suspect photo arrays for witness identification; graffiti documentation; tattoos; vehicle identification; recording of confiscated weapons; documentation of gang paraphernalia; and group photos of known and suspected gang members congregating together.
Asserts Lawson, “In gang culture, everything about a member’'s appearance is intended to affirm their loyalty to the gang. The symbols on their tattoos, clothing color, the tilt of a hat brim, even the way they tie their shoes points to their relationships to the gang. It says ''I belong.’' So we photograph as much detail as possible.”
Other applications for the Spectra kit include: copying suspect documents such as driver’'s licenses, identification cards and gang paraphernalia, including gang “business cards” which include gang-specific symbols and confirm that the cardholder is a gang member.
Deputies frequently use the Spectra to obtain “twofers” -- taking two photographs of a gang suspect, keeping one and giving the other to the suspect in exchange for their cooperation. Using the Spectra copystand attachment, officers copy these photos and distribute them to officers for future reference.
They also incorporate the images into B.O.L.O. (Be On LookOut) sheets for distribution to other agencies. The photos are also used in the courtroom to prove gang affiliation.
Scanner Solutions
Even the best evidence photos and information have only modest value unless shared among other law enforcement agencies.
To make gang intelligence information available throughout the state, the Polk County Sheriff’'s office enters all gang suspect photographs and information into two networked gang information databases - the Regional Apprehension Program (RAP) and Computer Assisted Gang Enforcement (CAGE) - as well as a stand-alone, Lotus Notes-based system.
Information on these systems is available to all members of the Tampa Bay Multi-Agency Task Force, and all municipal agencies in Polk County.
“With networked databases in place, my greatest challenge was to identify a cost-effective way to get quality images into the system,” recalls Lawson.
“We had considered digital cameras. But the cost was prohibitive, and the low to mid-priced digital systems did not meet the image quality requirements.
“When (Polaroid Pro Tech representative) Kim Jones suggested I combine my existing capture devices -- Spectra cameras -- with a digital scanner, I realized I could employ the benefits of instant photography -- immediacy, ease-of-use -- and still obtain quality digital image files when needed.”
Detective Lawson also uses Polaroid Instant 35mm film and processors. “In anticipation of a briefing session or courtroom presentation, I’'ll often load my 35mm camera with Polaroid instant slide film and go to a crime scene to photograph suspects, graffiti, and other evidence. This allows me to make impactful presentations to fellow officers, a jury or the news media instantly.”
Concludes Lawson, “The Polk County Gang Suppression Unit relies on instant photography every day. Its immediacy is well matched to the high-pressure, time-sensitive nature of our job. It has a characteristic versatility not found with other imaging technologies, and it works well with scanning technology.”
For more information on Polaroid Cameras and Film for law enforcement, please visit www.polaroid.com
