SWORN COMPLAINT TO FDLE

SWORN COMPLAINT

To:  Florida Department of Law Enforcement

      Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission

      P.O. Box 1489

      Tallahassee

      Florida 32302-1489

Subjects of Complaint:  St.Petersburg, Florida Mayor Rick Kriseman

                                  Chief of St.Petersburg Police Department

                                  St.Petersburg Police Department

                                  FACTS

(1) Harold Hempstead authored a book entitled "Used And Abused By The St Petersburg Police Department - My Life As A Juvenile Confidential Informant."    This book can be located at Crusader books or Lulu Publishing. 

(2)  In Hempstead's book he explains how St Petersburg Police Department has a history of using children under the age of 17 as confidential informants. His book also explains in details how the St.Petersburg Police Department recruited a 13 year old to do confidential informant work.  The police department assigned that juvenile confidential informant number 882.

(3)  For decades, juveniles across our nation have been being killed as a result of their work as confidential informants.

In 1998 - 17 year old Chad McDonald was killed in California as a result of his confidential informant work.  His 16 year old girlfriend was also kidnapped, held hostage and tortured for several days.  During that time period she was also raped and shot in the face.

Cecil Calloway was 16 years old when he was beaten and murdered in 1982 as a result of his confidential informant work in Roanoke, Virginia.

Gregory "Sky" Erickson was from Estherville, Iowa.  About a week after his first act as an informant he was found beaten and shot in the head in an abandoned farm house.  His body was also set on fire by his killers.  I believe he was 15 years old when he was killed as a result of his confidential informant work.

Brenda Paz was 16 years old when she was killed in Virginia as a result of her confidential informant work involving the Latin gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).

Every child that the St Petersburg Police Department uses as a confidential informant, they place in a position to possibly be killed.

(4)  The following documents which can be located on the internet show that Professors and a large quantity of people across our nation agree that law enforcement place the lives of children in danger when they use them as confidential informants.  Additionally, the following documents show that law enforcement commit child abuse when they use children as confidential informants:

(A)  Document Title: "Collateral Damage?  Juvenile Snitches In America-s War On Drugs - Crime and Gangs-"

Author:  Professor of Law Andrea L Dennis

College:  University of Georgia Law School

Date:  July 1st - 2009

(B)  Document Title:  "Tragedies Of Juvenile Informants - Protect Children From Police." 

Author:  Jie Liu

College:  Ohio State University

Date:  May 3rd - 2013

(C)  Document Title:  "Juvenile Police Informants:  Friendship - Persuasion and Pretense"

Author:  Professor Mary Dodge

College:  University of Colorado at Denver

(Sage Publications Research Gate)

Date:  March 2001

(D)  Document Title:  "Does The End Justify The Means - Use Of Juveniles As Government Informants, Helpful To Society While Harmful To The Child."

Author:  Charlotta J. Ransom

Company:  HeinOnline  (20 J. Juv. L. (1999)).

(E)  Document Title:  "The Use Of Minors In Law Enforcement Undercover Operations"

Authors:  Judge Lee Sinclair and Attorney David L. Herbert.

Company:  HeinOnline (24 Ohio N.U.L. Rev. (1998))

(5)  The citizens of St.Petersburg, Florida have a right to expect the St. Petersburg Police Department to not abuse children and place the lives of children in danger.  

(6)  The Mayor of St.Petersburg and the Chief of the SPPD are allowing St.Petersburg Police Officers and detectives to abuse children and place their lives in danger by using them as confidential informants.

RELIEF SOUGHT

(1)  I'm requesting that an investigation be conducted into the pattern and practice of the Mayor of St.Petersburg and the Chief of the St.Petersburg Police Department allowing St.Petersburg Police Officers and Detectives to abuse children and place their lives in danger by using them as confidential informants.

(2)  I'm also requesting that an investigation be conducted into the pattern and practice of SPPD Officers and Detectives abusing children and placing their lives in danger by using them as confidential informants.

(3)  Finally, I'm requesting that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement take appropriate action to prevent SPPD Detectives and Officers from continuing to use children as confidential informants and discipline the officials involved with children being used as confidential informants.

Unnotarized Oath:

Under penalty of perjury, I swear that everything stated herein is true and correct.  

Executed on this 1 day of February, 2019

Affiant:  Harold Hempstead (signature appears here on document)

Harold Hempstead, #577366

Northeast Correctional Complex

P.O. Box 5000

Mountain City

Tennessee 37683-5000

CC:

John Trevena

Kathry Varn

Adam Playford

Craig Patrick

Casey Frank

Julie Brown

Rick Kriseman

Florida Department of Children and Families

Jeremy Schanche

WILL THE ST PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT ADMIT THAT THEY ARE GUILTY OF CHILD-ABUSE AND ENDANGERMENT BY USING JUVENILES AS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS?

I authored a book entitled "USED AND ABUSED BY THE ST PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT - My Life As A Juvenile Confidential Informant" which can be located at Crusader Books.  In this book and in blogs and documents that are on this blog, I've written extensively on the St Petersburg Police Department abusing children and placing their lives in danger by using them as confidential informants. 

I was recently told that there's a possibility that the St Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) might try to say that they no longer use children as confidential informants (CIs).  If the Police Department actually alleges this, then they'd be admitting that they are guilty of abusing children and placing their lives in danger by using them as CIs.

I know beyond all doubt that they are still using children as informants, but why would they deny this, unless they know that it's legally wrong to use the kids as such and that it's child-abuse. 

I respectfully contend that if the SPPD denies that they are using kids as informants then they are trying to mislead the public because they know they are abusing and endangering the kids by using them as CIs.

Please share this blog with your friends.

Harold Hempstead

WILL THE ST PETERSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT TRY TO DENY THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY USING CHILDREN AS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS?

The St Petersburg Police Department will eventually be given an option to admit or deny that they are presently using children as confidential informants (CIs).  I think it would be outrageous and unreasonable if they tried to deny that they are presently using children as CIs.  Additionally - it would be very easy to prove that they are still using children.

(1)  St Petersburg PD records show that they are still using children as informants. 

(2)  Pinellas County, Florida State Attorney's records for their Juvenile Division and the Juvenile Division of the Pinellas County,Florida Public Defender's Office have records that prove the SPPD is presently using children as CIs.  

(3)  The children who are presently being used as CIs, and their families, can prove this to be so.

(4)  Criminal defense attorneys who represent children arrested by SPPD know that SPPD is using children as CIs. 

Please visit Crusader Books and also please share this blog with your friends.

Harold Hempstead

People who know that the St Petersburg Florida Police Department is using children as confidential informants

(1)  The children who are presently being used as confidential informants and their families know about it.

(2)  Attorneys in the Tampa Bay area of Florida who represent children on criminal cases know that the St Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) is using children as confidential informants (CI-s).

(3)  The Assistant State Attorneys who prosecute kids in Pinellas County Florida and the Assistant Public Defenders who represent kids on criminal cases there know that the SPPD uses children as confidential informants.

Please share this blog with your friends.

Please also visit Crusader Books.

Harold Hempstead

Promises From Harold Hempstead Concerning His Involvement With Trying To Bring Reform To The Usage Of Confidential Informants By Law Enforcement

(1)  I promise to be honest about my past as a confidential informant.

(2)  I promise to be zealous and to persevere to obtain the reform that is needed.

(3)  I promise to stand strong under any retaliation I might be subjected to for my attempts to bring reform.

(4)  I promise to respond to all false claims that people make to try to mislead the people of Florida and to try to stop me from obtaining the reform.

(5)  I promise that I will not let any retaliation or false statements made against me hinder me from obtaining the reform that is so badly needed.

(6)  I promise that I will do everything I can to educate people on law enforcement  corruption and confidential informant matters.

(7)  I promise that I'll do my best to produce as much evidence as I can to prove the matters I assert.

Notice:  Please read my book entitled "Used And Abused By The St Petersburg Police Department - My Life As A Juvenile Confidential Informant."  This book can be located at Crusader Books or Lulu Publishing.

Will St Petersburg, Forida Mayor Kriseman Protect The Children Of St Petersburg By Directing That The St Petersburg Police Department Stop Using Children As Confidential Informants?

I authored a book entitled "Used And Abused By The St Petersburg Police Department - My Life As A Juvenile Confidential Informant."   My book can be located at Crusader books or Lulu Publishing.  In my book - I explain:

(1)  How the St Petersburg Police Department has a history of using children as confidential informants.

(2)  How numerous professors and people across our nation agree that using children as confidential informants is child-abuse.

(3)  How children across our nation are being killed as a result of their confidential informant work.  The St Petersburg Police Department is abusing the children of St Petersburg, Florida and placing their lives in danger by using them as confidential informants.  Do you disagree with the St Petersburg Police Department abusing children and placing their lives in danger by using them as confidential informants?  Will you please share your thoughts on this matter with Mayor Rick Kriseman?  Please share this blog with your friends.         Harold Hempstead

Questions To Be Considered About Law Enforcement Using Children Between The Ages Of 13 And 17 As Confidential Informants

(1)  Do you believe it’s child-abuse for law enforcement to use children between the ages of 13 and 17 as informants?

(2)  Would you agree to allow law enforcement to use your child as a confidential informant?

(3)  Do you believe a law enforcement agency that uses children as informants should be investigated by the federal government?

(4)  If you have ever been used as an informant when you were a child – will you share your experiences with us?  If you have ever been used as an informant by the police department in St Petersburg – Florida – will you please share your experiences with Largo – Florida attorney John Tevena and Tampa Bay Times reporter Kathryn Varn?

Please share this blog with your friends.

Harold Hempstead