BEI in Jax

Has anyone else heard the rumor that BEI hired a non-certified agent in Jax over current Park Patrol officers?

No, haven't heard the rumor. But, if it turns out to be true, I know someone who would be very interested in hearing about it.

If you are talknig about the new female agent, I just met her at Blanding; to my knowledge she is not only certified, but was also a LT. with another state LE agency. :) Hope this helps.

She may have been a LT with another state agency, but is she currently certified? If I applied for this position and didn't get it, I would want someone to look into it for me.

It has been confirmed.

Her certification had expired over 2 years ago.

BEI pushed her through the FPP in-service training for the high liability issues.

I applied for that job and got screwed ...again for the 4th time.

I guess the old saying is true. "It isn't what you know,it is who you know."

That really stinks, but it’s no surprise! Tramel runs this place like his own private kingdom instead of a public trust. He always has. Look who he hired as his deputy director. An old college buddy who has been joined to the hip with him since they went to FSU together in the early 70's, and who (like Tramel) had no previous environmental law enforcement experience! Look who he hired as his first BEI Chief. A drug squad sergeant who also had no environmental law enforcement experience, but who worked for one of Tramel’s buddies, Pinellas County Sheriff Everett Rice. How close are they? Tramel, Rice, and their wives are joint owners of some valuable Pinellas County real estate, so what do you think! And this is just the tip of the iceberg! I don’t know who the new agent is, but I bet if you chekc out her background you’ll find she’s connected to somebody.

I look at all this conversation and violations under your contract and where is IUPA? The last IUPA rep got promoted to LT., what do you think this one has in mind?

It's time to put up or shut up!

That may be true. But let's not forget that no union can take any action until one of its members steps forward and files a complaint about the contract violation's. Unfortunately, it seems like everybody is too frighted of losing their jobs to make a complaint. Just one more advantage of management by fear and intimidation.

If I'm not mistaken Management has the right to hire anyone they want to in an excluded position. I happen to know the lieutenant that was just hired by BEI and the IUPA representative that was just promoted with the park patrol. These two individuals are very qualified and worthy of their new assignments. You need to check with the applicants that applied for the lieutenants position that the former IUPA representative applied for. You will find out that it was one of the best interview processes for promotion to the rank of lieutenant. As a manager or supervisor you will never make everyone happy with their jobs or assignments. You just need to suck it up and keep trying, keep doing a good job and one day you will be promoted. You know the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence and some of you may need to go take a big bite of it. Just don't burn your bridges while jumping that fence to try that new grass out. You may want to come back after you figure out it doesn't taste to good. :D

If I'm not mistaken Management has the right to hire anyone they want to in an excluded position. I happen to know the lieutenant that was just hired by BEI and the IUPA representative that was just promoted with the park patrol. These two individuals are very qualified and worthy of their new assignments...

You're missing the point. If the stated minimum requirement for the BEI position was to be a certified Florida LEO then she was NOT "very qualified," she was not at all qualified. The BEI position wasn't an excluded position and even if it was they hired someone who did not meet the stated minimum qualifications for the job, i.e. being a certified LEO. She may be a very capable person--I don't know her and I'm not going to throw stones at her, she is probably a fine LEO--but the fact is (if what we are reading here is correct) she did not meet the qualifications set out for the job and was hired from outside the agency when qualified current employees were passed over. Like I said, I don't know her and she may be very good, but I will bet if you look into it she is connected to or friends with some DEP brass. If you want to pass over DEP employees and go outside the agency to hire your friends or whoever you want then don't list minimum qualifications for the job, but if you do impose them don't ignore them when they are inconvenient. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy of a law enforcement agency only complying with the "laws" (in this case job requirements) it wants to? What would happen if a developer didn't comply with a DEP rule because it got in the way of what the developer wanted to do? Could the developer tell DEP to just suck it up and stop being a cry baby? I think not. This is really a disappointing situation and not worthy of what this agency should be.

Bravo!! Somebody else understands!! Whoever wrote "Management has the right to hire anyone they want to... You just need to suck it up." is probably in management. That pretty much defines they're attitude, and "hypocrisy" is the best word to describe it. It's just business as usual.

A few of us here get it. We remember a few years ago when another bei applicant had some problems in his background. Seems he got into some trouble at another law enforcent agency for having an affair with one of his confidential informants. (I don't know if the informant was male or female). There were also some issues concerning his fiscal accountability of company funds at another employer. According to the agent who did the background, when he told the then bei chief about the problems, the chief told him not to worry about. That applicant was hired as an agent and made lieutenant in less that two years. The fact that the agent and the chief were personal friends was probably just a coincidence.

If memory serves me correct, this incident in Jacksonville isn't the only office that got an agent through "connections".

I remember a few years ago, a reserve officer from the Tampa district got hired with BEI in Tampa. No problem there. The problem was that when this person was a reserve officer, this person did about a total of 12 hours reserve time in FPP.

This person then got hired by BEI over 3 or 4 very qualified FPP officers. This person didn't last too long. I guess the pressure became too much and this person quit within a year.

So, don't think this incident is isolated to just Jacksonville.

If memory serves me correct, this incident in Jacksonville isn't the only office that got an agent through "connections".

I remember a few years ago, a reserve officer from the Tampa district got hired with BEI in Tampa. No problem there. The problem was that when this person was a reserve officer, this person did about a total of 12 hours reserve time in FPP.

This person then got hired by BEI over 3 or 4 very qualified FPP officers. This person didn't last too long. I guess the pressure became too much and this person quit within a year.

So, don't think this incident is isolated to just Jacksonville.

She has been given a 1 year TEMPORARY CERT. from FDLE. She must still take the state exam and complete all other requirements.

Go figure

The point of this whole issue is that she DID NOT meet the minimum qualifications for the position. The minimum qualifications for the BEI position stated that you MUST be a certified LEO in Florida and have three years of experience. I'm sure there were other qualified certified LEO (including FPP) applicants who met and exceeded their minimum qualifications, but were not considered for this position for one reason or another.

How many people want to work for FPP and can't because they want 3 years experience for the position. I'm sure that has been waived in the past for certain people.

This whole issue of not meeting certain qualifications is nothing new to this agency. If we are to move forward to become a more forward thinking, ethically just agency, this is where is has to begin. And these type of practices have to stop, now.

We all had better be careful around her. She has to have friends in high places here. They might have planted her in the bureau as a snitch to tell them what we say to each other in private. They'll probably start bugging our offices and phones. Far fetched? Hey... if they'll put a mobile tracking device on an agents car like they did a few years ago just to catch him in some chicken **** infraction, I wouldn't put anything past them. I guess it's not enough that we do our jobs. We also have to kneel at the director's throne and kiss his ring.

She has been here just a short time but has already made several arrest, more than some of you. Even you guys from patrol have not put out the stat's that she has.

Back off and let those who are working do there job, because their number might just save your job one day..

I truley hope that you people are more positive with the public, than you are with the ones that are working with you.

Better yet, you know where she is and her contact numbers have been placed on the BEI website, call her and ask her how she did it.

Oldtimers remarks are just another excellent example of how administration tries to change the subject to avoid addressing the real issues, and then insults and belittles those who raised the issue in the first place. After putting up with that kind of management style for years, is it any wonder why some good people might have lost their motivation?

Another T.T. / FSU crony? Looks good on paper, but well connected. Give her a wide berth, keep your mouths shut, and watch your backs. No doubt on the promotional fast-track for Lt.

There is something going on in BEI as we speak, check with your local agents for more information.

I think ALL of you maybe shocked by a new POLICY CHANGE.

Most will think that this could never happen, but it has.

At least four FPP Officers - all very much qualified - were passed over for promo and an outsider was hired for the Tpa Position. Add that to your list

:shock:

Well, I'm waiting... What's the big news, are they taking away their law enforcement powers? Is there going to be a bunch of civilians serving papers instead of LEO's?

Nothing, I repeat, nothing surprises me within this agency anymore. Considering all of the environmental crimes I see that are not being addressed, I'm sure it is political.

Please fill us in so at least we can start to look for another agency that will hire us.

All you have to do is check with the county and look at all the environmental crimes that they do a day, and you will see that once somebody figures it out they will have to do away with B.E.I. .
I know of one deputy that has done more in a month than my local B.E.I. has done all year.

Relax boys and girls. B.E.I. isn't going anywhere. It's part of Tommy's kingdom. It isn't that he gives a rat's rear about the environment. It's just that he isn't about let anything lower the flow of $$$$ that has to pass through his fingers before it gets to ours, and he is politically well connected enough to insure that it doesn't.

I will be glad will Tramel retires so Maury can be director. Now that guy's a leader.

Now THAT'S funnny!

No, someone better qualified---Skippy from the mailroom.