Week 7 of the Garland Citizens Police Academy covered three interesting topics: Forensic Investigations, School Resource Officers and Gang Enforcement.
Forensic Investigations
Katie Tucker explained the role of the Forensic Investigations Unit and SRO Rene Granado talked about being a school resource officer. Inv. Brian Christian wrapped up the evening with information on Gang Enforcement.
Tucker, who has been with the Garland Police Department Forensics Unit for 10 years, talked about how the many CSI television shows make people think they understand crime scene investigation.
“The CSI effect can result in 12 people on a jury who think that they know at least a little about it,” she said.
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Believe it or not, it takes more than an hour to solve a crime and the computer systems they have on those shows are not realistic.
But every once in a while, everything falls perfectly into place as it did in one of Tucker’s favorite cases.
First, an explanation of two types of fingerprints. Latent prints are difficult to see and must be processed with a chemical. Patent prints are clear and easy to see.
A man stole money from a register at Taco Bell and ran out the door. One of the employees told Tucker that he had just cleaned the glass door when the suspect pushed it open with his hand. So, she knew she would have prints, but – wait for it – the suspect had cheese sauce on his hand.
“These cheese fingerprints are my pride and joy,” Tucker said.
DNA evidence and crime scene photos are also key. Tucker described a case about a 4-week-old baby that died and her father was convicted of the crime. DNA was found on an object that had been used to beat the baby and photos revealed red marks on the baby that had faded before the autopsy.
Shoe prints can also be used as identification as they were in a heinous sexual assault crime. The prints were instrumental in proving the criminal’s guilt.
Tucker sees things that no one should have to see, but she said it would be harder for her if she didn’t do it. She describes it as a calling.
“I feel better knowing that I can help,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like work. As heartbreaking as it is, it’s rewarding and I feel like I’m making a difference.”
SROs
R. E. Granado loves his job as a School Resource Officer. He’s been with the Garland Police Department for 31 years and 19 of those have been spent as an SRO.
The high schools in Garland each have two SROs. Middle schools have one each and there is one SRO for every five elementary schools. The Alternative Education Center, Pathfinder Academy and Gilbreath Reed Career and Technical Center also have one each. There are two floaters to cover officer illness, vacations, etc.
“First and foremost, a GPD officer is sworn to uphold the law,” Granado said.
SROs are not there for school disciplinary duties and only take action when a violation of the law is committed. They are also not truant officers. They do conduct weapons checks when needed and deal with trespassers on school property.
The program is based on the TRIAD concept. They are educators in that they teach classes to the students, families and PTAs. They are counselors who, using their personal experience as parents and officers, interact with and get to know the kids. And they are law enforcement.
The police officers participate in extra-curricular activities and often go to students’ sports events and even birthday parties. They are positive role models for the kids and talk with them about age-appropriate topics. Subjects like stranger danger and what to do if you get lost are covered with younger kids. They visit with older students about things like peer pressure, drugs and social media safety.
“This program is community-oriented policing at its best,” Granado said.
Granado sees varied outcomes with the students. He knows that some have gone to prison, but some are police officers and some are teachers.
The city of Garland and Garland ISD each pay half of the salaries and benefits of SROs as the program benefits both entities.
Gang Unit
Inv. Brian Christian covered the topic of gangs. Gangs in Texas vary in size and structure, and they are everywhere, including different cities around the metroplex and yes, Garland. It is important to note, however, that not every gang is represented in every city.
Tango Blast, MS13, Aryan Brotherhood, Crips, Bloods are a few of the most recognizable names of gangs that are active in Texas.
According to Christian, a few things that qualify a group as a gang are that they have a leader and seven or more members, wear distinctive uniforms, have a color and a hand sign.
The State of Texas defines a gang as: A criminal street gang as three or more persons having a common identifying sign or symbol or an identifiable leadership who continuously or regularly associate in the commission of criminal activities.
Any city with more than 100,000 residents must submit gang data to the Texas Department of Safety. Gang members must be documented and that information must be shared with DPS. When a patrol officer suspects someone of being a gang member, a report is completed and the information is sent to the Gang Unit who investigates.
There are criteria to define gang members and the person must meet at least two criteria. A few of the requirements include: admission of being a gang member, has gang tattoos, informant identifies them as a gang member, associates with documented gang members.
Adults who are documented as gang members remain in the system for five years unless they get arrested or have contact with documented gang members. In those cases, the five years start over. Juveniles stay in the system for two years.
Christian said that tattoos can be telling clues in determining whether someone is a gang member, and if they are, which gang it is.
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In this age of technology, gangs even recruit members online.
Each of the police department units we heard from this week has its own set of hardships and dangers, none of which I feel that I could face on a daily basis.
How members of law enforcement do what they do and see what they see day in and day out, is beyond me. Even more surprising is that the vast majority do the job without becoming cynical.