According to the National Police Foundation, a majority of police departments across our country experienced staffing shortages in 2020. Reports attribute these shortages to budget cuts, low officer morale due to the nationwide protests against the profession and increasing retirement rates.
Florida is the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation. We want officers from areas that do not value their service to know that here in the Sunshine State, we back our blue. Our state enjoys a long tradition of supporting law enforcement, and we have leadership that understands and appreciates what it takes to protect and serve.
As the wife of a law enforcement officer and as Attorney General, I see the struggles that many leaders in this profession are facing while trying to do their jobs with fewer officers.
That is why, I created a first-of-its-kind, one-stop shop for anyone seeking to protect and serve in the Sunshine State. Our new recruitment website includes an interactive map of Florida where users can click on different areas of the state and see exactly where open law enforcement jobs are located. To learn more, click here.
I am encouraging anyone looking to begin a law enforcement career or relocate to our state, to join one of our great agencies—where you will always have the tools and support you need to do your job and help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.
In The News
Florida launches nationwide law enforcement recruitment initiative with new website, WJXT Jacksonville
Don’t fall for this scam offering to put vaccination status on your driver’s license, WJXT Jacksonville
AG Moody sues Olympus Pools over hundreds of unfinished jobs, ABC Action News Tampa
Ashley Moody warns of ‘bad pills,’ blames porous border, Florida Politics
Florida AG Ashley Moody issues warning about counterfeit pills, 104.5 WOKV Jacksonville
Protecting Floridians
CONSUMER ALERT: Beware of Vaccine Status License Scam
Attorney General Ashley Moody issued a Consumer Alert warning Floridians of a new COVID-19 vaccination text scam. There have been reports of fraudulent text messages being sent to Floridians asking for driver license details in order to remake licenses that show vaccination status. The text messages provide a link that sends targets to a spoofed Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website with input boxes requesting Social Security and driver license information—including a place to upload a photocopy of a driver license.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “COVID-19 cases have decreased drastically across the state, but that hasn’t stopped scammers from finding new angles to exploit the pandemic. Please be on the lookout for phony messages and remember that the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will never reach out via text and ask for personal information. Florida is not updating driver licenses to include proof of vaccination—any solicitation making this claim is a scam that should be reported immediately.” Read More
Attorney General Moody Sues Pool Company That Took $8 Million for Pools Never Built
Attorney General Ashley Moody is taking legal action against a Florida pool company and its owner for taking upfront payments and leaving jobs incomplete. According to an investigation by the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, Olympus Pools, Inc. and owner James I. Staten, Jr. accepted payments from hundreds of consumers in exchange for contracted pool services, then failed to perform the services as promised—often leaving consumers with giant holes on their property.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Floridians paid thousands of dollars upfront in order to have pools professionally constructed on their properties. What most received in exchange for these huge payments were destroyed backyards and a lack of funds to pay another company to complete the work. People save for years in order to fund a pool project. In a matter of months, the defendants were able to drain the savings of hundreds of customers. We will not permit these deceptive trade practices in Florida, and my Consumer Protection Division will continue to seek justice and restitution for those harmed by the defendants.” Read More
Attorney General Moody Announces 25-Year Prison Sentence for Opioid Trafficker
Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a 25-year prison sentence for an opioid trafficker. Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a conviction for Jorel Cruz Nazario for trafficking more than 60 grams of heroin. In addition to the lengthy prison sentence received, Nazario will also be required to pay a $500,000 fine.Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Twenty-five years in prison ought to make it quite clear where we stand when it comes to trafficking deadly opioids in the state of Florida. These actions will not be tolerated, and you will be punished severely for attempting to flood our state with these lethal drugs. I am thankful for my Office of Statewide Prosecution for bringing this criminal to justice.” Read More
Events
This week, Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a first-of-its-kind, law enforcement recruitment tool—Be A Florida Hero. The initiative is designed to attract law enforcement officers from across the country to continue their service in Florida. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and other law enforcement leaders joined Attorney General Moody in Tampa to unveil the new, innovative initiative.
Job seekers can access an interactive map of career opportunities in Florida through the Be A Florida Hero website by clicking here. By clicking each county, users can access thousands of openings through hundreds of different law enforcement agencies in Florida.
