About the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement
The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement has certified law enforcement positions in two bureaus: the Bureau of Uniform Services and the Bureau of Investigative Services.
Bureau of Uniform Services
When it comes to protecting Florida agriculture, the Bureau of Uniform Services is the first line of defense at the state's borders. We operate 23 agricultural interdiction stations on 19 highways going into and out of Florida. The bureau has 204 employees who support and supplement the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' regulatory and law enforcement programs by inspecting highway shipments of agricultural, horticultural, aquaculture and livestock commodities. Our efforts help to ensure the public of a safe, quality food supply and to prevent, control and eradicate plant and animal pests and diseases that could impact Florida’s $120 billion agricultural industry.
State law provides our officers with Administrative Search Authority, which is the ability to conduct regulatory inspections without obtaining traditional probable cause.
Section 570.15, Florida Statutes, makes it unlawful for the driver of any vehicle, other than those specifically exempted by the statute, to pass by any agricultural interdiction station. Unlawfully passing an interdiction station is a second-degree misdemeanor, and violators can be stopped by any law enforcement agency in the state upon our notification.
Bureau of Investigative Services
The Bureau of Investigative Services enforces laws governing businesses regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), including telemarketing operations, charities, motor vehicle repair shops, pawnshops, and moving and storage companies. The bureau is tasked with protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices, protecting Florida’s agriculture industry from theft and other crimes, and safeguarding the wholesomeness of food and other consumer products. The bureau is divided into two distinct sections: Criminal Investigative Services and Regulatory Investigative Services.
The Bureau of Investigative Services investigates crimes involving agriculture, including those involving farms, farm equipment, pesticides, fertilizers, livestock, poultry, horticulture, aquaculture and citrus products. We also investigate violations occurring on property owned or operated by FDACS.
The bureau develops cooperative partnerships with all local, state and federal agencies. Maintaining stakeholder partnerships allows the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement to provide investigative assistance in areas over which FDACS has jurisdiction and to aggressively pursue criminal complaints to prevent future acts of criminality.
