Largo Tightens Rules on Prostitution

Arresting potential prostitutes is expected to get easier for Largo Police.

Officers in the Problem Oriented Policing unit are handcuffed in some instances because of loopholes in state and city laws during investigations into prostitution, typically in the city’s Clearwater-Largo Road corridor.

“The prostitutes that have been arrested multiple times have found a way of screening us,” said Sgt. Michael Bruno, adding that prostitutes usually ask for some inappropriate behavior to be shown by the undercover officer before proceeding. “That typically ends our ability to enforce state statutes.”

City leaders unanimously approved changes Tuesday that will make it easier for police to arrest potential prostitutes.

“No pun, bust ‘em,” commissioner Curtis Holmes said.

The changes allow officers to make an arrest based on public behavior that is consistent with a verified pattern of solicitation that usually precedes an act of prostitution.

To meet the requirement, the suspect must exhibit a series of at least three listed behaviors in public, and they must have been convicted of, or pled no contest to, any offense relating to or involving prostitution or lewdness within two years.

Police would be able to arrest a suspect who requests or demands the other participant in the public encounter complete one of eight prohibited acts consistent with lewd behavior including exposing him or herself or fondle or touch the other participant inappropriately.

The activities include:

(1) The person repeatedly beckons to, stops, or attempts to stop or engage passersby in conversation;

(2) The person repeatedly stops or attempts to stop motor vehicles' operators by hailing, waving of arms or any other bodily gesture;

(3) The person approaches a passerby or motorist, has left with that person for a short period of time, and upon return to the same area repeats this pattern with a different person;

(4) The person takes flight or tries to  conceal himself or herself upon the appearance of a law enforcement officer;

(5) The person gestures to, touches, or exposes his or her breast, groin or buttocks;

(6) The person inquires whether a potential patron, procurer or prostitute is a law enforcement officer or searches for articles that would identify a law enforcement officer;

(7) The person inquires of a potential patron, procurer or prostitute  about an act that would constitute sexual activity;

(8) The person requests the touching or exposure of his or her breast, groin or buttocks.

Officer realized they needed the changes after working with Clearwater Police on an undercover prostitution sting in 2011, Bruno said.

"During the detail we were able to successfully utilize their ordinance when we were unable to fulfill the requirements of the state statute," Bruno said in an email.

The special investigation unit made 57 prostitution arrests since 2008, Bruno said. However, the arrests dramatically dropped the last two years.

Problems Orienting Policing prostitution arrests:

16 - 2008

15 - 2009

9 - 2010

3 - 2011

4 - 2012

Related coverage:

• Leaders Look to Tighten Rules Regarding Prostitution

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