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Investigations and Intelligence

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Statewide Investigations

The primary role of the Investigations Section is to conduct, coordinate and support investigative operations statewide. The Investigations section provides specialized training, administrative, and technical support for regional investigations as well as uniform patrol in each of the six regions around the state. The Section works closely with other local, state and federal partners as well as stake holders, with a primary focus on the illegal commercialization of Florida’s natural and historical resources. The Investigations Section also supervises long-term complex and protracted undercover operations which focus on large scale resource violators who illegally commercialize Florida’s natural resources for personal financial gain and those habitual wildlife offenders that have not been brought to justice via more overt means. 

Cover of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Statutes, Rules and Laws book

Wildlife and Marine Law Administrator

The Wildlife Law Administrator serves as the DLE liaison to FWC’s Divisions of Hunting and Game Management and Habitat and Species Conservation, providing input during rule making/revision processes where an enforcement component is being addressed. The Marine Law Administrator serves as the Division liaison for all fishery related issues and coordinates with the Division of Marine Fisheries and Freshwater Fisheries on all stakeholder issues including rule development and guidelines. The Marine Law Administrator also serves as Agency representative for law enforcement related issues related to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Law Enforcement Committee, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Law Enforcement Advisory Panel and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Law Enforcement Technical Committee. Both positions assists statewide LE operations to convey consistent FWC philosophy and enforcement practices.

Intelligence

Intelligence Section analysts are Interagency Fusion Liaisons within the Florida Fusion Center located at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Working directly with the Fusion Center provides the Intelligence Unit the ability to receive classified and unclassified information from federal partners and disseminate threat information from other state, local, tribal, territorial and private sector entities. Intelligence Liaison Officers around the state coordinate with municipal, state and federal law enforcement agencies regarding law enforcement intelligence and domestic security. The officers work jointly with federal partners such as the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, United States Coast Guard (USCG) Intelligence, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This section has access to vast amounts of information through multiple databases and the Florida Fusion Center.

Wildlife Forensic Sciences

This section includes a wildlife forensic sciences laboratory with capabilities that include wildlife species identification and identification of animal remains. Forensic pathology, cause of death determinations, postmortem interval estimations, forensic entomology, forensic pathology, and genetic analysis are also capabilities maintained by the laboratory as well as other forensic sciences such as toxicology and
osteology. Crime scene response is also offered by the laboratory for FWC officers encountering complex or difficult scenes needing extensive forensic science analysis. The laboratory uses taxonomical and morphological analysis, biochemical systematics, and forensic DNA techniques to make identifications from whole animals to individual tissues or other sources of DNA such as blood and other
body fluids. The lab uses the division’s unique capabilities to further the FWC mission and assists with coordination of mutual-aid efforts with local, state, and federal partners.