LAW ENFORCEMENT K-9 OFFICER - 42003765

Law Enforcement K-9 Officer

The headquarters for this position is located in Nassau County. 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, 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.

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.
• Two (2) 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 K-9 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 K-9, 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 K-9 partner. An initial, and thereafter annual, CJSTC Physical Abilities Test (PAT) along with a swim test will be required with various categories to include :

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 :

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 95 in Nassau County.

Contact Jenny Attewell at (850) 5