Sheriff s Advisory Council Duties and Responsibilities

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1 Purpose of ShAdCo The purpose of Sheriff s Advisory Council (ShAdCo) is to forge a partnership between the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office and the members of the community. This alliance will provide a structured opportunity for developing a mutual understanding and will encourage community input into the development and effectiveness of Crime Prevention programs and the reduction of the fear of crime in the community. This partnership will promote and practice the vision of a safe, secure, and involved community by fostering a community relations effort charged with educating the public about law enforcement issues. This will place special emphasis on the community s role and their responsibilities with respect to the prevention of crime. Additionally, the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office recognizes that we cannot fulfill our mission without community support involvement (2012). It is imperative that a dialogue characterized by mutual trust and open and honest communication is maintained between this agency and our community. The Goal of ShAdCo The goal of ShAdCo is to partner with citizens to help improve the quality of life in their community. (Sheriff John H. Rutherford Nov. 2003) To reach the goal of ShAdCo, each individual council group shall be made up of people who live or work in the appropriate JSO patrol sector being effected by crime of other articulable public safety concerns. Each group shall be educated appropriately on the way the agency carries out its functions to deliver police service, and empowered with the knowledge of Sheriff s Office policies, and procedures to better assist the JSO in crime prevention and other police services; Each group shall meet monthly and make recommendations and suggestions for solving their unique concerns. Page 1

2 Membership Each member of ShAdCo must live in or have a business interest in the JSO Patrol Zone and Sector in which they have ShAdCo membership. Membership is open to everyone in the community, except those who fail the screening process. Final approval of all members shall be made by the Zone Commander of the appropriate ShAdCo. The Sheriff at his discretion may allow special city wide or multi sector/zone membership. Screening and Selection of Members/Records Membership is open to the public; however, all applicants for membership shall be subject to a background check. The existence of a criminal record shall not be cause for automatic exclusion. Any criminal record will be brought to the attention of the Zone Assistant Chief and the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator. The Zone Assistant Chief and/or the Sheriff will have final word on exclusion. The ShAdCo membership data will be maintained by the appropriate zone. All original ShAdCo membership forms including records checks will be maintained by the appropriate zone. The Sheriff or his designee shall have the right to remove any ShAdCo member, when such action has been deemed in the best interest of the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office approved by Director of Patrol and Enforcement and by the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator. The letter to deny or remove must originate from the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator and be signed by the appropriate Zone Commander. The ShAdCo denied and removed member data base will be maintained by the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator. Page 2

3 Membership Identification Cards and Decals ShAdCo Photo Identification Cards and ShAdCo Decals are the property of the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office. ShAdCo ID Cards and decals shall only be issued to active members in good standing. ShAdCo ID Cards shall be worn at ShAdCo meetings & events and will identify the member as a Non-Law Enforcement Volunteer. ShAdCo members shall not wear their ShAdCo Identification cards any other time than at an authorized ShAdCo Event. All ShAdCo ID Photos will be photographed by the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator or the JSO Photo ID Unit by appointment only. Meeting Locations ShAdCo meeting shall be held at a convenient public place within the appropriate sector. The final approval of the meeting place shall rest with the appropriate Zone Commander. These locations could include Police Sub-stations, Public Libraries, Community Centers, Schools, Churches, Police Athletic League locations, etc. Frequency and Time of Meetings Each ShAdCo shall meet monthly at a time and date determined by the appropriate Zone Commander. Meetings will be regularly scheduled, with dates and times published well in advance. Quarterly Joint Zone ShAdCo meetings may be scheduled once in each of the first three (3) quarters of the year. The City-wide joint ShAdCo meeting where all ShAdCo come together for an annual meeting will take place in November of each year. It is recommended that there be no ShAdCo meeting in December. Meetings Each monthly ShAdCo meeting shall have a printed agenda (see Chair duties), outlining the discussion items for each meeting. Meetings will provide an opportunity for interaction between the Sheriff Office representatives, ShAdCo members, or other attending citizens. Discussion topics and special guest speakers should be selected in Page 3

4 response to the groups concerns and their interests to maximize participation. All topics and special guest speakers must be approved by the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief or his designee in advance of any meeting. The Zone Assistant Chief will have final approval of all topics and special guest speakers. Notes of each meeting will be taken and kept on file in the appropriate Zone. ShAdCo meetings or speakers are not forums for private corporations, or products. Meetings should generally take one hour to conduct and will follow Robert Rules of Order. Note: Only elected city officials may speak in their elected capacity at ShAdCo meetings. No person running for any political office may speak as a candidate at any ShAdCo meeting or event. Organizational Relationships Each Zone ShAdCo shall be directly under the authority of the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief. As an additional point of contact, each ShAdCo will work directly with the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator. The Zone Assistant Chief will determine what additional staff is needed at ShAdCo meetings, and will request resources from other areas of the Sheriff s Office as needed. Elections ShAdCo elections will be held each year during the month of October. The election will be for all ShAdCo Chair and Co-Chair positions. In September of each year, each ShAdCo shall establish an election committee, with one (1) member being chosen by the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief, one by the Chairperson, and on by the general membership, which shall seek nominations for the offices of Chair and Co-Chair. During the September meeting all nominations for office shall be received and approved by the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief. The election shall be during the October meeting. Page 4

5 Election process may be moved forward one month if no regularly scheduled meeting is being conducted that month if approved by the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief. Only current ShAdCo members in good standing (As determined by the Zone Assistant Chief) who have attended at least four (4) meetings in the previous twelve (12) months are eligible to run for office or vote. Only members who attend the election meeting will be able to vote. There will be no absentee ballots. Write-in candidates not listed by the Election Committee will be accepted and will be handwritten on the ballot at the meeting and counted. The Zone Assistant Chief or his designee will select a Ballot Committee to pass out and count the ballots. The ballots shall be simple paper ballot with all nominated candidates names listed in alphabetical order, with simple instructions to circle the name of the appropriate candidate. Write-in candidate s names will be added to the bottom of the ballot at the meeting in alphabetical order. Results will be given before the conclusion of the meeting, and anyone wishing to review the ballots to verify the results may do so immediately. The ballots will be destroyed the next day. Duties and Term of Service The Sheriff will recognize the new Chair(s) at the Annual (November) ShAdCo Meeting. The new ShAdCo Chairs/Co-Chairs will begin their new duties & take office for the January meeting. The term of office for the ShAdCo Chair and Co-Chair shall be one (1) year. Page 5

6 The Chair is responsible for: Sheriff s Advisory Council Chair 1. Presiding over, managing and maintaining order of the ShAdCo monthly meetings. 2. Supporting and attending ShAdCo events. 3. Coordinating with the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief and the ShAdCo/Community Affairs Coordinator in the planning of meetings, presentations and guest speakers. 4. Working with the ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator to ensure that all ShAdCo membership records are kept, and other community events are planned in accordance with agency goals. 5. Chair persons are encouraged in attending the JSO Citizen s Police Academy or participating in the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office Ride Along program. 6. Increasing and encouraging membership in the ShAdCo. 7. Ensuring communication is maintained between the ShAdCo and the Sheriff s Office. The Co-Chair - Assumes the duties and responsibilities of the Chair in his or her absence and assumes other duties and responsibilities assigned by the Chair. In the event that the Chair or Co-Chair is absent the appropriate Zone Assistant Chief or designee shall coordinate the meeting. Model Agenda Meetings should follow the below suggested agenda: 1. Promptly begin the meeting at the designated time. 2. The Chair calls the meeting to order Page 6

7 3. It is permissible if the group wants an opening prayer or moment of silence 4. Someone shall lead the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance 5. Introduction and Welcome 6. New officers or supervisors should be introduced to the group 7. Introduction of guest speaker/presentation 8. Speakers will be informed in advance out the time allotted to them 9. Review of current crime trends using a projector to display crime maps and other related material 10. Review of old business (Previous complainants and resolutions) 11. New business (Current complaints) 12. Open discussion (Briefly) 13. Closing 14. Meeting should be no more than one (1) hour 15. At anytime the appropriate Zone Commander or designee may take control of a ShAdCo meeting. ShAdCo Emblem or Likeness The Jacksonville Sheriff s Office shall have the sole right to authorize the use of the ShAdCo emblem or likeness. No alteration of or additions to the ShAdCo emblem, likeness or shirt without the authorization of the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office. The sale and use of the ShAdCo emblem or likeness shall be restricted to members of the Sheriff s Advisory Council who are registered and in good standing, according to the records of the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office. The Page 7

8 ShAdCo / Community Affairs Coordinator shall have the sole authority to authorize the use of the ShAdCo emblem or likeness. The ShAdCo shirt identifies members as a force for good in the community. The ShAdCo emblem, likeness or shirt shall be properly worn and can build good spirit in the community when worn on the correct occasions. At no time will any ShAdCo emblem or insignia be worn at a place or time that brings the good name of the Jacksonville Sheriff s Office in to disrepute or disgrace. Page 8