1. Where are we located and what are the hours of operation?
The Delray Beach Police Department is located at 300 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33444. We are 9 blocks east of I-95 next to the South County Courthouse. The Delray Beach Police Department’s lobby hours are 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The front lobby is not open on Sundays or holidays. If you need assistance after hours, please call (561) 243-7888 for non-emergencies.
2. How can I obtain a copy of an accident or crime report?
There are two ways to obtain a copy of a police report:
1. Follow the prompts listed on how to print reports at your convenience or
2. You can come to the front lobby of the police department during the normal business hours (Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. & Sat 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) and request a copy. There is a fee of .15 cents per page.
3. I need my fingerprints taken for employment. Do you provide this type of service?
Yes. The Delray Beach Police Department provides a fingerprinting service on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. There is a $10 fee for this service and you must provide your own fingerprint card. A $5 fee is charged for each additional card.
4. I received a ticket for an equipment violation which was repaired. Who can inspect my car and sign the ticket? Does your agency conduct VIN verifications?
You can contact a police officer at any time and ask that they evaluate the repairs that were made or verify your vehicle’s VIN and complete the appropriate documents; however, we prefer that you come to the police department during normal business hours (Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. or Sat 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) so that a Community Service Officer can evaluate your repairs or verify your VIN. There is a $4.00 fee to provide this service.
5. We would like a police officer to address our Homeowner’s meeting, civic group, school class, etc. How can I make this request?
Contact our Community Affairs office at (561) 243-7841 to arrange for someone to attend your meeting and address the concerns you have.
6. What type of youth programs does your organization sponsor?
The Delray Beach Police Department is involved in an array of youth and community programs such as the Teen Center, After School programs, Baseball Camps, etc. Contact our Community Affairs office at (561) 243-7841 for additional information.
7. I received a parking ticket. Where or how do I pay for it?
There are multiple ways you can pay. You can make a payment online at delray.rmcpay.com, you can mail in a check or money order to: PO Box 6787, Delray Beach, FL 33482. or in lieu of mailing there is a payment drop box located at 95 NE First Ave., Delray Beach. If you feel that you received a Citation in error, you may go to delray.rmcpay.com and appeal the citation. Please do not send cash through the mail and make sure to indicate your citation number on method of payment.
8. How can I volunteer for the police department?
Contact Volunteer Coordinators Martin Tencer or Bernie Zaretsky at (561)243-7849 for additional details.
9. What is biased based profiling?
Criminal profiling, which involves the derivation of behavioral characteristics and personality features from crime scene evidence, can be a useful implement in criminal investigations. Bias based profiling, however, is the selection of individuals based solely on a common trait of a group. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, religion, economic status, age or culture.
It is the policy of the Delray Beach Police Department to patrol in a proactive manner, to investigate suspicious persons and/or circumstances, and to enforce motor vehicle laws. We are here to protect the community. Law enforcement officers are required to use skills developed through observation, training and experience in order to identify suspicious circumstances, unusual occurrences and violations of law, and to act according to the situation. Therefore, officers focus on a person`s conduct or other specific suspect information, and will have reasonable suspicion (supported by articulable facts) that the person contacted has been, is or is about to commit a violation of the law.
We want to do the right thing. Discriminatory enforcement practices can alienate our citizens, foster distrust of police in the community, invite media scrutiny, legislative action and judicial intervention, and potentially lead to allegations of constitutional and civil rights violations. As we perform our duties, it is imperative that we afford all citizens the Constitutional and fundamental right to equal protection under the law. We use accepted investigative tools. Criminal profiling is one of many accepted and necessary law enforcement investigative practices. However, it differs from and should not be confused with bias-based profiling. One is an investigative tool; the other, a discriminatory practice.
What is criminal profiling? When we investigate crime, we use every legitimate tool at our disposal to narrow the list of potential suspects so we can identify, find and arrest those responsible for the crimes, to bring them to justice and to keep them from committing more acts against society.
Criminal profiling can assist us by narrowing the field of potential suspects in major criminal investigations. Based on current and historical law enforcement investigative knowledge and experience, we scrutinize a set of facts and factors common to specific (e.g., serial murder with a certain `signature`) or general (e.g., narcotics trafficking) criminal activity. From these facts and factors, we may be able to identify a type of person or group of people by gender, age, race, and/or by personality, social, and/or other characteristics who are most likely to be involved. This can result in fewer suspects to consider and a quicker resolution to the case.
How does criminal profiling differ from bias-based profiling? While criminal profiling does add elements (such as gender, race, or ethnicity) to a list of factors scrutinized to identify a suspect, these elements are only parts of several pieces of the puzzle that police must put together to solve crime.
10. How do I file a complaint with the police department?
The Delray Beach Police Department, in accordance with its rules, policies and procedures, will investigate all complaints made against the department or its employees. Complaints should be legitimate in nature, and if proven false, employees have the right to sue for punitive/slanderous damages stemming from false allegations.
Citizen Complaints:
Addresses any concern or complaint voiced towards a member or an activity of the department. Informal complaints can be anonymous.
The Complaint Process:
• All complaints will be directed to the shift commander or a supervisor on duty.
• The supervisor will meet in person (if possible) with the complainant(s) and ascertain the nature of the complaint.
• If the complaint cannot be resolved, the supervisor will obtain a statement of complaint (if complainant is willing).
• The supervisor will generate an Initial Notice of Inquiry and provide the complainant with a copy of the letter titled Important Information Concerning the Citizen Complaint Filing.
Types of Complaints:
• Internal Affairs
• Investigations involving serious breaches of conduct.
• Usually requires a sworn statement or affidavit from the complainant.
• Supervisory Review
• Usually relates to minor misconduct.
• Often investigated by the affected employee`s supervisor.
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