Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fdle Strategy Safe Forensics Cjis topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
FDLE briefs Senate panel on strategic plan, SAFE fentanyl operations, forensic capacity and data modernization
Summary
FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard described the agency’s five‑year strategic plan, highlighted the SAFE fentanyl enforcement program funded by the Legislature, outlined forensic laboratory capacity and rapid‑DNA deployment, and reported progress and gaps in incident‑based crime reporting (FIBRS/NIBRS).
Vaden Pollard, deputy commissioner for investigations and forensic services at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), told the Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice that FDLE has completed a five‑year strategic plan, continues to prioritize multi‑jurisdictional investigations and has led a large state effort to disrupt fentanyl distribution.
Pollard described FDLE’s investigative pillars — operational investigations, criminal intelligence and assist/special programs — and highlighted techniques used by regional operations centers, including electronic surveillance, task forces and mutual aid during disasters. He said FDLE frequently assists smaller agencies with major crimes and complex investigations that cross county lines.
On fentanyl enforcement, Pollard summarized the State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication (SAFE) program: the Legislature provided $20 million in fiscal 2023–24 and an additional $8.5 million last session, bringing the two‑year total to $28.5 million. FDLE reported that, to date, the agency has expended about $9.9 million and uncovered roughly $9 million in reimbursements for operations. Cumulative SAFE reporting showed about 1,249 arrests since inception, seizures including 147 kilograms of fentanyl, substantial quantities of other controlled substances, 428 firearms seized and more than $300 million in drug‑related money seized, according to Pollard. He said FDLE sees the program as targeting trafficking organizations rather than end users and credited the Legislature for funding the effort.
Jason Bundy, director of forensic services, described the state laboratory system and workload pressures. FDLE’s forensic program covers 10 disciplines across six regional laboratories and supports county labs and medical examiners. Bundy said Florida’s DNA database is the second largest in the country and that rapid‑DNA booking stations have been established in eight counties, with additional counties self‑funding or seeking funding. He emphasized that trained forensic analysts take one to two years to qualify and that additional analysts are in training to reduce turnaround times.
Lucy Saunders, director of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), explained biometric and records systems: FDLE’s computerized criminal history repository contains records for more than 7 million individuals and the biometric system (BIZ) holds more than 10 million fingerprint records. Saunders said FDLE is upgrading to a cloud‑based multi‑biometric system to improve matching, disaster recovery and latent‑print processing. She also described Florida’s transition from summary uniform crime reporting to incident‑based reporting (FIBRS/NIBRS). As of the committee briefing, about 50% of Florida law enforcement agencies (covering approximately 66% of the state population) had transitioned to incident‑based reporting; Saunders said remaining agencies are at various stages of vendor testing, training and technical onboarding.
Senators asked about fusion centers, equipment costs and the availability of rapid‑DNA instrumentation. The discussion also covered the need for a multi‑agency cold‑case review capability; Pollard said FDLE is partnering with the attorney general’s office and local partners to convene multi‑disciplinary review teams. Senator queries about NIBRS/FIBRS progress prompted FDLE to describe technical onboarding constraints and testing requirements for local records management systems. No committee votes were taken during FDLE’s presentations.
