Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

PB2 Performance Report for the Law Enforcement Program

Report 98-61, February 1999

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Report Summary

  • Overall, the program's performance was mixed, meeting standards on slightly more than half of its measures. Program vacancies and response to state emergencies contributed to not meeting some of the standards.
  • Patrol resources were generally deployed as planned with most time being spent on land patrols. However, staff spent about one-third fewer hours patrolling water bodies than expected. Program managers attributed the difference to staff vacancies and responding to state natural disasters that occurred during the fiscal year. Staff also conducted more inspections of captive wildlife facilities than expected.
  • The number of violations decreased during the fiscal year. Commission enforcement staff attribute lower than expected violations to several factors including officer vacancies, staff commitment to natural disasters, and problematic patrol vehicles.
  • The program recorded about as many boating accidents as expected, but fewer hunting accidents than anticipated.
  • The program's accountability system met three out of four of OPPAGA's expectations, with some modifications being needed in its performance measures. We propose several measures that should improve understanding of program efficiency. Furthermore, we recommend rewording some measures to better determine outputs and outcomes.
  • The Executive Director of the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission provided a written response to our preliminary and tentative report. The Executive Director generally concurred with our findings and recommendations. However, he requested deferring our recommendations for new measures and modification of current measures until the Legislature completes the merger transition of the agency into the newly created agency, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Executive Director's response is a public record and is available upon request.

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
natural resources, environment, law enforcement, fish and wildlife resources, hunting, fishing, investigations, inspections, boating safety, hunter education, commission, environmental protection, compliance, environmental law enforcement, captive wildlife facilities, freshwater bodies, uniform patrols, wildlife officers