R-0934-95 RESOLUTION N0. 934 - 95
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE
COUNCIL URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO
ENACT THE OFFICER EVELYN GORT CAREER CRIMINAL
ACT IN THE 1995 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
WHEREAS, public safety and tranquility is and should always be
the highest priority of government, and
WHEREAS, crime and the fear of crime in Florida negatively
affects the quality of life in Florida and threatens the economy of
the state, and
WHEREAS, Florida is in a state of crisis as its citizens are
being terrorized by criminal activity, in particular, crimes
committed by repeat offenders known as career criminals, and
WHEREAS, career criminals are individuals arrested and
convicted repeatedly, and then returned to the community to commit
even more crimes, and
WHEREAS, Florida has created a revolving door for career
criminals, thereby wasting local tax dollars spent identifying,
arresting and prosecuting offenders who spend little or no time in
prison once convicted, and
WHEREAS, statistics compiled in Fiscal Year 1992/1993 indicate
that 529 out of 2, 151 Florida criminals convicted of at least three
serious felonies, who served at least one previous state prison
sentence, and were again convicted of another serious felony, did
not get sentenced to even one day in prison, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act is named
after a Dade County Police Officer, murdered by a 22-year-old
career criminal who amassed 21 felonies since his 18th birthday,
received only 2 state prison sentences, and served only six months
for both sentences combined, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act is
presently a proposed law that would, if passed, impose fixed,
lengthy terms of imprisonment on persons convicted of burglary of
a structure, robbery or other forcible felonies, who have
previously been convicted three times or more for forcible
felonies, and who have been sentenced to at least one prior state
prison incarceration, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act would
I
also impose a mandatory 15 year prison term on any person convicted
of possessing a firearm who has three or more previous convictions
or delinquency adjudications for forcible felonies, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act provides
that career criminals receive a mandatory prison term of 10 years,
30 years, or life, depending on the degree of the forcible felony
for which they are convicted, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act prevents
career criminals from serving less than 85% of their sentences, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act is
absolutely imperative to isolate violent career criminals who
commit an inordinate number of the crimes in our community, ruining
the quality of life in Florida, as well as causing immeasurable
pain, suffering and loss to victims and their loved ones, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act,
supported by the Florida Police Chief's Association, the Florida
Sheriff's Association, the Florida Police Benevolent Association,
the Dade County Police Benevolent Association, and the Dade County
Association of Chief's of Police, is an effective tool to protect
the public safety by dealing with the worst of the state's career
criminals, and
WHEREAS, the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act must be
passed by the Florida Legislature so career criminals will no
longer ruin the quality of life in Florida,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE
COUNCIL, that this Council urges the Florida Legislature to enact
the Officer Evelyn Gort Career Criminal Act in the 1995 Legislative
Session.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 17th day
of January 1995. h4W, g�
WILLIAM J1 HE RNAN
Mayor
ATTE
V11 a e le
SCOTT W. DAVIS
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
William F.' Fan-rf Jr.
Village Attorney