Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner    -    Colonel Jerry Bryan, Director

Frequently Asked Questions About
Employment with Agricultural Law Enforcement

GENERAL JOB APPLICATION QUESTIONS

  1. Do I have to use the People First web site to apply?
  2. What if I have questions about using People First?
  3. I cannot find any listing for vacancies with Agricultural Law Enforcement.
  4. The application requires me to provide a detailed list of my employment history. Are there any resources that can help me find this information?

BUREAU OF UNIFORM SERVICES:

  1. Are officers assigned take-home cars?
  2. Is there a way to earn overtime?
  3. Can officers work second jobs, and can they work the security details at the Florida Welcome Center or rest areas
  4. How far can officers live from the station that they are assigned?
  5. Can officers carry agency-issued firearms off duty?
  6. Is there room for advancement in this Agency?
  7. How are officers trained about the job once hired?
  8. How long after being hired can officers apply for other Agency vacancies?
  9. May officers work and go to school at the same time?
  10. How long does an officer have to work at an inspection station before being transfer to a side station?
  11. Do employees have to live in Florida to work for the Department?
  12. How long does the application process take to be hired?
  13. Will someone contact applicants after the interview process to inform them that they have passed to the next stage, the background phase?
  14. Do officers get a uniform allowance and how much is it?
  15. Do officers have to wear their bullet proof vest all the time while on duty?
  16. If officers observe a minor traffic infraction, how serious does it have to be before can take enforcement action?

SPECIAL OPERATIONS SECTION:

VACIS TEAMS -

  1. What does VACIS mean?
  2. How does it work?
  3. The system uses Radiation. Is it safe?
  4. How is the system used to scan a vehicle?
  5. How long dose it take to scan a Vehicle?
  6. Is this safe to scan foodstuffs?

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES:

  1. Are investigators assigned take-home cars?
  2. Is there a way to earn overtime?
  3. Can we take a second job?
  4. How far can investigators live from the office for which we are assigned?
  5. Can investigators carry agency-issued firearms off duty?
  6. Is there room for advancement in this Bureau?
  7. How are investigators trained about the job once we are hired?
  8. How long after we are hired can officers apply for other Agency vacancies?
  9. May investigators work and go to school at the same time?
  10. How long does the application process take to be hired?
  11. Will someone contact applicants after the interview process to inform them that they have passed to the next stage, the background phase?
  12. Do investigators receive a uniform allowance and how much is it?
  13. Do investigators have to wear their bullet proof vest all the time while on duty
  14. What is the responsibility of the Bureau of Investigative Services?
  15. What types of crimes are investigated?
  16. Does the Bureau have any other responsibilities?

GENERAL JOB APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. Do I have to use the People First web site to apply? - Yes, People First is the State's self-service, secure, web-based personnel information system.
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2. What if I have questions about using People First? - The web site has a list of frequently asked questions that can provide answers to most questions about the process of submitting an application.
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3. I cannot find any listing for vacancies with Agricultural Law Enforcement. - We do not accept applications until we have a specific position opening.
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4. The application requires me to provide a detailed list of my employment history. Are there any resources that can help me find this information? - Yes. To obtain a detailed statement of your employment history, you may complete form SSA-7050-F4, Request For Social Security Earnings Information Under most circumstances, they charge for detailed earnings information. You should allow four months from the date you submit the form SSA-7050 for a response.
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BUREAU OF UNIFORM SERVICES:

1. Are officers assigned take-home cars? - Line officers with the Bureau of Uniform Services are not issued a take home vehicle. Pursuit automobiles are assigned to each inspection station to be utilized by the law enforcement staff assigned that location to pursue and stop those vehicles subject to inspection which fail to stop for inspection. However, currently all law enforcement supervisory personnel are assigned take home vehicles.
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2. Is there a way to earn overtime? - Considering agricultural inspection stations are required to remain operational 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, certainly normal operations provide opportunities for line officers to earn overtime. Additionally, the Bureau of Uniform Services, as a member of Florida's Emergency Response Team and in support of various emergency regulatory programs implemented by the Department participate in special details which also provide opportunities for line officers to earn overtime.
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3. Can officers work second jobs and, can they work the security details at the Florida Welcome Center or rest areas? - It is the policy of the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement to allow employees to engage in outside employment or pursue other activities that do not pose a conflict with their primary job assignments and would not cause an embarrassment to nor detract from the reputation of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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4. How far can officers live from the station which they are assigned to? - Currently, there are no distance requirements for line officers. However, supervisory personnel are required to live within a 30 mile radius of their assigned headquarters.
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5. Can officers carry agency-issued firearms off duty? - The Agency allows, but does not require, off-duty officers to carry their agency-issued firearm so they may be prepared to act as police officers when circumstances are appropriate.  An officer must have an agency identification and badge available when carrying an agency firearm while off-duty.
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6. Is there room for advancement in this Agency? - The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement is committed to promoting from within where possible. Currently, the Bureau of Uniform Services is allocated 16 sergeant positions, 6 lieutenant positions, 4 captain positions and 2 major positions in addition to the Bureau Chief, which provide promotional opportunities. Additionally, all investigator positions with the Bureau of Investigations are considered promotional opportunities for officers in the Bureau of Uniform Services. Promotions to sergeant and investigator are competitive based upon written examinations and oral interviews.
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7. How are officers trained about the job once hired? - All new officers with the Bureau of Uniform Services are required to complete an on-the-job training program where they are paired with a field training officer who is highly proficient in a specific area learn the various regulatory programs and their duties and responsibilities.
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8. How long after being hired can officers apply for other Agency vacancies? - The current Law Enforcement Bargaining Agreement stipulates that an employee who has attained permanent status in the Career Service System may apply for a reassignment on a Request For Reassignment Form. Except where a vacancy is filled by demotion or where reassignment is not in the best interests of the agency, the representative having hiring authority for that vacancy shall give first consideration to the senior employee who has submitted a Request For Reassignment Form; provided, however, that employees whose Request For Reassignment is not submitted by the first day of the month shall not be considered.
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9. May officers work and go to school at the same time? - Officers are encouraged to further their education as long as school does not interfere with the officer's established work schedule. However, with prior approval from the Bureau Chief, an officer may trade shifts with another officer who voluntarily agrees to do so provided neither officer's work hours are less than or exceeds 160 hours in their normal 28 day work schedule.
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10. How long does an officer have to work at an inspection station before being transferred to a side station? - See question no. 8.
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11. Do employees have to live in Florida to work for the Department? - No. It is not uncommon for an officer assigned to an inspection station near the state line to live in an adjoining state.
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12. How long does the application process take to be hired? - Approximately four to six months.
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13. Will someone contact the applicants after the interview process to tell me that I have passed to the next stage, the background phase? - Yes.
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14. Do officers receive a uniform allowance and how much is it? - Officers with the Bureau of Uniform Services receive a Clothing and Maintenance Allowance in the amount of $500.00 annually paid at the rate of $250.00 biannually.
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15. Do officers have to wear their bullet proof vest all the time on the job? - Body armor shall be provided to all sworn employees.  It is recommended and strongly encouraged that sworn employees wear their issued body armor while performing law enforcement-related duties in the field.  Sworn employees are mandated to wear protective vests whenever they are engaged in pre-planned, high-risk situations.
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16. If officers observe a minor traffic infraction, how serious does it have to be before they can take enforcement action? It is important to remember that, although our officers have the statutory authority to enforce traffic laws of this state, the primary responsibilities of OALE are enforcement of laws relating to agriculture and the protection of consumers, including any emergency situation in which life, limb, or property of any person is placed in immediate and serious danger.  Due to staffing issues and focus on our core function, traffic enforcement emphasis shall be primarily placed on violations of regulated vehicles that fail to stop at agriculture inspection stations, and blatant hazardous traffic violations committed by passenger and commercial vehicles.
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SPECIAL OPERATIONS SECTION:

VACIS TEAMS -

1. What does VACIS mean? - Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System.
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2. How does it work? - It is an inspection system that allows the Agency to non-intrusively inspect the contents of a truck, container and cargo for regulated Agricultural articles or contraband agricultural products. The VACIS system uses a small radioactive source which emits a narrow beam directed at an array of detectors. During a scan, the system generates an image of the object inspected. The image is then used to determine whether the contents of the target vehicle are consistent with documented or declared items being transported.
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3. The system uses Radiation. Is it safe? - Radiation is always a concern. However, when the system is deployed neither the operators nor observers will receive a radiation dose higher than normal background radiation levels. If someone were inadvertently scanned, they would receive the same radiation dose as they would flying less than a minute at 30,000 feet.
Additionally, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services strictly adhere to standards and regulations set forth by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Florida Department of Health Bureau of Radiation Safety.
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4. How is the system used to scan a vehicle? - The system can be used in two way. One way is the vehicle driven through the machine, and the source is not opened until the driver is clear of the beam. This keeps the radiation exposure to no more than background levels. Or, the Target vehicle is stationary with the vehicle occupants exiting and at a safe area way from the system. The Mobile VACIS unit will then move to scan the vehicle cargo area.
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5. How long dose it take to scan a Vehicle? - A typical 40 foot container can be scanned in less than 10 seconds. Processing time and image analysis can run from 1 to 2 minutes.
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6. Is this safe to scan foodstuffs? - Yes, Radiation is routinely used in the production, processing and handling of food. The dose to the cargo by a VACIS scan is millions of times lower than that used in food processing and is therefore perfectly safe on foodstuffs.
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BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES:

1. Are investigators assigned take-home cars? - All investigators and officers within the Bureau of Investigative Services are assigned a vehicle 24/7, which is used while on duty.
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2. Is there a way to earn overtime? - Overtime is determined on a case by case basis, depending on the importance of the work being done. In some instances overtime is paid, in other circumstances, the investigator or officer is asked to take compensatory time off.
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3. Can we take a second job? - It is the policy of the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement to allow employees to engage in outside employment or pursue other activities that do not pose a conflict with their primary job assignments and would not cause an embarrassment to nor detract from the reputation of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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4. How far can investigators live from the office for which we are assigned? - Personnel are required to live within a 30 mile radius of their assigned office location.
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5. Can investigators carry agency-issued firearms off duty? - The agency allows, but does not require off-duty officers to carry their agency issued firearm so they may be prepared to act as police officers when circumstances are appropriate.
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6. Is there room for advancement in this Bureau? - The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement is committed to promoting from within where possible. Currently, the Bureau of Investigative Services is allocated seven lieutenant positions and two captain positions which provide promotional opportunities.
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7. How are investigators trained about this job once we are hired or selected from another Bureau? - Investigator positions are normally filled through internal promotional opportunity. New investigators have a 12 month probationary period, and are required to complete a training program. Employees are evaluated monthly for strengths and weaknesses, and given the opportunity to correct deficiencies.

On occasion an Investigators position is filled by hiring from outside the agency. When this occurs, the new investigator must complete the agency's FTO program as new officer as well as the training program for the investigator.

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8. How long after being hired can officers apply for other Agency vacancies? - The current Law Enforcement Bargaining Agreement stipulates that an employee who has attained permanent status in the Career Service System may apply for a reassignment on a Request For Reassignment Form. Except where a vacancy is filled by demotion or where reassignment is not in the best interests of the agency, the representative having hiring authority for that vacancy shall give first consideration to the senior employee who has submitted a Request For Reassignment Form; provided, however, that employees whose Request For Reassignment is not submitted by the first day of the month shall not be considered.
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9. May investigators work and go to school at the same time? - Mandatory training is paid for the by the Department. Investigators are encouraged to further their education as long as elective training does not interfere with their established work schedule, and with prior approval from the Bureau Chief.
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10. How long does the application process take to be hired? - Approximately four to six months
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11.Will someone contact the applicants after the interview process to tell me that I have passed to the next stage, the background phase? - Yes.
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12. Do investigators receive a uniform allowance and how much is it? - Investigators and Officers with the Bureau of Investigative Services receive a Clothing and Maintenance Allowance in the amount of $500.00 annually paid at the rate of $250.00 biannually.
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13. Do officers have to wear their bullet proof vest all the time on the job? - Body armor shall be provided to all sworn employees.  It is recommended and strongly encouraged that sworn employees wear their issued body armor while performing law enforcement-related duties in the field.  Sworn employees are mandated to wear protective vests whenever they are engaged in pre-planned, high-risk situations.
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14. What is the responsibility of the Bureau of Investigative Services? - The Bureau of Investigative Services provides law enforcement support services to all divisions of the Department and conducts criminal and civil investigations as they relate to matters upon which the Department has jurisdiction. The Bureau is also responsible for the enforcement of violations of criminal and civil laws occurring within State Forests or any crimes involving agriculture such as farms or farm equipment, animals, livestock, poultry, and any crimes involving horticulture, aquaculture, or citrus products.
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15. What types of crimes are investigated? - Crimes investigated by the Bureau include:

  • CONSUMER CRIMES Including illegal Telemarketing operations, Sale of Business Opportunities, Solicitations of Contributions, Sellers of Travel, Motor Vehicle Repair Fraud, Health Studios, Dance Studios, Pawnshops, and Moving & Storage companies.
  • ANIMAL / LIVESTOCK CRIMES including Theft of Livestock, illegal movement of animals, suspected outbreaks of contagious and infectious diseases, Pet Lemon Law issues, and Animal abuse issues.
  • AQUACULTURE CRIMES including Farm Theft, Lease trespassing, and Regulatory issues such as illegal movement of products.
  • STANDARDS RELATED ISSUES including Petroleum Products, Electronic Theft of Credit Card Information, and Weights and Measures.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES including Illegal Pest Control Operations and Illegal Dumping.
  • FORESTRY RELATED ISSUES including Fire Investigations primarily associated with Careless or Reckless acts and Arson and providing law enforcement functions for 31 State Forests currently totaling 991,392.56 acres.

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16. Does the Bureau have any other responsibilities? - In addition to the investigation of crimes, the Bureau also:

  • Manages a federal / state program in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration for Domestic Marijuana Eradication.
  • Provides physical protection for the Commissioner of Agriculture and other dignitaries.
  • Is an active participant in Florida's seven Regional Domestic Security Task Forces.

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