The Joke- FDLE is "Premier" or "Elite"

[Unregistered]

Ongoing, continuing nose dive. That's what FDLE really is.

Premier? In what way?

Lets look at FDLE and dissect the Agency.

Commissioner - Appointed because he was the Governors lead protection Agent. Not because he was the most qualified. Or even qualified at all.

Pay - Most major Sheriffs and PD's pay more than FDLE now.. if you like getting payed less than the large Police agencies you will be working with (or in FDLE's case, tagging along with and taking stats), the go for it.

Opportunity for advancement- NOPE. Very little, and be warned that this is a small agency with HEAVY office politics. One bad Supervisor that has it out for you and you'll never get past Agent.. no matter what you do. It's not how well you do your job, it can be just about someone liking you. More true in a place like this than others. Seen it over and over.

To build on that, does FDLE promote within and support their own? NOPE. Look in Orlando.. a heavily coveted Special Agent in Charge position came up and within the entire FDLE organization, there was ZERO qualified candidates, including members that had been in the ASAC position for many, many years. Of course, this was allegedly pushed through from the Assistant Commissioner, who allegedly is buddies with the new SAC that was brought in. So you see, even FDLE values outsiders more than insiders.. or at least the current guys in charge do.. a guy that shouldn't be commissioner and a guy that probably also shouldn't be assistant commissioner that is nepotistic. See the pattern?

And to build on the current pool of employees (again, that the command has held back (due to “money”, “not having enough resources to train current employees enough”, or just not wanting to make anyone special because they would probably want to leave if they could) and now considers unqualified to promote within) is all a bunch of old retirees from other agencies, rejects that needed to get out of a bad situation at their agency, or worse, came from a po-dunk Agency. All of these get a big head when they come to FDLE.. now they feel empowered because they are surrounded by (“unqualified”) Buffoons. Oh, and there is another large group of Agents at FDLE, and this is a big one… those that have ZERO investigative experience and were hired internally.. including radio room guys, public assistance employees that were part of a group of losers that were given a golden pass to become an Agent (these are the worst of this group BTW), maybe someone that answered the phone. Plus points if they are a minority, because they know they are protected and can be extra stupid yet protected by someone that brought them “under their wing”. Perhaps FDLE higher-ups brought these people on so they can keep the masses under control.. because the only way they will get anywhere is if they know someone.

And if you have never done sworn work and know someone? That’s what FDLE’s commissioner did! He was a “trainee” who tagged along on Task Forces, and when the then command pulled him off he transferred to Tallahassee and became the Governors Boy.. the head of Rick Scotts security that ingratiated himself so much that he was given a golden pass to lead the Agency.. but only after Gov. Rick Scott ran off the old Commissioner because the former Commissioner had integrity and was not on board with Scott’s questionable actions involving the Agency. Just do a google search on Gerald Baily leaving FDLE and it will tell you everything before it was swept under the table.

The damage is done ... poor leadership has led to so many good people leaving, it's mostly a cesspool. Agents leaving for the private sector, other agencies, or just about anything.

If you want the true story, don't talk to an ass-kisser who's there.. talk to someone that knows someone that has been there or someone who has worked with someone there over a long time.

[Unregistered]

Boom! Mic Drop!

[Unregistered]

But believe it or not, every damn place has those problems. Yes including private sector jobs such as the insurance industry or even, yes I dare say the large and great MDPD. Because I personally know people that work at both places and have told me about the same complaints as stated above.

What is your suggestion? I want off the road. Did my time on the road. I want to chill and work for the state. DIFS, ABT or FDLE?

[Unregistered]

But believe it or not, every damn place has those problems. Yes including private sector jobs such as the insurance industry or even, yes I dare say the large and great MDPD. Because I personally know people that work at both places and have told me about the same complaints as stated above.

What is your suggestion? I want off the road. Did my time on the road. I want to chill and work for the state. DIFS, ABT or FDLE?

ABT is absolutely the best gig in state LE. Under the radar, no schedule, very few nights, no holidays, work your cases, no close supervision, narrow responsibility and the best thing-you can be captain, Major of Chief with no experience or time in service.

[Unregistered]

Ongoing, continuing nose dive. That's what FDLE really is.

Premier? In what way?

Lets look at FDLE and dissect the Agency.

Commissioner - Appointed because he was the Governors lead protection Agent. Not because he was the most qualified. Or even qualified at all.

Pay - Most major Sheriffs and PD's pay more than FDLE now.. if you like getting payed less than the large Police agencies you will be working with (or in FDLE's case, tagging along with and taking stats), the go for it.

Opportunity for advancement- NOPE. Very little, and be warned that this is a small agency with HEAVY office politics. One bad Supervisor that has it out for you and you'll never get past Agent.. no matter what you do. It's not how well you do your job, it can be just about someone liking you. More true in a place like this than others. Seen it over and over.

To build on that, does FDLE promote within and support their own? NOPE. Look in Orlando.. a heavily coveted Special Agent in Charge position came up and within the entire FDLE organization, there was ZERO qualified candidates, including members that had been in the ASAC position for many, many years. Of course, this was allegedly pushed through from the Assistant Commissioner, who allegedly is buddies with the new SAC that was brought in. So you see, even FDLE values outsiders more than insiders.. or at least the current guys in charge do.. a guy that shouldn't be commissioner and a guy that probably also shouldn't be assistant commissioner that is nepotistic. See the pattern?

And to build on the current pool of employees (again, that the command has held back (due to “money”, “not having enough resources to train current employees enough”, or just not wanting to make anyone special because they would probably want to leave if they could) and now considers unqualified to promote within) is all a bunch of old retirees from other agencies, rejects that needed to get out of a bad situation at their agency, or worse, came from a po-dunk Agency. All of these get a big head when they come to FDLE.. now they feel empowered because they are surrounded by (“unqualified”) Buffoons. Oh, and there is another large group of Agents at FDLE, and this is a big one… those that have ZERO investigative experience and were hired internally.. including radio room guys, public assistance employees that were part of a group of losers that were given a golden pass to become an Agent (these are the worst of this group BTW), maybe someone that answered the phone. Plus points if they are a minority, because they know they are protected and can be extra stupid yet protected by someone that brought them “under their wing”. Perhaps FDLE higher-ups brought these people on so they can keep the masses under control.. because the only way they will get anywhere is if they know someone.

And if you have never done sworn work and know someone? That’s what FDLE’s commissioner did! He was a “trainee” who tagged along on Task Forces, and when the then command pulled him off he transferred to Tallahassee and became the Governors Boy.. the head of Rick Scotts security that ingratiated himself so much that he was given a golden pass to lead the Agency.. but only after Gov. Rick Scott ran off the old Commissioner because the former Commissioner had integrity and was not on board with Scott’s questionable actions involving the Agency. Just do a google search on Gerald Baily leaving FDLE and it will tell you everything before it was swept under the table.

The damage is done ... poor leadership has led to so many good people leaving, it's mostly a cesspool. Agents leaving for the private sector, other agencies, or just about anything.

If you want the true story, don't talk to an ass-kisser who's there.. talk to someone that knows someone that has been there or someone who has worked with someone there over a long time.

And don't forget, that after they retire they might become a U.S. Marshal.......

[Unregistered]

Thank you for reminding everyone about the REAL situation at FDLE. Swearingen's mentor of course was Tim Moore. Wonder who helped RS make the magical transition from analyst to Special Agent Trainee? The rest is ass kissing history.

Funny how RS got Moore into the law enforcement officers hall of fame. Thought you actually had to be a LEO for the hall of fame but hey, what do I know. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

Oldie but goodie article.

Florida’s top cop has earned governor’s favor
By Mary Ellen Klas
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
FEBRUARY 09, 2015 07:10 PM
Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/pol...#storylink=cpy
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/pol...le9639086.html

[Unregistered]

In his first two years in office, Gov. Rick Scott became so friendly with bodyguard Rick Swearingen, that when Swearingen’s duty ended as special agent in charge of protecting the governor, Scott kept him on for plum assignments — trips to Paris, Japan and the college football championship.

According to travel records released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Swearingen held the unusual position of being both director of Capitol Police, in charge of security at the Capitol complex from May 2013 to December 2014, while also serving as the governor’s occasional bodyguard for long-distance travel.

Scott gave Swearingen a promotion in December. He forced FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey to retire or be fired, and unilaterally named Swearingen as Bailey’s successor as the state’s top law enforcement officer. The incident unleashed a firestorm of controversy when Bailey caught Scott falsely claiming that Bailey had “resigned” and Cabinet officials said they had been misled by Scott’s staff.

Swearingen, 55, a veteran FDLE agent, joined Scott’s protective operations team in September 2010. The duty of the security team is to protect Scott and his wife, Ann, wherever they go — a job that demands hours of intimate contact with the chief executive and his family. Scott, however, has gone to such lengths to shield the public from knowing where he travels and with whom that he has persuaded federal regulators to exempt his plane’s flight data from federal aviation logs.

[Unregistered]

"hours of intimate contact"

[Unregistered]

Thank you for reminding everyone about the REAL situation at FDLE. Swearingen's mentor of course was Tim Moore. Wonder who helped RS make the magical transition from analyst to Special Agent Trainee? The rest is ass kissing history.

Funny how RS got Moore into the law enforcement officers hall of fame. Thought you actually had to be a LEO for the hall of fame but hey, what do I know. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

Oldie but goodie article.

Florida’s top cop has earned governor’s favor
By Mary Ellen Klas
Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
FEBRUARY 09, 2015 07:10 PM
Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/pol...#storylink=cpy
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/pol...le9639086.html

Correction on my previous post above, RS didn't get Moore into LEO hall of fame - FDLE takes nominations from LE associations for hall of famers, it's a group effort used for inductees.

[Unregistered]

FDLE has always been a lot more fluff than substance since Tim Moore became the commissioner.