The Florida Senate

943.03  Department of Law Enforcement.--

(1)  The executive director shall have served at least 5 years as a police executive or possess training and experience in police affairs or public administration and shall be a bona fide resident of the state. It shall be the duty of the executive director to supervise, direct, coordinate, and administer all activities of the department and to exercise the duties prescribed for the director of the Florida Mutual Aid Plan under part I of chapter 23, known as the Florida Mutual Aid Act.

(2)  Upon specific direction by the Governor in writing to the executive director, the department shall investigate the misconduct, in connection with their official duties, of public officials and employees and of members of public corporations and authorities subject to suspension or removal by the Governor. All records related to such investigation, including any correspondence from the Governor, are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) until such time as the investigation is completed or ceases to be active. For purposes of this subsection, an investigation is considered "active" while the investigation is being conducted by the department with a reasonable, good faith belief that it may lead to the filing of criminal proceedings or gubernatorial action. An investigation does not cease to be active if the department is proceeding with reasonable dispatch and there is a good faith belief that either gubernatorial action or action by the department or other administrative or law enforcement agency may be initiated.

(3)  The department shall employ such administrative, clerical, technical, and professional personnel, including directors, as are required, at salaries to be established by the department, to perform such duties as the department may prescribe.

(4)  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter conferring duties upon it.

(5)  The department may make and enter into all contracts and agreements with other agencies, organizations, associations, corporations, individuals, or federal agencies as the department may determine are necessary, expedient, or incidental to the performance of its duties or the execution of its power under this chapter. However, nothing in this chapter shall authorize the employment of private investigative personnel by contract to conduct investigations.

(6)(a)  The department shall be governed by all laws regulating the purchase of supplies and equipment as other state agencies and may enter into contracts with other state agencies to make photographs and photostats, to transmit information by teletype, and to perform all those services consonant with the purpose of this chapter.

(b)  It may use without charge the technical personnel and equipment of any state agency.

(7)  The powers herein enumerated, or set forth in other parts of this chapter, shall be deemed an exercise of the state police power for the protection of the welfare, health, peace, safety, and morals of the people and shall be liberally construed.

(8)  The Department of Legal Affairs shall be the legal adviser to and shall represent the department.

(9)  The department may accept for any of its purposes and functions under this chapter any and all donations of property, real, personal, or mixed, and grants of money, from any governmental unit or public agency or from any institution, person, firm, or corporation. Such moneys shall be deposited, disbursed, and administered in a trust fund as provided by law.

(10)  The department shall make an annual report of its activities to the Governor and to the Legislature and include in such report its recommendations for additional legislation.

(11)  The department shall establish headquarters in Tallahassee. The Department of Management Services shall furnish the department with proper and adequate housing for its operation.

(12)  The department may establish, implement, and maintain a statewide, integrated violent crime information system capable of transmitting criminal justice information relating to violent criminal offenses to and between criminal justice agencies throughout the state.

(13)  ¹Subject to sufficient annual appropriations, the department shall develop and maintain, in consultation with the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council under s. 943.08, an information system that supports the administration of the state's criminal and juvenile justice system in compliance with ²this chapter and other provisions of law. The department shall serve as custodial manager of the statewide telecommunications and data network developed and maintained as part of the information system authorized by this subsection.

History.--ss. 3, 9, ch. 74-386; s. 5, ch. 81-142; s. 1, ch. 89-3; s. 314, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 4, ch. 93-204; s. 7, ch. 93-405; s. 440, ch. 96-406; s. 3, ch. 98-94; s. 226, ch. 98-200; s. 2, ch. 98-251.

¹Note.--As amended by s. 3, ch. 98-94. Amendment by s. 2, ch. 98-251, does not include the phrase "Subject to sufficient annual appropriations,"

²Note.--As amended by s. 3, ch. 98-94. Amendment by s. 2, ch. 98-251, uses the wording "s. 943.05 and other provisions of law."