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The officers I
dealt with really went "above and beyond." How do I thank them?
Our department always takes pride in the good job that our
officers do. We like to hear when you feel that an officer or
officers went above and beyond. The best person to let know
about this, is the Chief of Police G. Matthew Immler. You can
e-mail him by clicking here or you can send a letter
to the
following location:
G. Matthew Immler; Chief of Police
c/o The Boynton Beach Police Department
100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435
I am displeased with an experience with your organization, and I
would like to complain. How do I go about this?
We at the Boynton Beach Police Department take great pride in
the performance of our duties and the manner in which we serve
our community. Prior to employment, our personnel are thoroughly
evaluated for their judgment and interpersonal skills. Each
employee's background is carefully scrutinized to ensure that
there are no patterns of irresponsible, unethical, or dishonest
behavior. Less than 10% of applicants are selected for
employment as a result of this high standard.
On occasion; however, a member of our organization may represent
themselves in a manner inconsistent with the spirit of our
mission. When this occurs, the department takes these matters
seriously. All complaints about the behavior of departmental
personnel must be placed in writing by a named complainant.
There is a standardized complaint form which must be filled out
and submitted to a supervisor within the department (Rank of
Sergeant or above).
The police department is located at:
100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435
When can I report someone missing?
Contrary to popular belief, there is no 24-hour rule to report
someone missing. If you know about a child who is lost, contact
us for assistance immediately. If you feel as though there is
foul play, let us know that as well. While waiting for us to
arrive, immediately check the areas that pose the greatest
hazard to the child (i.e.: pool, lake, street...etc.) Try to
remain calm and focused on your objective. We will be there to
assist you with as many resources as possible with the greatest
priority.
If an adult is missing, there is different protocol. It is not
illegal for an adult to be missing in and of itself. There must
be some outside circumstance for us to aid in the investigation.
For instance, if there is any indication of foul play, we will
take the case. If the adult is believed to be endangered (i.e.:
suicidal, on medication and without access to it, mentally
incapacitated to some degree) then we will assist in locating
the person and they will meet the criterion to be entered into
the state and national computer systems as missing/endangered.
What can I do to help fight crime in my community?
There are many things that you can do to help fight crime in our
community. The first thing is to call us when you see something
unusual. With as many people as we have in the city at any
particular time, there are a lot of eyes seeing a lot of
activity. Some of this activity is suspicious in nature, if not
criminal. If you don't call, we stand a significantly reduced
chance of catching the person(s) responsible for committing the
crime. You could also contact us about developing a community
watch program. If you would like to contact the officers in
charge of developing this program,
click here.
What should I do when I hear an alarm going off?
Give us a call. (561.742.6035) While a majority of alarms are
false, we can never assume that an alarm is false. Nor, should
you.
Can I call 911 from a payphone?
If the phone is functioning properly, yes and without a fee.
I think that someone is being abused at my neighbor's house.
Should I get involved?
There is no reason for you not to get involved. You can remain
anonymous if you are concerned about "going on record." Imagine
for a minute that one morning you wake up and see crime scene
tape across the front door of your neighbor's house... you
suspected a problem, but didn't want to get involved... How
would that make you feel? Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
crimes generally increase in intensity, and all too often these
cases progress into someone getting killed. Make the
call: someone's life might be depending on it.
What is the difference between an assault and a battery?
An "assault" is an intentional, unlawful threat by word
or act to do violence to another person, coupled with an
apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a
well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is
imminent.
Compared to:
A person commits the crime of "battery" if they
actually and intentionally touch or strike another person
against their will; or if they intentionally cause bodily harm
to another.
So to summarize, no physical contact occurs with an assault, but
with a battery it does.
What is the difference between a robbery and a burglary?
"Robbery" means the taking of money or other property
which may be the subject of larceny from the person or custody
of another, with intent to either permanently or temporarily
deprive the person or the owner of the money or other property,
when in the course of the taking, there is the use of force,
violence, assault, or putting in fear.
Compared to:
Essentially, "Burglary" means entering or remaining in
a dwelling, a structure, or a conveyance with the intent to
commit an offense therein, unless the premises are at the time
open to the public or the defendant is licensed or invited to
enter or remain.
To summarize, "Robbery" is a crime against a person.
You rob a person of their property by putting them in fear or
using force against them. Burglary, on the other hand, is a
property crime. You burglarize a car, house or barn. You can not
put a car in fear or use force against it to obtain property,
therefore, you cannot "rob" a car.
The police took property from me. Where and how do I retrieve
it?
You should have a receipt for the property. These cases vary
with the unique circumstances surrounding each incident. If you
call 561.742.6100 and ask to speak to the property custodian,
they may have information to assist you.
Is it legal for me to carry pepper spray?
In most cases, yes. The kind that you buy off the counter from
your local drug store is legal. The key chain type is a
dispenser that is convenient and practical. You should take a
course in the effective administration of O.C. prior to carrying
it. Usually, the O.C. contains dye that is designed for a
civilian to carry. Check the bottle and make sure that it does
not warn: For Law Enforcement Use
Only. If it does, do not carry the product.
Florida Law does allow you to openly carry, for self defense
purposes, a chemical control agent such as pepper spray. There
are limitations however, which can be located in Florida State
Statutes Chapter 790. You should read and understand the
restrictions and responsibilities prior to carrying any weapon.
Can I shoot someone who breaks into my house?
Florida State Statute 776.031 Use of force in defense of
others. -- A person is justified in the use of force,
except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that
the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to
prevent or terminate such other's trespass on, or other tortious
or criminal interference with, either real property other than a
dwelling or personal property, lawfully in his or her possession
or in the possession of another who is a member of his or her
immediate family or household or of a person whose property he
or she has a legal duty to protect. However, the
person is justified in the use of deadly force only if he or she
reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent the
imminent commission of a forcible felony.
Translation: you can not use deadly
force to protect property. You can only use it to protect
someone from the imminent threat of a forcible felony (i.e.:
murder, kidnapping...etc.) The law says that a citizen has a
duty to retreat. Your best course of action, if you are not in a
position to protect vulnerable members of your family who are in
imminent danger of a forcible felony, is to get out of the house
and call police.
Prior to acting on this information,
ensure that you are up to date in the current law.
How do I get a copy of a police report?
Our records department is open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. There is a nominal fee for
reports provided from public records requests. If you wish to
request the report by mail, send written request, with $2.00 per
report, together with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You
can send a personal check or cash. Please include a phone number
where you can be reached during business hours in case there is
a question, problem or need for additional information. The
requests are normally processed within 7-10 business days from
receipt.
What should I do if I find a gun?
Allow circumstances in your environment to dictate your actions
here. It would be beneficial to a criminal investigation if the
weapon was left undisturbed. Public safety is our number one
concern in this situation. Under no circumstances should you, as
an adult, leave a weapon unattended; doing so may subject you to
criminal liability. If at all possible, maintain close visual
contact with the firearm and summon our assistance.
What do I do if I've received a bad check?
File a criminal complaint taking the following steps:
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For checks marked "N.S.F." or
"Insufficient Funds" you must first send the
"Notice of Dishonored Check" (form may be picked up at
our office) to the person who signed the check at the
address which appears on the check and then wait 7 days from
the date received before filing your complaint with our
office. If the check writer does not accept the notice,
bring it (unopened) with you when you file your complaint.
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For checks stamped "Account
Closed," you do not have to send the letter or wait the
7 days. Go to Step 4.
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For checks returned for any other
reason, contact our office at 561.742.6100
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Fill in the Criminal Complaint for
Worthless Check completely. Have the person who took the
check from the writer fill in and sign the second page of
the complaint form. This signature must be notarized.
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Bring with you the original checks,
completed forms, 7 days notice (if applicable) and any other
papers that will help explain or document your case.
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General
Questions