Attorney for Arrest by Lakeland Police Department
If you were arrested by the Lakeland Police Department for any type of felony or misdemeanor offense, then contact us to discuss the case. Our attorneys are familiar with the general orders established by the chief of police including the policies, procedures, rules, and regulations for the administration and discipline of the Lakeland Police Department and its members.
We are also familiar with the tactics used by these officers when they seize money or property for civil asset forfeiture proceedings.
At the Lakeland Police Department, the Chief of Police manages the department and its four major components:
- Special Services Bureau
- Neighborhood Services Bureau
- Investigative Services Bureau
- Office of the Chief of Police/Administrative Bureau
Attorney for an Arrest by the Police in Lakeland, FL
Contact us to speak to an experienced DUI attorney who aggressively fights felony, misdemeanor, domestic violence, and DUI charges after an arrest by officers with the Lakeland Police Department.
We also represent clients after a seizure of property for civil asset forfeiture by the Lakeland Police Department.
Call 813-250-0500.
Domestic Violence Crimes in Lakeland, FL
General Order 15-1 regarding the Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) issued on 01/13/2012 and last revised on 04/19/2019 establishes DART’s function and
responsibilities. Although all agency members receive specialized training in the field of domestic violence investigations, the Lakeland Police Department uses specially trained members to intervene in instances of domestic violence.
The DART Coordinator is responsible for attending meetings, assisting with transportation for victims, providing Domestic Violence training, and preparing monthly and quarterly reports and requests from chain-of-command. The DART Coordinator is responsible for advocating directly for the victim, if necessary, with law enforcement agencies or hospital personnel. The DART Coordinator also reviews each Domestic Violence report on a daily basis for follow-up.
DART is a component of the Community Services Division (CSD/Community Services Section) and is comprised of patrol officers. At the Lakeland Police Department, the patrol officers are trained in domestic violence response and investigation during the Mini Academy, Field Training Program, and through needed periodic updates.
Necessary referrals for the victim of domestic violence in Lakeland, FL, will be made by the responding officer including providing an information packet from the Peace River Center. During a domestic violence investigation, officers are trained to complete the domestic violence/dating violence checklist and forward a copy to the DART coordinator.
DUI Enforcement Unit at the Lakeland Police Department
We are particularly experienced with defending people accused of DUI after an arrest by LPD. Each year DUI enforcement officers arrest approximately 500 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the City of Lakeland. The officers assigned to DUI enforcement units patrol the streets in Lakeland, FL, seven days a week.
The DUI Enforcement Unit for the Lakeland Police Department was created in 1998. The LPD DUI enforcement unit includes several officers who have completed specialized training on how to conduct field sobriety exercises or make an arrest involving an allegation of drug impairment.
The officers on the DUI enforcement unit also have training as Traffic Homicide Investigators.
Watch a video narrated by Robin Tillett for “Access Lakeland.” The video discusses how DUI Enforcement Officers with the Lakeland Police Department won a new 2009 Dodge Charger valued at more than $50,000.00 from the Florida Department of Transportation.
The DUI vehicle is used for patrols and during DUI saturation patrols, and DUI sobriety checkpoints (often called “DUI roadblocks”) conducted by LPD officers throughout the year.
In the video, Officer Frank Fitzgerald with the Lakeland Police Department explains that the DUI enforcement vehicle contains a mobile Intoxilyzer 8000 that is bolted into the vehicle. The Intoxilyzer 8000 is the only breathalyzer approved in the State of Florida.
Officer Fitzgerald shows off the vehicles which feature an in-car digital video system to capture the roadside investigation. The video system also captures the suspect’s performance on roadside agility tests (often called the “standardized field sobriety exercises” by law enforcement officers).
The DUI vehicle also has a microphone, in-car police radio, in-car laptop computer, radar unit with a front and rear moving antenna, Officer Frank Fitzgerald explains that the vehicle supplied by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) helps eliminate the lag time between arrest and the breath test.
Video narrated by Alex Gomez, a Lakeland Police Department DUI Enforcement Officer who discusses the Simulated Impaired Driving Experience vehicle. Johnnie Wombles with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office DUI Enforcement unit helps teenagers learn more about the effects of drinking and driving.
Find out more about how we fight a variety of felony and misdemeanor crimes after an arrest in Lakeland, FL. We fight DUI cases, including DUI cases with a high blow over .08 on the breath test or an alleged “refusal” to submit to a breath, blood, or urine test.
Additional Resources
DUI Crime Statistics from the Lakeland Police Department – Visit the website of the Lakeland Police Department to learn more about the DUI crime statistics compiled at the city, state, and national level. Find out how the Crime Analysis and Intelligence Unit of the LPD support the Uniform Patrol Division, Special Operations Section, and Investigations.
DUI School in Lakeland, FL – Visit the website of Tri-County Human Services, Inc. (TCHS), located at 1811 Crystal Lake Drive in Lakeland, FL, to register online for Level I or Level II DUI school. Tri-County Human Services serves people who live, work, or attend school in Hardee County, Highlands County, or Polk County, FL. After you register online, you must contact the office within five (5) days to schedule the classroom instruction and evaluation.
Find an Experienced DUI Attorney for Lakeland, FL
If you were arrested for DUI in Polk County, contact an experienced attorney with the Sammis Law Firm.
Whether your case involves a breath test, urine test, blood test, or refusal to submit to testing, we can help. We are familiar with the best ways to fight the administrative suspension during a formal review hearing at the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) Bureau of Administrative Review (BAR) office.
Call (813) 250-0500 to schedule an initial consultation with an attorney over the phone, or schedule an office consultation.
This article was last updated by Leslie Sammis on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
