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2002 News Clips Gateway |
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05/14 -
Pornography Arrest 05/14 - Drug Complaint Hotline 05/15 - FLPD Recruits in Haiti 05/15 - Murder for Hire 05/16 - Free VIN Etching and Club Giveaway 05/24 - One Stop Shop for Narc Complaints 05/22 - Great Detective Work |
Pornography Arrest
May 14, 2002
On Wednesday, May 8, 2002, Detective Richard Love of the Special Investigations Division assigned to the LEACH TASK FORCE (Law Enforcement Against Child Harm) on the Internet, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant for child pornography at the residence of Ronald Dufala, white male dob 10-18-50, 5101 Northeast 18 Ave, Apart. #6, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Inside the residence they located hundreds of pornography magazines from the late 60's and 70's and 8 millimeter movies depicting sexual acts. Typically these magazines would have come from Europe and in the pedophile world are considered collectors items. Dufala's computer and numerous diskettes were also seized. Dufala, a resident of that apartment for eighteen years, is facing Federal child pornography charges.
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Citizens Urged to Contact Fort Lauderdale Police Drug Complaint Hotline For Even Faster Response
For Immediate Release
May 14, 2002Contact:
Alison D. Hibbert, Public Information Specialist
(954) 828-4749/alisonh@fortlauderdale.govFort Lauderdale – Citizens who contact the City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s drug complaint hotline can count on an even faster response team of Raiders. The Special Investigations Division has recently hired an assistant who will take calls to the narcotics complaint hotline, (954) 828-5661, and dispatch the calls to Raiders who are working the community.
The hotline will be staffed Tuesday through Saturday, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., when most drug activity takes place, said Fort Lauderdale Police Captain Paul Kiley.
“We have recently hired an assistant to help us monitor and dispatch calls that come in to the drug complaint hotline,” said Kiley. “This is essentially our one-stop-shop for our citizens. Once they see a drug transaction, or have a concern about drugs in their neighborhood, they can call us directly and we’ll dispatch the Raiders to the site of the complaint.”
Kiley said prior to hiring assistant Tammy O’Brien, the hotline was primarily used as a messaging system. Citizens would call the number, leave a message and officers would retrieve the messages a few times each day.
“This is the central location for narcotics complaints. Once the officers were in the field, there wasn’t anyone in the office to answer the phone,” said Kiley. “Now, we have someone here on a full-time basis to answer and dispatch calls. This will impact the community tremendously.”
In addition to speaking with someone directly, residents will be able to remain anonymous and have the opportunity to follow-up on their report. Callers will still be able to leave a message during off-peak hours.
For all narcotics complaints, contact the hotline at (954) 828-5661. For more information about the drug complaint hotline, contact Fort Lauderdale Police Captain Paul Kiley at (954) 828-5666.
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Fort Lauderdale Police and Community Liaison Take Recruitment Efforts to American Schools in Haiti
Students and Staff are Eager to Learn More About Law Enforcement and Visit FLPD
May 15, 2002
Fort Lauderdale – Recruitment efforts of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD) have spanned the country from the east coast to the west coast, north and south but never outside the United States. That was until recently when Sergeant Alfred Lewers Jr., Officer Michael Stitt and Community Relations Specialist Junia Jeantilus traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to speak with hundreds of students at two American schools.
“Our mission does not limit us to local talent. We travel throughout the State of Florida and the nation, in search of the best and brightest candidates,” said Lewers, who heads FLPD’s Recruitment Unit. “Students in both schools are mostly American citizens who will probably come back to the U.S. once they have completed their education. We hope that this exposure to the Police Department will enlighten them and encourage some of them to look further into law enforcement.”
Representatives from both schools, Quisqueya Christian School and Union School, welcomed the trio to the campuses for one day between April 21 and April 24. This is the first time a United States police department has reached out to Haiti and their students.
Both Quisqueya Christian and Union are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and are English-speaking schools. Population of both schools is more than 200.
“Many of the students are very familiar with and have strong ties to South Florida,” said Lewers. “This is a great way for us to cultivate and court these perspective candidates. They were enthusiastic, actively participated, and asked intelligent and well thought out questions.”
Officer Michael Stitt, who is a graduate of Quisqueya Christian School, said the experience was fulfilling. The students were “receptive and expressed interest in finding out more about this career path.”
Stitt is the first Haitian-American officer hired by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
“I believe that if a police agency reached out to me while I was attending Quisqueya, I probably would have been on the police force many years earlier,” said Stitt. “In Haiti, we have a negative connotation of the police and the work that they do. Here in the United States, especially in Fort Lauderdale, there are so many opportunities for us to excel as a people. Haitian-American law enforcement officers are needed and this is a great career field for not just Haitians, but for all young people.”
Junia Jeantilus, FLPD’s first community relations specialist and Haitian-American, said with Fort Lauderdale’s increasing Haitian population, it is important that the department find creative ways of reaching the Haitian population.
“Due to an ever-growing Haitian population in the City of Fort Lauderdale, there is a critical need to increase the number of Creole speaking Haitian-American officers within the department,” said Jeantilus. “This recruiting effort is a unique way of reaching those candidates who have often been overlooked.”
In addition to the trip to Haiti, Jeantilus and Lewers host a weekly radio show on a local Haitian radio station, attend job and career fairs and visits colleges to bring awareness of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
According to Lewers, the team will make another trip to Haiti within the next few months. “We will continue to build on this relationship with hopes of hiring a few good officers from these two schools,” he said.
*** To request photos of the recruitment team in Haiti, please contact Alison Hibbert in the City’s Public Information Office at (954) 828-4749 or e-mail: alisonh@fortlauderdale.gov.
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Nightclub manager charged in murder-for-hire
May 15, 2002
The manager of "The Saint Nightclub" tried to hire a hit man to kill the clubs book-keeper and her husband because he thought she was ruining his dream of buying the club.
Members of the FLPD Vice Squad arrested Kai-Uwe Thier on 5/13/02 when he met with undercover Detective Bill Walker who was masquerading as the hit man.
Thier was charged with two counts of Solicitation for Murder.
After several undercover phone calls Thier agreed to meet and discuss the hit. Thier agreed to have the victims run down by a stolen vehicle or shot in a burglary. Thier agreed to pay $5,000.00 for the job.
It was also discovered Thier is wanted on an International Warrant for fraud out of Germany.
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Free VIN Etching and Club Giveaway
May 16, 2002
Contact: Alison D. Hibbert, Public Information Specialist
(954) 828-4749/alisonh@fortlauderdale.govFort Lauderdale Police Host FREE VIN Etching and
Club Giveaway at Parker Playhouse on Saturday, June 1Fort Lauderdale – The City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s Auto Theft Division will host a free vehicle identification number (VIN) Etching and Club Giveaway at Parker Playhouse on Saturday, June 1st from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parker Playhouse is located at 707 N.E. 8th Street in Fort Lauderdale.
Free steering wheel locking devices will be available to those who drive one of the most commonly stolen vehicles listed below:
TOP 10 MOST COMMONLY STOLEN VEHICLES
Make and Model Year Toyota Camry 1986-1991 Ford Escort 1991 Toyota Corolla 1987-1999 Ford F150 1989-2000 Fort Taurus 1997-2000 Cadillac Coupe de Ville 1987-1995 Chevrolet Caprice 1982-1987 Ford Mustang 1991-2000 Honda Accord 1994-2000 Buick Regal 1982-1987 For more information about the VIN etching and Club giveaway, please contact Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Ed Robinson at 954-828-5519.
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Great Detective Work
May 22, 2002
Detective John Liguori,
Just wanted to write you a note to express my appreciation for all the outstanding work you have done on Project Ecstasy.
This grant project involves considerable administrative and organizational skills as well as extensive interaction with various government agencies, officials and members of the community.
The results of your work have been a success. They are benefiting the community and continue to reflect well on you, our bureau and our department.
Thank you,
Al Ortenzo,
Assistant Chief
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