DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement Honored with Statewide Accreditation

TALLAHASSEE —The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) received full accreditation from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) at a ceremony in Hutchinson Island today. The prestigious recognition was accepted by Director Henry Barnet and the DEP DLE accreditation team.

“The Division of Law Enforcement has demonstrated a high level of professionalism in achieving accreditation from the CFA,” said DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole. “I am proud of the men and women of our Division of Law Enforcement. They tirelessly serve the citizens and visitors of the state, protecting their safety and Florida’s environment and this designation shows that we have truly raised the bar in how we achieve our mission and deliver law enforcement services.”

The DLE had to comply with 259 standards in order to be accredited by the CFA. Conducting an on-site assessment in December 2009, the CFA examined all aspects of the division, including looking at policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services.

“Enforcing Florida’s environmental laws is an important part of DEP’s mission,” said Director Barnet. “The division is honored to receive this prestigious award and appreciates the opportunity to show our commitment to excellence as we protect Florida’s natural resources.”

The CFA assessment team was comprised of law enforcement practitioners from a number of different Florida law enforcement agencies. Once completed, the assessment team rendered a report of its findings to the Commission which voted unanimously to award the DEP DLE initial accreditation. The accreditation will last for three years and when that time is up it will undergo a mandatory compliance review. To view a copy of the CFA standards, please visit www.flaccreditation.org.

DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement is responsible for statewide environmental resource law enforcement, as well as providing law enforcement services to Florida’s state parks and greenways and trails. Special agents investigate environmental resource crimes and illegal dredge and fill activities, and respond to natural disasters, civil unrest, hazardous material incidents and oil spills that threaten the environment.

To report an environmental crime, wireless customers can dial #DEP. Callers can also report environmental crimes to the State Warning Point by calling (877) 2-SAVE-FL (1.877.272.8335). General environmental inquiries should be directed to DEP district offices during normal business hours. For more information about DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/law.