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V. SUMMARY AND COMMENTS

Remember that while this suggested Action '76 program is not a short cut to success or a guarantee of an easy solution to all your long standing problems, it is a program tested and found to be an effective method of problem solving under the aegis of the patriotic observance of the 200th anniversary of our country's birth. What you accomplish will be the result of a great deal of innovative thinking, patient dealings with others, and hard work. do not have time for those who want to ride the Action '76 program for the publicity it will give them. There is no room for free riders. Your whole organization revolves around men and women who want to tackle problems and see something done to solve them. If you enter the program in this spirit, you are bound to succeed.

You

The Bicentennial Commission of Florida is behind you. In whatever way we can help, we will gladly do so. Keep in contact with us with your ideas, suggestions and changes to make this guidebook better for the next community that uses it.

Together we are working in the Spirit of '76 . 1976!

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DESIGN OF THE COMMUNITY (Includes government buildings, waterfront, downtown and access, beautification)

HEALTH AND WELFARE (Includes Housing and Conservation)

TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION (Land, Sea and Air)

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ECONOMY (Includes government, private, industrial,
labor and agriculture)

10. TOURIST DEVELOPMENT (Includes Historical and Entertainment)

SAMPLE

ACTION '76

ESSAY ON PUBLIC SAFETY

INTRODUCTION

The area of public safety will be involved in drafting goals for our community in the broad areas of administration of justice through our Court system, law enforcement, fire prevention and safety, and civil defense.

This essay will serve as a brief overview of where we stand at the present time in these fields regarding organization, personnel, and budgets.

THE COURT SYSTEM

Criminal prosecutions are carried on in the Court of Record, the Circuit Court, four Justice of the Peace Courts, the County Judge's Court and the Municipal Court. The jurisdiction of the various courts is overlapping and most confusing to the citizenry.

Crimes for which conviction is punishable by death are prosecuted in the Circuit Court. All felonies and many misdeameanors are prosecuted in the Court of Record. Misdeameanors are prosecuted in the Justice of the Peace Courts, the County Judge's Court and the Municipal Court. The county is divided into four Justice of the Peace districts. County police officers who arrest persons for misdemeanors can choose to have the cases heard in the Justice of the Peace Court in the district where the crime was committed or in the County Judge's Court. Those arrested for misdemeanors by City police officers are tried in the City Municipal Court. Justices of the Peace need not be attorneys.

Each Justice of the Peace has the assistance of a Constable. As a cost saving measure, many officials have proposed the abolition of the position of Constable, inasmuch as the duties of the Constable are for the most part handled by the officers of the Sheriff's Department. The Florida Constitution provides, however, that each Justice of the Peace district shall have a Constable and it has not proved practical to abolish or combine the Justice of the

Peace districts.

The Justices of the Peace (along with County Judge) have the duty of holding preliminary hearings, setting bail, issuing warrants, trying misdemeanor cases. The County Judge has jurisdiction of guardianship and probate matters along with his jurisdiction in criminal cases. The County Judge must be an attorney.

The Court of Record has both civil and criminal jurisdiction. Its civil jurisdiction is the same as that of the Circuit Court. All felony cases (those for which conviction may be punishable by imprisonment for more than one year) are prosecuted in the Court of Record by the County Solicitor. The County Solicitor is assisted by two full-time assistants and a number of part-time assistants. He has a full-time investigator.

The Court of Record has two full-time Judges trying civil and criminal cases and two full-time Judges in its Juvenile Division. The Judges of the Court of Record (not Juvenile Division) are Kirke M. Beall and M. C. Blanchard. The Judges of the Juvenile Division hear most of the domestic relations cases and all cases in which the welfare of children is at issue.

The Court of Record Building is located at Jefferson and Zarragossa Streets in downtown Pensacola. The quarters are shabby and the space is inadequate. The Judges of the Juvenile Division have their offices in the remodeled County Hospital on West Leonard Street near the jail.

The Circuit Court has three full-time Judges: Ernest E. Mason, Ralph M. McLane and William Frye, III. Capital cases are prosecuted in the Circuit Court by the State Attorney or his assistant for Escambia County.

The Court of Record and Circuit Court have identical jurisdictions in civil matters, i.e. all equity cases and all law cases involving more than $300.00. The Circuit Court is located at the corner of Palafox and Government Streets. While more suitable than the quarters of the Court of Record, the quarters of the Circuit Court are outdated and too small. Neither the Court of Record nor the Circuit Court is of such appearance as to inspire a respect for the law.

Civil cases involving less than $300.00 are heard in the Small Claims Court (at the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets). The Small Claims Judge is an attorney who holds court on a part-time basis.

Records of the Court of Record dramatically demonstrate the rising incidence of crime in the county. Criminal cases filed in the Court of Record for the years 1964 through 1970 were:

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Records of the court for the first ten months of 1971 indicate that the pace for 1971 is well ahead of 1970.

Every category of crime has shown a marked increase in the last several years. For instance the relative incidence of cases filed in the Court of Record for grand larceny and breaking and entering are as follows:

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In the last two years glue sniffing and narcotics law violations have shown a tremendous increase. For example:

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Court officials say the figures for 1971 will be much higher than 1970.

Responsibility for law enforcement within the City Limits lies with the City Police Department. Chief C. P. Caldwell has 120 officers and staff persons. His annual budget is $1,400,000.00. He is responsible for the pub

lic safety of the 65,000 people who reside within the City Limits and an additional 60,000 persons who come into the city to work during the day. As with other police officers, the officers of the City Police Force are responsible not only for law enforcement but also crime prevention, disaster assistance and emergency service. Chief Caldwell is also responsible for the operation of the City Jail and the Municipal Court. The Chief feels that

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