Tampa Police Department Officer of the Year

From 2002 to 2007, The City of Tampa realized a 42.5% reduction in crime.  Many innovative and focused strategies have contributed to such a solid reduction in crime over the years, however the Juvenile Repeat Offender Program has proven particularly successful at controlling recidivism.  This program tracks juvenile offenders who are likely to re-offend. Officers’ check on those juveniles who are on probation to ensure that they are complying with the terms of their probation, particularly home detentions, curfews, and school attendance mandates.  Violators are arrested and re-introduced to the Juvenile Justice System for further sanctions.  This effort curtails the amount of time that these habitual offenders are in the community and committing crimes while ensuring that they receive greater levels of sanctions which may be more likely to alter their behaviors.

 In July 2007, Detective Ronald Phifer was assigned to coordinate the District Three Juvenile Offender Program. He immediately put protocols in place that increased the number of juvenile offenders monitored daily from 15 to 50 and that enhancement is suspected to be a primary reason that Part 1 crime dropped double digits monthly for the period of July-December compared to single digit reductions in every month prior. After approximately one year of administering the program, District Three experienced a twenty- percent reduction in crime. Detective Phifer’s daily contact with patrol squads, the State Attorney’s Office, and the Juvenile Justice System played a huge part in ensuring the program’s success. Detective Phifer also re-organized and re-fined the program making it officer friendly. He maintains records and generates a list of violators daily.  He keeps the program on track, officers informed, and all the criminal justice components working together.

 Other patrol districts in the department have adopted the
program after learning of its success in District 3. 
Detective Phifer assisted those districts in developing
their programs and his expertise has served as a guiding
light. In October 2008, Detective Phifer was officially
designated as the Juvenile Offender Program Coordinator for the department. In this position, Detective Phifer coordinates the department’s juvenile offender “Worst of the Worst” list. If a juvenile offender meets the criteria, Detective Phifer will follow through with the Fast Track Program ensuring that the juvenile is adjudicated and prosecuted as an adult.

In addition to the Juvenile Repeat Offender Program, Detective Phifer also is now coordinating District  3‘s Adult Repeat Offender Program; a program modeled on its predecessor, the Juvenile Repeat Offender Program. This program identifies adult offenders on probation that are likely to re-offend and ensures closer monitoring.

 In 2008 the Juvenile Offender Program caused 29,577 home checks to be conducted. Those checks resulted in 1,510 documented violations and 1,384 arrests. Reducing truancy is a part of the program and in 2008 there were 993 truancy interventions citywide. In 2008, the police department achieved a 9.2% reduction in Part 1 Crime, which raised our cumulative crime reduction to approximately 46% over the past six years. This reduction in crime is unprecedented, and the Juvenile Repeat Offender Program is believed to have played a major role in the department’s success.

 Detective Phifer’s leadership has been an integral part of the department’s successful effort to reduce crime through the monitoring of repeat juvenile offenders and therefore, Detective Ronald Phifer is selected as the 2008 Tampa Police Department Officer of the Year.