CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION
FULL COMMITTEE MEETING
CareerSource, 3400 Belvedere Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Monday, September 22nd, 2025, at 12 p.m. MINUTES
Members Present:
Alexcia Cox, State Attorney, 15th Judicial Circuit
Dan Eisinger, Public Defender, 15th Judicial Circuit
Darcy Davis, Chief Executive Officer, HealthCare District
Demetrios Thomas, Special Agent Supervisor at Florida Department of Law Enforcement, PBC
Derek Gibson, Circuit Administrator, Florida Department of Corrections
Dominick Pape, Chief, Palm Beach Gardens Police Department
Glenn Kelley, Chief Judge, 15th Judicial Circuit
Gregory Starling, Chief Probation Officer, Circuit 15, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Jorge Garrido, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Management Strategies
Joseph Casello, PBC Legislative Delegate
Julia Dattolo, President/CEO, CareerSource PBC
Kathleen Kroll, Administrative Judge, Juvenile Division
Karen Hansen, The Collective Projects
Lauren Whetstone, FPL Energy Services, Inc.
Lawrence Gordon, Palm Beach County League of Cities
Leontyne Brown, d.b.a Leontyne Brown
Marcia Andrews, Palm Beach County School Board Member and CJC Treasurer
Maria S. Antuña, Chief Executive Officer, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and CJC Secretary
Michelle Suskauer, Attorney, The Suskauer Law Firm, P.A. and CJC Vice-Chair
Mike Caruso, Clerk of the PBC Circuit Court & Comptroller
Oswald Newbold, Reentry Coordinator, the Reentry Center of Riviera Beach
Rachel Docekal, Chief Executive Officer, Hanley Foundation, and CJC Chair
Shania Grant, Student, Florida Atlantic University
Members Absent:
Anthony LaCosta, Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of Florida
Antonio Araujo, Chief, West Palm Beach Police Department
Cesar Daniel Arbolaez, Pastor, Passion Church
Joel G. Flores, Palm Beach County Commissioner, District 3
Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
Nellie L. King, Attorney, the Law Offices of Nellie L. King, P.A.
Vanessa Klein, Director of Reentry Services, The Lord's Place
Guests Attending:
Andrea Rocha, Director, Court Operations, Palm Beach County Clerk's Office
April Bristow, County Criminal Court Judge, 15th Judicial Circuit Court
Arlene Griffiths, Palm Beach County Public Safety
Jaime-Lee Bradshaw, Community Partners of South Florida
Jessica Hidalgo, Reentry Services, Palm Beach County Public Safety
Jeesica Bober-Rosenthal, Assistant County Attorney, Palm Beach County
Kariana Ingram, Palm Beach County Legislative Affairs
Nicole Bishop, Palm Beach County Public Safety
Shantel Drayton, Manager of Court Services, Palm Beach County Public Safety
Shirlon St. Amour, Palm Beach County Public Safety
Stephanie Sejnoha, Director, Palm Beach County Public Safety
Tom Nadler, Assistant County Administrator
Vivian Rodriguez, Chief of Staff, District 3 Commissioner Joel G. Flores CJC Staff Present:
Angelique J. Pickett, Executive Director
Brad Allen, Criminal Justice Analyst
Christopher Slydell, Criminal Justice Analyst
Dawn Caveness-Davenport, Senior Criminal Justice Analyst
Katherine Hatos, Criminal Justice Systems Manager
Margo Smith, Criminal Justice Analyst
Rosalind Murray, Community Engagement Coordinator
Stephanie Molière, Senior Criminal Justice Analyst I. Call to Order - Chair Rachel Docekal called the meeting to order.
II. Roll Call - Executive Director Angelique J. Pickett completed roll call of the members and announced there was quorum.
III. Approval and/or corrections to the Agenda - Michelle Suskauer made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Marcia Andrews and passed unanimously.
IV. Approval and/or Corrections to the May 27th, 2025, Minutes - Marcia Andrews, made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Maria S. Antuña and passed unanimously.
V. Chair's Comments A. Passing of CJC Member: Representative Joe Casello - The meeting began with a moment of silence to honor Representative Joe Casello, a CJC member who passed away during the summer holiday.
B. Welcome Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Mike Caruso to the Criminal Justice Commission - Chair Rachel Docekal welcomed the new Clerk and Comptroller of Circuit Court for Palm Beach County, Mike Caruso.
- Clerk & Comptroller Caruso expressed his excitement about serving in this role and noted that former Clerk Joseph Abruzzo left the office in excellent condition. He acknowledged having "a great team" and mentioned they are working on improvements while maintaining the strong foundation already in place.
C. Introduction and welcome to Deputy County Administrator Tom Nadler to Palm Beach County Administration - Chair Docekal welcomed new Palm Beach County Deputy County Administrator Tom Nadler to the Criminal Justice Commission.
- Deputy County Administrator Nadler stated he brings 30 years of law enforcement experience, having retired from the Broward Sheriff's Office and most recently serving with the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office. He emphasized his commitment to supporting the CJC and announced that the CJC has been placed under the Public Safety Division, with Executive Director Angelique now working alongside Public Safety Director Stephanie Sejnoha in the public safety arena. Deputy County Administrator Nadler expressed his goal to bring all stakeholders back to the table to ensure the CJC's success.
D. CJC Seat Vacancies & Reappointments for 2026 – 2028 Term - Director Pickett reported four letters of reappointment will be brought to the Nominating Committee and then back to the CJC. She continued to report for the terms 2026 to 2028 there will be five new appointees to be reviewed with one for the vacancy that is running out in 2027. She hopes to present the appointments at the next full CJC.
- Chair Docekal encouraged members to recommend any of their colleagues who are interested in serving on the CJC.
VI. Executive Director Updates - Budget Report Out
- Director Pickett reported that the Finance and Fundraising Committee, chaired by Marcia Andrews, presented new monthly budget reporting formats to provide greater transparency to the CJC. She explained the report breaks down the general fund (CJC staff and operations), various trust funds (Drug Abuse, Crime Prevention, and Domestic Violence), and grant transfers. She expressed this initiative ensures the board members have current information about available funds for decision-making purposes.
- Chair Docekal thanked the Finance and Fundraising Committee Chair, Marcia Andrews, and committee members for the time they put into the committee.
- Jorge Garrido stated the discussion during the Finance and Fundraising Committee was on the MacArthur Foundation grant, which ends in September of 2026. He continued to state the CJC have to replace significant amounts of funds by that time.
- Deputy Administrator Nadler reported DOGE visited the County a couple of months ago and announced that the MacArthur Foundation grant will be terminated earlier than originally planned. He stated the grant was scheduled to end in September 2026, but the county has decided to cut ties with the MacArthur Foundation "as soon as possible" based on recommendations from the state level. He expressed they are preparing to be present to the Board of County Commissioners, and they are looking at other avenues to supplement.
- Marcia Andrews expressed serious concern about this development, noting that the CJC operates with a very small staff budget and that the MacArthur funding has enabled significant community outreach and programming. She emphasized the urgent need to secure replacement funding to maintain services for Palm Beach County residents.
- Chair Docekal reported that the community-based projects and initiatives funded through the MacArthur Foundation Capstone grant will not be followed through on.
- Maria S. Antuña called on all board members to actively seek grant opportunities and organizational partnerships to help replace the lost funding.
- Deputy Administrator Nadler explained they are analyzing contract by contract. And what needs to be done with each one of them. He continued to state he will work very, very closely with the Board and make sure that things are done properly. He reported this decision came from the state department.
VII. Presentation - Sentencing Presentation
- County Court Judge April Bristow of the 15th Judicial Circuit introduced herself and gave a brief presentation on the sentencing requirements.
VIII. Old Business - Text Reminder System: Maintenance MOU with Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Palm Beach County, contracted services with Uptrust/Fieldware, and funding through the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Safety and Justice Challenge
- Executive Director Pickett reported that the Uptrust/Fieldware, originally funded through MacArthur Foundation initiatives, will continue through other partnerships with other county entities who have found value in the program.
- Community Partners of South Florida contract completion – Stage II Community Engagement Final Report
- Jaime-Lee Bradshaw of Community Partners of South Florida presented the Stage Two Community Engagement Final Report. She reported on the key accomplishments and sustainability measures.
IX. New Business A. Probation and Advisory Board: Annual Contract Compliance Monitoring Audit of Professional Probation Service, Inc. (PPS) – CY 2023-2024 - Executive Director Pickett read a statement from Judge Zuckerman on behalf of the Probation Advisory Board into the record:
- The Probation Advisory Board was created in 1993 as a subcommittee to the CJC to monitor and review the scope of work and contract compliance regarding the dispensation of misdemeanor probation services in Palm Beach County through statute. Since 2012, Professional Probation Services Incorporated (PPS) has operated as the contract provider for misdemeanor probation services as a not-for-profit organization under a fee-for-service operation that does not include ad valorem funding, with PPS paying the county $5,000 per year to offset monitoring costs. The Probation Advisory Board completed a comprehensive two-year review of misdemeanor probation services spanning January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024, examining a random sample of 320 closed cases from approximately 6,000 total cases handled. While PPS did not achieve full compliance in each category, the board found overall compliance with the service contract, and PPS is actively working on implementing the recommendations made by the Probation Advisory Board. The board unanimously endorsed the findings at their August 11, 2025, meeting and recommended extending the current service contract for another year with one additional renewal year option before going to RFP in 2027. The next contract compliance review period is set for October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, and will include a deeper analysis of general characteristics of those on probation including demographics, education levels, and income levels.
- Public Defender Daniel Eisinger requested additional data on probation failure drivers to help improve the current 70% success rate, specifically asking for information on whether failures are due to relapses, new charges, or financial barriers to drug testing compliance.
B. Finance and Fundraising Committee: Update on CJC funding request processes for CJC member consideration - Internal processes to handle funding request processes for intergovernmental transfer, donation, and sponsorship funding requests.
- Marcia Andrews expressed it was a pleasure to serve as the Chair of the Finance and Fundraising Committee, recognized the committee members and thanked the CJC staff. Marcia Andrews explained that the Finance and Fundraising Committee has developed comprehensive procedures for funding requests. She emphasized that this new process addresses a significant gap that previously existed. Marcia Andrews highlighted that the committee worked collaboratively with staff, particularly Executive Director Pickett, to make corrections and improvements to the procedures. She noted that the Finance and Fundraising Committee had multiple meetings over the summer to develop these guidelines.
- Executive Director Pickett stated that they worked over the summer with guidance from the Finance and Fundraising Committee, which held a couple of meetings and has another one scheduled for next month to review what was discussed. She reported the committee put together internal procedures on how they would handle any requests that are incoming, starting with the beginning stage that deals with intergovernmental transfers, drug testing donations, tour bus funding for prison tours, and sponsorships for events like the Youth Summit and Reentry Summit.
- Executive Director Pickett explained that the procedures document includes the purpose of the funding, when updates would be warranted, the scope of what would be involved, and definitions of key terms.
- Executive Director Pickett highlighted that the committee needs clarification from the full group regarding eligibility criteria and types of funding requests and the specific criteria requiring approval.
- Jorge Garrido explained that the idea behind the 12-month restriction was to ensure that if they fund an organization, that organization will put the resources in place and commit to continuing whatever program is being funded. He emphasized they don't want to fund organizations that use the money for something but then lack commitment to continue the program afterward.
- Jorge Garrido clarified that the one-time funding approach prevents organizations from receiving grants year after year, ensuring it's not something they become dependent on annually. This approach is designed to encourage organizational sustainability and prevent the appearance of impropriety or favoritism in relationships.
- The Commission began discussions on the funding request process.
- Lawrence Gordon expressed concern about the termination of the MacArthur Foundation grant, questioning whether the decision is final and if there's any possibility of saving the funding. He emphasized that this represents a significant amount of money that supports numerous community activities, and he believes replacing these funds will not be easy.
- Deputy Administrator Nadler stated that the relationship with the MacArthur Foundation will be cut short sooner than the original September 2026 end date due to state recommendations and budget constraints, though he expressed confidence that the Commission can work together with community support and the new county administrator's connections to find alternative funding sources and continue the CJC's important work.
- Marcia Andrews requested assistance of the Clerk and Comptroller of the Circuit Court Mike Caruso to work with the CJC Finance and Fundraising Committee with their expertise in grant writing and funding.
- Consideration of implementing a CJC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process to handle requests from non-governmental entities for Trust Fund monies.
- Executive Director Pickett reported in the light of the BCC meeting regarding the NOFO process, the Finance and Fundraising Committee will meet in October and move forward in addressing the CJC NOFO process.
X. Discussion Items/Updates A. CJC Task Force Change Confirmation: Racial Equity Task Force to now be known as the System Trends Review for Impartial Data Evaluation (STRIDE) Task Force – Objective/Purpose: To identify the drivers behind any demographic inconsistencies within the Palm Beach County criminal justice system, based upon data and research, to make specific strategy recommendations to the Criminal Justice Commission. - There were no discussions.
B. 2026 CJC Full Committee Meeting Dates and Times - Executive Director Pickett presented the 2026 CJC Full Committee Meeting Dates and Times to the Commission for their review.
C. 2026 CJC Officer Nominations to be presented by the Nominating Committee at the October 27, 2025, full CJC meeting. Anyone interested in self-nominating and/or nominating other CJC Members for Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, or Secretary are asked to make their selection known during this meeting or submit their nominations to Executive Director Pickett via email no later than Thursday, September 25, 2025. All nominees will be presented for consideration to the CJC Nominating Committee during the first week of October. - Executive Director Pickett announced that the nominating committee is scheduled to meet on October 6th, and all committee representatives need to submit self-nominations or nominations of other CJC members for the four officer positions: chair, vice chair, treasurer, and secretary. She emphasized that nominations must be collected by September 25th and can be submitted by calling, texting, or emailing her directly, with the nominations being included in the public meeting packet one week prior to the nominating committee meeting.
D. Data Request Status Updates - Chair Docekal directed the board's attention to the data request status document which contains a status table of various data requests made by the board, noting that while some requests are still marked as "TBD" (to be determined), others are scheduled for completion by the end of September and will be brought back at future meetings.
XI. Task Force Reports A. Upcoming CJC Committee and Task Force Meetings - Chair Docekal also highlighted two important items in the meeting packet: first, a schedule of committees and task force meetings planned for the upcoming year.
B. 50th Session of the Citizen's Criminal Justice Academy (CCJA) - Chair Docekal explained that this special 50th session represents "the best of" the Citizens Criminal Justice Academy, featuring hot topics that began the previous Wednesday and would run through mid-December.
C. Probation and Advisory Board: Annual Contract Compliance Monitoring Audit of Professional Probation Service, Inc. (PPS) – CY 2023-2024 - Michelle Suskauer, made a motion to approve the Annual Contract Compliance Monitoring Audit of Professional Probation Service, Inc. (PPS), seconded by Marcia Andrews and passed unanimously.
XII. Adjournment – Meeting Adjourned
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