LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER - 42005853

Requisition No: 858607 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER - 42005853

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42005853 

Salary:  $63,000.08 - $69,299.88 

Posting Closing Date: 08/15/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER (K-9)

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

OFFICE OF AGRICULTURAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***

The headquarters for this position is located in Escambia County

Agricultural Law Enforcement Officer (K9) Duties:

The incumbent in this position is a Law Enforcement Officer / K-9 Handler, responsible for law enforcement activities as specified in Section 570.65, Florida Statutes.  These acts include, but are not limited to, criminal violations involving:  domesticated animals, livestock, poultry, aquaculture products, farms and farm equipment, livery tack, citrus and citrus products, trespass, littering, forests, theft of forest products, protection of consumers, all criminal laws and civil traffic laws committed on property owned, managed, or occupied by the department, any emergency situation in which the life, limb, or property of any person is placed in danger and any crime incidental to or related thereof.   Each law enforcement officer shall meet the qualifications of law enforcement officers established by Chapter 943, Florida Statutes.  Each officer is subject to and has the same arrest, jurisdiction and other authority provided for state law enforcement officers in Chapter 901, Florida Statutes.  Each officer also has the same right and authority to carry arms as do the sheriffs of this state. 

The incumbent Law Enforcement Officer also performs specialized duties as a K-9 Handler, including handling, care, and deployment of an assigned law enforcement canine in accordance with agency policy. This includes conducting interdiction operations, searches for narcotics and other contraband, participation in traffic stops, roving patrols, and special operations requiring canine support. The officer ensures the daily care, feeding, grooming, housing, and veterinary needs of the canine and maintains required documentation related to health, training, and deployment.

One of the primary missions of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is to prevent the introduction into the state of plant and animal pests and diseases which may have a devastating effect on Florida agriculture.  The criminal law enforcement, prevention and suppression of crimes relating to agriculture, citrus, livestock and other related matters is a unique and highly technical and specialized field of criminal law enforcement requiring independent professional judgment.  Activities may include participation in regulatory enforcement authorized by the Florida Administrative Code relating to the law enforcement functions of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  The officer is responsible for the proper and timely documentation and disposition of violations, and for notifying supervisors of any significant incidents impacting operations.

The Law Enforcement Officer / K-9 Handler conducts law enforcement activities in furtherance of department’s primary mission and responsibilities.  Activities may include working at static Aglaw interdiction stations, mobile station checkpoints, roving patrols, and special events.  Specified vehicles are required to stop for agricultural inspection at inspection stations and roving inspection points with those failing to stop being pursued and apprehended.  Roving patrol vehicles cover lesser used roads.  Agricultural and horticultural products are inspected to determine compliance with various laws and regulations.  Data is recorded and reported to supervisors and various divisions and agencies both within and outside the department.  Agriculture commodity inspections may result in detection of violations of rule or code.  Such disposition may involve further investigation, arrests, or other enforcement activity.  The Law Enforcement Officer is authorized to use all modern law enforcement techniques including, but not limited to: arrests, search and seizure, planned and organized crime scene searches, sketching of diagrams, photography, processing of latent fingerprints, use of laboratory aids, and the collection and preservation of evidence.  Officers may be involved with the other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies with the investigation of crime.  It is incumbent that the officer develops and maintain a close and harmonious relationship with all law enforcement and related agencies having jurisdiction over the suspected criminal activity or geographical area wherein the suspected criminal activity occurred.  Each officer is responsible for ensuring that their immediate supervisor, and in the event their immediate supervisor is unavailable, or circumstances dictate, the next available supervisor in the Chain of Command, is informed of all matters relevant to law enforcement activities being conducted and the status and disposition of their activities. 

A core function of the Law Enforcement Officer / K-9 Handler involves hand-working the dog in furtherance of law enforcement duties and the Department’s core mission and responsibilities.  This involves deploying the dog to perform the functions in which the dog is trained, which may include odor and contraband detection, area searches, building searches, suspect apprehension, and handler protection.  Activities may include conducting interdiction stops, vehicles searches and field deployments for contraband detection.

K-9 Handler Officers are required to attend to the handling, care, housing, and transportation of the assigned K-9 on a daily basis.  K-9 Handlers shall coordinate with department designated veterinarians and the K-9 Lieutenant on standard of care requirements for their canine.  K-9 Handlers shall also prioritize continuous training and development with their canine as well as department required training and personal development training.  K-9 Handlers shall adhere to the recurring K-9 Team training, as directed by the K-9 Lieutenant. K-9 Handlers shall attend any departmental or team meetings as required.

K-9 Officers shall complete all required administrative tasks including submitting in a timely manner concise detailed Report Management System (RMS) case reports, timesheets, vehicle reports, expense reports, leave requests, travel documents, K-9 logs and documentation related to K-9 health, training, and deployments, and all other required administrative tasks and required reports.

As a result of arrests, the officer will be called upon to testify and present evidence in a court of law.  The officer will obey all court orders and subpoenas.  The officer will be thoroughly familiar with the case file, evidence and other relevant matters pertaining to the incident.  The officer will represent the department and present such testimony and evidence in a professional manner.

Each officer will perform other related tasks.

Minimum Qualifications:

• United States Citizen.
• High School graduate or GED.
• Must be 18 years of age to apply and 19 years of age by date of hire.
• Valid driver license with no more than four moving traffic violations within the past three years.
• Have not been convicted of driving a vehicle or operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance within the past five years.
• Have not refused to submit to a breath/blood/urine test within the last five years.
• Have not used cannabis illegally within the last two years.
• Have not used any illegal controlled substance, other than cannabis, within the last five years.
• Have not been convicted of any felony or any misdemeanor involving perjury or a false statement.
• Have not been dishonorably discharged from any of the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
• Good moral character.
• Must possess active Florida law enforcement certificate in compliance with Florida Statute 943.
• Three (3) years of sworn law enforcement experience
• Must have never received a reprimand or disciplinary action for excessive use of force.

This is a physically demanding law enforcement position with specialized requirements unique to K9 operations. Officers are expected to conduct proactive enforcement and interdiction efforts in isolated and challenging environments. The position requires daily handling of a law enforcement K9, frequent lifting and movement of heavy objects, and physical control of the canine during patrols, training, and apprehension scenarios. Officers may operate independently for extended periods and must be prepared to overcome obstacles, pursue fleeing suspects, and possibly navigate harsh terrain while managing their K9 partner. An initial, and thereafter annual, CJSTC Physical Abilities Test (PAT) along with a swim test will be required with various categories to include:

•   Exiting a vehicle/opening a trunk

•   Simulated gun belt reach exercise

•   Running 300 yards with 15-pound go-bag

•   Serpentine through cones

•   Wall climb

•   Dragging a 150-pound dummy 100 feet

•   Hurdle stepover

•   Low crawl

•   Sled push with 180 pounds

•   Battle rope lift

•   Dry firing a weapon six times with each hand.

Candidates must complete the PAT course [not including the swim portion] in 7 minutes and 30 seconds in order to pass.

Selection Process - The OALE selection process takes approximately three to four months to complete.  Steps to complete the selection process include, but are not limited to:

• A completed State of Florida Employment Application.
• A completed Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement Sworn Supplemental Application.
• Oral Review Board.
• Background Investigation.
• Fingerprint Processing.
• Psychological Evaluation.
• Medical Evaluation.
• Drug Screening.

Salary - $63,000.08 - $69,299.88

Duty Stations and Assignments - Duty stations are assigned based upon position availability, agency needs and candidate location.  These areas include, but are not limited to, Interstate 10 in Escambia County.

Contact - Carol Richards at (850) 274-7068 or (850) 245-1324 or AgLaw.Recruitment@FDACS.gov with any questions or concerns.

Notes - If possible, please submit your application from a desktop or laptop computer.   Devices such as cellular phones and tablets have been known to cause errors when submitting an application.  Please be sure to review each answer as they cannot be changed once your application is submitted.

Information regarding the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) may be found on the following website: https://www.fdacs.gov/Divisions-Offices/Agricultural-Law-Enforcement

Persons selected are generally hired at the minimum starting salary identified in the advertisement and salary increases are granted based upon appropriations as determined by the Florida Legislature.

ATTENTION CANDIDATES

 To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values
and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified
individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

The Following Special Benefits for this Position Include

Uniforms and Dry-cleaning Allowance - All required uniforms, equipment and weapons are provided at no cost; Uniform maintenance allowance is $500 annually.

Education and Training Incentive Payments - Sworn employees are eligible to receive up to $130 monthly for the completion of career development courses and/or an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the “Total Compensation Estimator Tool” located above under the “Posting Closing Date.”

Special Notes:

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.