Florida
Florida certifies officers through the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC) within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Since 2023 the State has set procedures for prosecutors’ Brady lists, barred local governments from running civilian oversight of complaint investigations, rewritten the resisting-arrest statute, and widened the moral character violations that can cost an officer certification.
At a glance
- Certifying body
- Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC), within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- Statute
- F.S. 943.085 to 943.255: qualifications in 943.13, certification and discipline in 943.1395, continuing training in 943.135. Rules in Florida Administrative Code chapters 11B-27 and 11B-35.
- Minimum standards
- At least 19, or 18 for correctional officers; a U.S. citizen; a high school graduate or equivalent (F.S. 943.13). Completion of a Commission-approved Basic Recruit Training Program (943.13(9); Rule 11B-35.002). Neither the statute nor the rule text states the program’s hours; they are set in the curriculum.
- Decertification
- CJSTC must revoke certification for failing the 943.13(4) standards, which cover a felony, a misdemeanor involving perjury or a false statement, and a dishonorable discharge, or for an intentionally false affidavit (F.S. 943.1395(6)). For failing to maintain good moral character, as defined in Rule 11B-27.0011, it may revoke, suspend for up to 2 years, place on probation, order retraining, or reprimand (943.1395(7)). Penalty guidelines are in Rule 11B-27.005.
- Public decertification list
- No statute requires one. CJSTC investigative records become public after a probable cause finding or when the investigation becomes inactive (F.S. 943.1395(6)(b)). Whether FDLE publishes a list of decertified officers could not be checked from official sources on October 19, 2026.
- National Decertification Index
- No Florida statute requiring reports to the Index was found; F.S. 943.1395 was checked.
- Continuing training
- 40 hours every 4 years (F.S. 943.135(1))
Changes, 2023 to 2026
Sexual harassment violation broadened; relationship penalty raised
Sexual harassment as a moral character violation now follows the federal definition in 29 C.F.R. 1604.11 and no longer requires physical contact or misuse of official position. The penalty guideline for an unprofessional relationship becomes prospective suspension to revocation. A medical review officer must review and sign all drug screen results. Several forms are revised, including the Employment Background Investigative Report, and the forms drop the separate Railroad Police employment class; F.S. 943.10 still counts railroad special officers as law enforcement officers.
For officers: Harassing conduct without physical contact can now cost your certification.
Resisting-arrest statute rewritten; officer-force limit deleted
F.S. 776.051 now bars a person from using or threatening force to resist an arrest, a detention, or an officer performing official duties as described in 943.10(1), if the officer acted in good faith. The good-faith condition already existed; the act adds a definition of good faith as sincere and reasonable efforts to follow the law, even if the act is later found unlawful, and adds detention and replaces “execution of a legal duty” with official duties as described in 943.10(1). Former subsection (2), which said an officer, or a person the officer summoned to assist, is not justified in using force if the arrest or execution of a legal duty is unlawful and known to be unlawful, is deleted. The act also raises penalties for offenses against officers.
For officers: The statute no longer says force is unjustified for an arrest you know is unlawful; check your agency’s use-of-force policy before relying on the change.
Local civilian oversight of complaint investigations preempted
F.S. 112.533 now bars political subdivisions, including cities, counties, and other local government units, from adopting or enforcing ordinances on investigating complaints against officers or on civilian oversight of agency misconduct investigations, so the process is uniform statewide. New F.S. 30.61 and 166.0486 let sheriffs and police chiefs create their own civilian oversight boards of 3 to 7 members, including one retired officer, to review policies and procedures. The act’s change to 112.532 only renumbers a cross-reference.
For officers: Complaints against you are investigated under F.S. 112.533, not a local ordinance.
Introducing contraband added to moral character violations
Adds misdemeanor introduction of contraband into a correctional facility to the moral character violations that can lead to discipline, with a penalty guideline. The same package removed felony “other introduction of contraband” from the felony list in Rule 11B-27.005.
For officers: Bringing contraband into a facility, even as a misdemeanor, can cost your certification.
Line of duty death added to the Affidavit of Separation
The revised Affidavit of Separation (CJSTC-61) adds “Line of Duty Death” as a separation reason, so agencies can distinguish officers killed in the line of duty.
For officers: No change to your obligations.
Brady list procedures for officers
Defines a “Brady identification system” (F.S. 112.531). An officer may not be disciplined solely for being on a prosecutor’s list, though the underlying conduct can still be acted on (112.532(7)). New 112.536 requires agencies to send prosecutors sustained, final internal affairs findings relevant to impeachment and to tell the officer. A prosecutor who keeps a list must give notice and a way to ask for reconsideration, with mandamus as a procedural remedy; prosecutors need not keep a list. The notice and reconsideration duties do not apply when the entry rests on a criminal conviction usable for impeachment or a sustained, final internal affairs complaint, and notice may be skipped if a pending case needs immediate disclosure or notice would jeopardize an investigation. The law covers correctional officers too.
For officers: If a prosecutor lists you for a reason other than a conviction or a sustained internal affairs finding, you are entitled to notice and a reconsideration process.
Railroad special officers brought under chapter 943
F.S. 943.10 now counts special officers employed by Class I to III railroads under s. 354.01 as law enforcement officers, and the railroads as employing agencies, bringing them within CJSTC qualification and certification.
For officers: Railroad special officers in Florida must meet CJSTC standards.
Checked and unchanged
- F.S. 943.1395 (certification and discipline) was last amended in 2021, and 943.135 (40 hours every 4 years) in 2010. F.S. 943.1740 and 943.1745 (use-of-force training) had no amendments from 2023 to 2026.
- Amendments to F.S. 943.13 in 2023 and 2024 changed only private contractor and Department of Corrections wording, not officer qualifications.
- CS/HB 1153 (2026, ch. 2026-16) adds juvenile detention and juvenile probation officers to the “officer” definition in F.S. 943.10(14); the act’s other sections use that definition for benefit and offense cross-references, such as death benefits and offenses against officers. It does not amend 943.13 or 943.1395, but the 943.10 definitions apply throughout ss. 943.085–943.255, including 943.1395 and 943.135; whether CJSTC now certifies these officers was not determined, so it is not counted. Chapter 2026-16
- The 2025 rule changes to 11B-27.0022, 11B-27.003, and 11B-27.00213, and 2026 changes to 11B-35.001 and 11B-30.006, update forms and record instructions only. F.S. 119.071 amendments from 2024 to 2026 do not concern officer misconduct records.
- No proposed CJSTC rules newer than the July 2, 2026 package were found. Bills for the 2027 session were not checked.
Last updated October 19, 2026Source: United States Council for Law & InvestigationCite as: United States Council for Law & Investigation, “Florida officer certification: Officer Certification Tracker,” uscli.org/officer-certification-tracker/florida (last updated October 19, 2026). Text licensed CC BY 4.0.