Rank / promotions

[Unregistered]

What is the rank structure at FDLE and is anyone with rank appointed o is there a promotional process?

Thanks

[Old Agent]

Special Agent is like a detective. His/her supervisor is a Special Agent Supervisor (SAS) at a regional operations center, or a Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) at a field office. Assistant Special Agent in Charge manages a number of squads and SAS's. A Special Agent in Charge (SAC) runs one of our seven regions.

There is an extensive promotional that includes a written test, oral board and could have multiple interviews.

[Unregistered]

What is the rank structure at FDLE and is anyone with rank appointed o is there a promotional process?

Thanks

The highest level rank, Commissioner, was appointed by the Governor. Quite surprisingly, the Commissioner used to be the lead detail guy for the Governors protection team and used to carry his luggage and spend time with him. No competitive application process or review of his ability to lead a state agency was looked at.. just that he knew the Governor personally.

From a news article:

Swearingen, 55, reached the pinnacle of his career in an improbable and controversial way, after a power play by Scott's office that Cabinet members, who also oversee FDLE, said blindsided them. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam has said he was "misled" by Scott and that the treatment of Bailey, a respected law enforcement official, was "shabby."

Weeks of raging controversy have ensued. Along with an ethics complaint filed against Scott, a dozen news organizations have sued Scott and the Cabinet, accusing them of violating Florida's open meetings law in orchestrating Bailey's ouster.

As a result, Swearingen finds himself in the politically precarious position of being viewed as too close to Scott.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater has raised questions of favoritism in Scott's unilateral move to appoint Swearingen as FDLE's interim commissioner with no search.

As comic relief, Comissioner Swearingen boasted at a Special Agent Academy graduation that Agents are "selected from hundreds of applications".. yet his position was an appointment. Go figure.