Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressNovember 16, 2015

Florida’s overall crime rate is dropping, but the number of reported sex offenses and sexual assaults is rising. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement released Friday a summary of crime information for the six months of 2015. The report showed overall crime volume dropped 2.2 percent compared to the first six months of last year. […]

Associated PressNovember 3, 2015

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says nearly 11,000 rape kits have not been submitted for analysis. In a spreadsheet released on its website Tuesday, the FDLE tallied 10,900 kits that have not been tested. The data came from 262 law enforcement agencies across the state. Seven law enforcement agencies did not report data. The […]

Phil AmmannNovember 2, 2015

Whenever there is a police officer-involved shooting, supervisors often call the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for an independent investigation. Now the agency is struggling to keep up. According to WFTS Tampa, FDLE’s caseload on officer-involved shootings jumped 31 percent last year; and rising 117 percent during the past five years. The backlog is leaving […]

Associated PressSeptember 9, 2015

The number of untested rape kits sitting in law enforcement agencies across Florida is anybody’s guess. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday that the number is in the thousands, but she wasn’t sure exactly how many. That’s why she’s calling for more funding for processing the sexual assault kits in the next state budget. The […]

Gary FineoutAugust 31, 2015

The Florida prosecutor who investigated numerous state politicians and conducted a high-profile probe into rape allegations against Jameis Winston is ending his lengthy career. State Attorney Willie Meggs said Monday he won’t seek re-election next year when his current term expires. The 72-year-old Meggs has been the lead prosecutor for six north Florida counties since […]

Jim RosicaAugust 27, 2015

For the third time, state Sen. Aaron Bean has introduced legislation to create a statewide “cold case task force” to pare down the thousands of unsolved murders in Florida. But the head of an organization of victims’ survivors says he’s concerned about law enforcement again balking at the cost of such a measure. For instance, […]

Associated PressJuly 24, 2015

The drama over Florida’s former lieutenant governor, who was forced to resign more than two years ago, may finally be over. The Florida Commission on Ethics on Friday unanimously approved a settlement with Jennifer Carroll where the one-time rising star in state Republican politics agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and admit she violated the […]

Associated PressMay 20, 2015

Florida’s top law enforcement agency is reporting an overall drop in crime in 2014, though there was a slight increase in the number of rapes and murders. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement report released Thursday showed that all crime dropped by 3.6 percent, mostly because of a 6.9 percent drop in robberies and a […]

Christine Jordan SextonMay 5, 2015

The Florida Cabinet on Tuesday agreed to Gov. Rick Scott‘s recommended appointments for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of Environmental Protection. However, the Cabinet also made clear that it will do an official search for those positions which follows the hiring process for Cabinet level positions. The Cabinet is slated to approve […]

Christine Jordan SextonMay 4, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott reappointed 16 state agency executives by late Monday, all of whom weren’t confirmed by the Senate this spring. Scott reappointed Jon Steverson as interim executive director of the Department of Environmental Protection Secretary and appointed Rick Swearingen as an interim executive director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Those agencies report to […]

Tag: Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Stock image via Adobe.

Florida’s crime rate drops, but sexual assaults are rising

Florida data shows 10,900 sexual assault kits still untested

FDLE “can’t keep up” with officer-involved shooting caseload, requests $3.4M for new agents

Pam Bondi wants quicker processing of untested rape kits

Long-time prosecutor Willie Meggs, who investigated Jameis Winston, is retiring

Bill would create “cold case task force” for unsolved killings

Jennifer Carroll to pay fine, admit violations in ethics case

Florida crime down in 2014, though murders, rapes on rise

Cabinet OKs Rick Scott agency heads, will follow new hiring guidelines

Andy Gardiner defends appointment record; Rick Scott reappoints 2