LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

Law Enforcement Officer - 42005187

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement is seeking a Law Enforcement Officer. The headquarters for this position is negotiable between Hamilton, Nassau, and Suwannee County. Selected applicants will attend the January 2027 Law Enforcement Academy.

Agricultural Law Enforcement Officer Duties:

• Law enforcement activities as specified in Section 570.65, Florida Statutes
• 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
• 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
• The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement manages and operates the Agricultural Inspection Stations, 24 hours a day, year-round, as well as utilizing roving patrols
• 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
• Rovers patrol 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
• 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
• Each officer is responsible for submitting in a timely manner concise detailed reports on activities for use by supervisors, state attorneys, courts and ultimate review by the public
• Citrus, avocado, lime and tomato shipments and accompanying documents are inspected to verify conformance with applicable Federal-State Marketing Orders
• Vegetable shipments are verified against manifests and vehicles contents are recorded and reported
• Outgoing watermelon and flower shipments are recorded and reported
• Data are recorded and checked for compliance with registration requirements
• Meat products are recorded and reported
• Dairy products are recorded and incoming shipments of milk and cream are rerouted to testing labs
• Intra and interstate shipments of livestock and accompanying documents are inspected and verified to enforce compliance with applicable health requirements and quarantines; data are collected and reported on all livestock shipments
• Feed, seed, fertilizer and treated fence post shipments are checked for compliance with state law and recorded and reported
• Hay and harvesting equipment from quarantined areas are checked for fumigation certification
• Nursery shipments, Christmas trees, sod, etc. are checked for required inspection certificates and recorded and reported

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of law enforcement and investigative principles and techniques
• Knowledge of security and safety principles
• Skills in writing reports, preparing and presenting training materials, coordinating activities with other law enforcement agencies
• Skills in planning, organizing, and directing the local law enforcement program
• Skills in the operation of assigned equipment such as: firearms, surveillance equipment, radios, and handcuffs
• Ability to interview suspects and witnesses and to gather and submit physical evidence

Additional Requirements:

• Occasional travel required

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 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
• One of the following is required: One (1) year of law enforcement experience or Two (2) years of work experience or Two (2) years of active and continuous military service can substitute for the required work experience. College education can substitute at the rate of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours for the work experience.

Unless you meet one of the exemptions listed below, all applicants must take and pass the Florida Law Enforcement Basic Abilities Test (L.E. BAT) prior to being granted an interview. Passing L.E. BAT scores must be provided no later than June 12, 2026.

L.E. BAT exemptions:

• You are a veteran with an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions and can provide proof via a DD-214.
• You hold an associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university and can provide proof via a copy of the degree, or transcripts indicating the degree was conferred.

Proof of one of the above listed exemptions must be provided no later than June 12, 2026.

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 passing score on the L.E. BAT or proof of exemption from the L.E. BAT. A completed Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement Supplemental Employment Application for Law Enforcement Officer Recruits. Oral Review Board. Background Investigation. Fingerprint Processing. Psychological Evaluation. Medical Evaluation. Drug Screening. Salary - $60,000.20 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 Suwannee County; Interstate 75 in Hamilton County and Interstate 95 in Nassau County.

Contact - Carol Richards at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io 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. To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate's use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Information regarding the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE) may be found on the following website:

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

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 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 ;) Flexible Spending Accounts. Tuition waivers. And more! For a complete list of benefits, visit