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The 2014 Florida Statutes
Title IV
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Chapter 23
MISCELLANEOUS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS
CHAPTER 23
MISCELLANEOUS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS
PART I
FLORIDA MUTUAL AID ACT
(ss. 23.12-23.127)
PART II
PAPERWORK REDUCTION
(ss. 23.20-23.22)
PART III
CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS
(s. 23.30)
PART I
FLORIDA MUTUAL AID ACT
23.12 Short title.
23.121 Policy and purpose.
23.1225 Mutual aid agreements.
23.1231 Florida Mutual Aid Plan; powers and duties.
23.127 Powers, privileges, and immunities.
23.12 Short title. —This part may be cited as the "Florida Mutual Aid Act."
History.—s. 1, ch. 69-112; s. 1, ch. 92-165.
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23.121 Policy and purpose.—
(1) Because of the existing and continuing possibility of the occurrence of natural or manmade
disasters or emergencies and other major law enforcement problems, including those that cross
jurisdictional lines, and in order to ensure that preparations of this state will be adequate to deal with
such activity, protect the public peace and safety, and preserve the lives and property of the people of
the state, it is found and declared to be necessary:
(a) To create a state law enforcement mutual aid plan which provides for the command and
coordination of law enforcement planning, operations, and mutual aid;
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(b) To provide for the coordination of the dispatch and use of state law enforcement and Florida
National Guard personnel and equipment because of natural or manmade disasters or emergencies
whenever a local law enforcement agency requires law enforcement assistance from the state or any
other jurisdiction;
(c) To provide for a system for the receipt and dissemination of information, data, and directives
pertaining to activities among law enforcement agencies;
(d) To prescribe a procedure for the inventory of all law enforcement personnel, facilities, and
equipment in the state;
(e) To collect and disseminate information and intelligence relating to disasters or emergencies,
either existing or pending;
(f) To preplan distribution and allocation of state resources in support of the overall law
enforcement mission; and
(g) To allow a taw enforcement agency to enter into a mutual aid agreement with another taw
enforcement agency of this state or any other state or with any law enforcement agency of the United
States or its territories.
(2) It is further declared to be the purpose of this part to authorize the establishment of such
organization and the development and employment of such measures as are necessary and appropriate
to carry out the provisions of this part.
History.—s. 2, ch. 69-112; s. 1, ch. 81-142; s. 2, ch. 92-165; s. 1, ch. 93-211.
23.1225 Mutual aid agreements.—
(1) The term "mutual aid agreement," as used in this part, refers to one of the following types of
agreement:
(a) A voluntary cooperation written agreement between two or more law enforcement agencies,
which agreement permits voluntary cooperation and assistance of a routine law enforcement nature
across jurisdictional lines. The agreement must specify the nature of the law enforcement assistance to
be rendered, the agency or entity that shall bear any liability arising from acts undertaken under the
agreement, the procedures for requesting and for authorizing assistance, the agency or entity that has
command and supervisory responsibility, a time limit for the agreement, the amount of any
compensation or reimbursement to the assisting agency or entity, and any other terms and conditions
necessary to give it effect. Examples of law enforcement activities that may be addressed in a voluntary
cooperation written agreement include, but are not limited to, establishing a joint city -county task
force on narcotics smuggling, authorizing school safety officers to enforce laws in an area within 1,000
feet of a school or school board property, authorizing state university or Florida College System
institution police officers to enforce laws within a specified jurisdictional area as agreed upon in a
voluntary cooperation written agreement, or establishing a joint city -county traffic enforcement task
force.
(b) A requested operational assistance written agreement between two or more law enforcement
agencies, which agreement is for the rendering of assistance in a law enforcement emergency. The
agreement must specify the nature of the law enforcement assistance to be rendered, the agency or
entity that shall bear any liability arising from acts undertaken under the agreement, the procedures for
requesting and for authorizing assistance, the agency or entity that has command and supervisory
responsibility, a time limit for the agreement, the amount of any compensation or reimbursement to the
assisting agency or entity, and any other terms and conditions necessary to give it effect. An example of
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the use of a requested operational assistance written agreement is to meet a request for assistance due
to a civil disturbance or other emergency as defined in s. 252.34.
(c) A combination of the agreements described in paragraphs (a) and (b).
(d) As used in this section, the term "law enforcement agency" means any agency or unit of
government that has authority to employ or appoint law enforcement officers, as defined in s. 943.10
(1).
(2) A mutual aid agreement may allow for discretion by the parties as to when, whether, and to
what extent assistance will be available.
(3) A mutual aid agreement may be entered into by a law enforcement agency through a written
agreement executed by the chief executive officer of the agency, who is authorized to contractually
bind the agency.
(4) A copy of a mutual aid agreement must be filed with the Department of Law Enforcement within
14 days after it is signed.
(5) In the event of a disaster or emergency such that a state of emergency is declared by the
Governor pursuant to chapter 252, the requirement that a requested operational assistance agreement
be a written agreement for rendering of assistance in a taw enforcement emergency may be waived by
the participating agencies for a period of up to 90 days from the declaration of the disaster.
(a) When a law enforcement agency lends assistance pursuant to this subsection, all powers,
privileges, and immunities listed in s. 23.127, except with regard to interstate mutual aid agreements,
apply to the agency or entity, if the law enforcement employees rendering services are being requested
and coordinated by the affected local law enforcement executive in charge of law enforcement
operations.
(b) A listing of such agencies or entities and the officers and employees of such agencies or entities
rendering assistance pursuant to this subsection must be maintained by the agency or entity requesting
such assistance and filed at the end of the 90-day period with the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement.
History.—s. 2, ch. 81-142; s. 7, ch. 83-217; s. 1, ch. 83-334; s. 1, ch. 87-380; s. 3, ch. 92-165; s. 2, ch. 93-211; s. 1, ch. 96-
276; s. 1, ch. 98-183; s. 3, ch. 2000-369; s. 882, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2003-153; s. 1, ch. 2009-216; s. 1, ch. 2013-171.
23.1231 Florida Mutual Aid Plan; powers and duties.—
(1) The Florida Mutual Aid Plan must prepare for the distribution and allocation of state resources,
including the Florida National Guard, in support of the overall law enforcement mission. The plan shall
be administered by the Department of Law Enforcement to implement the policy and purposes set forth
in s. 23.121.
(2) The executive director of the Department of Law Enforcement acting under the Governor as the
state's chief law enforcement officer is the director of the Florida Mutual Aid Plan. The director of the
Florida Mutual Aid Plan shall:
(a) Coordinate, integrate, and implement law enforcement planning and activities for the use of
mutual aid and state resources;
(b) Coordinate the organization and direction of the law enforcement services of the Florida Mutual
Aid Plan;
(c) Coordinate and implement the gathering and collection of information and intelligence relating
to law enforcement mutual aid or assistance from state agencies to support local law enforcement
agencies in any local disaster or emergency, and provide information to state and local law enforcement
agencies;
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(d) During a state of emergency declared by the Governor under chapter 252, command, control,
and coordinate all state law enforcement personnel and equipment to support local law enforcement
agencies;
(e) Act as the liaison with the Division of the Florida Highway Patrol of the Department of Highway
Safety and Motor Vehicles in order to coordinate and integrate plans for traffic control and the
participation of the department in the law enforcement operation;
(f) Serve as liaison and guide the flow of requests from local law enforcement for requesting law
enforcement services from the Florida National Guard;
(g) Serve as liaison to the Governor, federal and state departments and agencies, and local law
enforcement officials in order to achieve close coordination and cooperation in planning and operations
in trouble areas;
(h) Guide the flow of law enforcement information from federal and state organizations to local law
enforcement officials;
(i) Serve as liaison to the Attorney General in order to keep him or her informed of changes in law
enforcement plans and regulations, mutual aid agreements, and current developments in all situations
from a legal standpoint; and
(j) Do other things necessary for the implementation of this part.
(3) The department may:
(a) Maintain an inventory of all state and local law enforcement resources and the resources of the
Florida National Guard, as directed by the director of the Florida Mutual Aid Plan;
(b) Provide technical assistance to state and local agencies in making inventories of their resources,
planning, and preparing mutual aid agreements;
(c) Conduct surveys as necessary to carry out the purposes of this part; and
(d) Do other things necessary for the implementation of this act.
History.—s. 3, ch. 81-142; s. 2, ch. 87-380; s. 5, ch. 92-165; s. 3, ch. 93-211; s. 87, ch. 95-147; s. 2, ch. 2013-18.
23.127 Powers, privileges, and immunities.—
(1) Any employee of any Florida law enforcement agency who renders aid outside the employee's
jurisdiction but inside this state pursuant to the written agreement entered under this part has the same
powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities as if the employee was performing duties inside the
employee's jurisdiction. Any employee rendering aid pursuant to an interstate mutual aid agreement
entered under this part shall have such powers, duties, rights, privileges, and immunities as the parties
agree are consistent with the laws of the jurisdictions involved and with the purposes for which such
agreement was entered.
(2) A political subdivision that furnishes equipment pursuant to this part must bear the cost of loss
or damage to that equipment and must pay any expense incurred in the operation and maintenance of
that equipment unless otherwise provided in the written agreement entered under this part. The
political subdivision furnishing aid pursuant to this part shall compensate its employees during the time
of the rendering of aid and shall defray the actual travel and maintenance expenses of its employees
while they are rendering aid, including any amounts paid or due for compensation for personal injury or
death while its employees are rendering aid, unless otherwise provided in the agreement entered under
this part.
(3) The privileges and immunities from liability, exemption from laws, ordinances, and rules, and
pension, insurance, relief, disability, workers' compensation, salary, death, and other benefits that
apply to the activity of an employee of an agency when performing the employee's duties within the
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territorial limits of the employee's agency apply to the employee to the same degree, manner, and
extent while engaged in the performance of the employee's duties extraterritorially under the
provisions of the mutual aid agreement. This section applies to paid, volunteer, and auxiliary
employees.
(4) A mutual aid agreement between law enforcement agencies in this state and any law
enforcement agencies of another state or of the United States or its territories has the status of an
interstate compact, but in any case or controversy involving performance or interpretation thereof or
liability thereunder, the law enforcement agencies party thereto are real parties in interest and the
state may maintain an action to recoup or otherwise make itself whole for any damages or liability that
it incurs by reason of being joined as a party therein. Such action is maintainable against any public
agency or agencies whose acts or omissions caused or contributed to the incurring of damages or liability
by the state.
History.—s. 8, ch. 69-112; s. 48, ch. 79-40; s. 4, ch. 81-142; s. 4, ch. 92-165; s. 4, ch. 93-211.