Nicole S. Garrick

• Pretrial Services Officer performs two crucial functions: gathering and presenting information about newly arrested defendants and about available release options for use by Judges in making decisions concerning defendant’s pretrial custody or release status.

• Supervising defendants who are released from custody during the pretrial period by monitoring their compliance with release conditions and by helping to ensure appearances for scheduled court hearings and not to endanger the community.

• Minimizing unnecessary detention by releasing as many defendants as possible who are likely to come to court and not violate.

• The Pretrial Services programs demonstrated their capacity to provide information about defendants and about available supervised release options that is relevant to assessing both the risk of flight and the risk to the public.

• I complete Pretrial and House Arrest paperwork which consists of offenders who are court ordered to wear a GPS tracking device while awaiting the disposition of their court case.

• Monitored Release Program strives to provide offenders with the best opportunity to maintain ties with their families while transitioning back into the community. Offenders on the program must abide by all release rules and special conditions imposed by the judge to include counseling, maintaining employment, and any number of other requirements.

• These offenders are interviewed and recruited by the Pretrial Services staff prior to going to court to see the judge and then entered into the Monitored Release Program. If offenders have a felony or misdemeanor charge then they may go into a program, pay restitution or maybe sentenced to 364 days or less.

• Reports are called in of abuse, neglect or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline, for further investigation. Worked closely with law enforcement.
• Collects information through observation and interviews with children, parents, relatives, neighbors, and other parties associated with the case, as well as analysis of criminal, past service history and other records.
• Assesses danger threats, child vulnerabilities and caregiver protective capacities in order to determine whether a child is safe.
• Manages and modifies safety plans as necessary during the investigation. Notifies state attorney, law enforcement, child protection team and other required individuals as appropriate.
• Arranges emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in the home.
• Provides written present and impending danger assessments.
• Completes Risk Assessment on families investigated and explains risk score to family.
• Presents safety plan and impending danger assessment at case management case transfer staffing and participates in discussion as to recommended follow-up actions.
• Provides families with services linkages to agency and community resources based on needs assessment and provides recommendations for development of case plan to Case Manager.
• Prepares appropriate reports/documentation in coordination with Children’s Legal Services and provides testimony in court.
• Reports indication of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.
• Establishes and maintains cooperative and professional working relationships with organizations and other agencies involved with child protective investigations such as community-based providers, children’s legal services, law enforcement, medical personnel, schools, and other community/agency resources.

• Performed various functions on the Teletype machine such as: NCIC/FCIC, running DHMV license plates verification check, stolen vehicles, stolen property, missing persons, warrants, BOLO's etc.
• Prepares periodic reports and daily logs. Attends seminars and classes to maintain or improve technical and professional skills.
• File incident, property, vehicular and other reports as required and performed other clerical job functions.