ABSTRACT
Florida statute has very specific definitions about certifications for law enforcement officers. Police academy training programs for full certification are approximately 800 hours and require a state exam. Florida statute defines “law enforcement officer” to include “full-time law enforcement officers, part-time enforcement officers, or auxiliary law enforcement officers” (F.S.S. §943.10(1)). A “part-time-law enforcement officer” is defined as “any person employed or appointed less than full time, as defined by an employing agency, with or without compensation, who is vested with the authority to bear arms and make arrests” (F.S.S. §943.10(6)). An “auxiliary law enforcement officer” is defined as “any person employed or appointed, with or without compensation, who aids or assists a full-time or part-time law enforcement officer and who, while under the direct supervision of a full-time or part-time law enforcement officer, has the authority to arrest and perform law enforcement functions” (F.S.S. §943.10(8)). Therefore, although auxiliary, part-time, and full-time officers in Florida all have the authority for arrest and all have the same responsibilities related to firearm carry, auxiliary officers can only take law enforcement action when under the direct supervision of a full-time or part-time officer. Florida auxiliary academies are about 400 hours in length and do not require a state exam. Agencies that utilize volunteer law enforcement officers in Florida have different policies and procedures concerning their utilization and post-academy training but all are governed by the state definitions and court interpretations of their authority.
