The Dept. of Law Enforcement was created in 1967 as the Bureau of Law Enforcement, combining the Florida Sheriff's Bureau, the State Board of Health's Narcotics Bureau, and the criminal law investigative duties of the Attorney General. The Bureau became the Dept. of Law Enforcement in 1969; was reorganized in 1974 as the Florida Dept. of Criminal Law Enforcement. It was renamed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in 1978.
The Department conducts investigations into the execution and enforcement of laws relating but not limited to organized crime, racketeering, vice, narcotics, fraud, rioting or inciting to riot, and insurrection. It investigates the misconduct of public officials and employees and members of public authorities that are subject to removal or suspension by the Governor. It is a primary participant in the Joint Terrorism Task Force in conjunction with local and Federal agencies. It is responsible for the Security and protection of the Florida Governor and the first family. In addition to it’s State Police functions, it maintains a Criminal Justice Information System that records and transmits valuable information on criminals for use by government agencies. It has a Forensic Laboratory division that is ranked among the highest in the country. It provides investigative support for local and state law enforcement agencies, certifies training schools, and sets standards for criminal justice enforcement officers.
|
