Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) The purpose of this rule is to set forth
requirements relating to the Florida Safe Schools Canine Program whereby a
person, school, or business entity can be designated as a Florida Safe Schools
Canine Partner (FSSCP) if the person, school, or business entity provides a
monetary or in-kind donation to a law enforcement agency to purchase, train, or
care for a firearm detection canine.
(2) Definitions.
(a) "Firearm detection canine" means any
canine that is owned or the service of which is employed by a law enforcement
agency for use in Florida's K-12 schools for the primary purpose of aiding in
the detection of firearms and ammunition. A firearm detection canine must be
trained to interact with children and must complete behavior and temperament
training.
(b) "Law enforcement
agency" means any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency located in
Florida.
(c) "School" means a K-12
public school, as defined in Section
1003.01(2),
F.S., a charter school, as defined in Section
1002.33, F.S., or a private
school as defined in Section
1002.01,
F.S.
(3) Eligibility.
Individuals, schools, or businesses must meet the following criteria in order
to be eligible for the designation as a Florida Safe Schools Canine Partner:
(a) Donation. A law enforcement agency may
nominate a person, school, or business entity to be designated as a FSSCP, or
such person, school, or business entity may apply to the Office to be
designated as a FSSCP if a monetary or in-kind donation is made to a law
enforcement agency for the purchase, training, or care of a firearm detection
canine.
1. Individuals must make a minimum
monetary or in-kind donation valued at $500.00, and schools or business
entities must make a minimum monetary or in-kind donation valued at $1,
000.00.
2. In-kind donations are
non-cash gifts and must be accompanied by verification of the value of the gift
as determined by the donor, such as a receipt, appraisal, or other
documentation accepted by the receiving law enforcement
agency.
(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this rule, the Department retains sole
discretion to determine eligibility.
(4) Nomination and Application Process.
Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, nominations and applications will be
accepted on a rolling basis, as follows:
(a)
A law enforcement agency may nominate a person, school, or business entity for
the designation by submitting an online Florida Safe Schools Canine Partner
Nomination Form available at
www.fldoe.org/safe-schools/canine.
(b) A person, school, or business entity may
apply for the designation for themselves by submitting an online Florida Safe
Schools Canine Partner Application Form, available at
www.fldoe.org/safe-schools/canine.
(c) A Nomination or Application must include
documentation from the law enforcement agency certifying the date of the
donation and that the donation is for the purchase, training, or care of a
firearm detection canine.
(d) The
Office of Safe Schools ("Office") will review the Nomination or Application and
will notify the law enforcement agency or applicant in writing that the form
was received, whether there are any missing or deficient elements, and whether
there is a need for additional information.
(5) Designation. The Office will notify
applicants and nominees who meet the eligibility criteria in subsection (3),
and nominees will be given the opportunity to accept the designation. Within
thirty (30) days of receipt of the notice, the nominee must:
(a) Certify the information in the notice is
true and accurate and accept the nomination;
(b) Provide corrected information for
consideration by the Office and indicate an intention to accept the nomination;
or
(c) Decline the
nomination.
(d) If the nominee
declines the nomination or does not accept the nomination within thirty (30)
days, it will not be awarded.
(e)
Once awarded, individuals, schools, and businesses will maintain their
designation as a Florida Safe Schools Canine Partner for one (1) calendar
year.
(f) Florida Safe Schools
Canine Partners may elect to discontinue their designated status by contacting
the Office at SafeSchools@fldoe.org.
(6) Use of the Florida Safe Schools Canine
Partner logo.
(a) A person, school, or
business that has been designated a Florida Safe Schools Canine Partner will be
provided electronic copies of the FSSCP logo.
(b) The logo may be displayed by Florida Safe
Schools Canine Partners in print or digital formats and may only be reproduced
from approved artwork provided by the Office. The logo may not be recreated by
any other means, in any other form, or altered in any way, including the use of
unapproved tag lines, abbreviations, or translations.
(c) Display of the FSSCP logo does not mean
that the Florida Department of Education approves of or endorses the individual
or entity displaying the logo. Use of the Florida Department of Education's
name or logo is prohibited.
(d) A
person, school, or business entity that has not been designated as a Florida
Safe Schools Canine Partner, whose designation has expired, or has elected to
discontinue its designated status may not display the logo.
(7) The following forms are hereby
incorporated by reference and made a part of this rule. Copies may be obtained
from the Florida Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee,
FL 32399-0400.
(a) Nomination Form for a
Florida Safe Schools Canine Partner, Form FSSCP-001 (
http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15902)
effective September 2023.
(b)
Application Form for a Florida Safe Schools Canine Partner, Form FSSCP-002
(
http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15903)
effective September 2023.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02(l),
(2)(n),
1006.121(8) FS.
Law Implemented 1001.212,
1006.121
FS.
New 9-26-23.
