TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, as a member of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, announced the appointment of St. Cloud Police Chief Douglas Goerke to the State Immigration Enforcement Council.
Commissioner Wilton Simpson said, “I am proud to appoint Chief Goerke to the State Immigration Enforcement Council. Florida is leading the way in enforcing immigration laws, holding the line against illegal immigration, and ensuring criminals do not find sanctuary in our communities. Chief Goerke’s leadership, experience, and dedication to upholding the law will be instrumental in driving our efforts to protect Florida citizens.”
Chief Goerke said, “I am honored to be appointed to the State Immigration Enforcement Council and thank Commissioner Wilton Simpson for this opportunity. Ensuring the safety and security of our communities is a top priority, and I look forward to working with fellow law enforcement leaders to provide meaningful recommendations and assistance to the board to further strengthen illegal immigration enforcement efforts across Florida.”
Chief Douglas Goerke
Chief Goerke began his law enforcement career as an officer with the Orlando Police Department in 2001, where he rose through the ranks to serve as Deputy Chief of Police. He served as a Task Force Agent for the Department of Homeland Security and held commanding assignments over the Tactical Patrol Unit, Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Unit, Patrol Division, Professional Standards Division, and the Orlando International Airport. In addition to these duties, he served as the Executive Co-Chair for the Orlando Urban Area Security Initiative. This body is responsible for conducting critical infrastructure assessments and mitigating vulnerabilities to respond to critical incidents. In January 2022, he was selected as the Chief of Police for the St. Cloud Police Department.
Chief Goerke holds a master’s degree in public administration from Liberty University and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia Southern University. He is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy, Session 277. In 2018, he was recognized by the Florida Police Chiefs Association as Outstanding Command Officer of the Year. He is a member of the FBI National Academy Associates, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, and the Central Florida Criminal Justice Association.
State Immigration Enforcement Council
The State Immigration Enforcement Council was created for the purpose of advising the board as provided in s. 908.1032, Florida Statutes. The council is comprised of eight members, in which the Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, and Commissioner of Agriculture must each appoint one police chief; and the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House must each appoint two sheriffs.
The council will meet quarterly and provide assistance to the board by:
- Recommending expenses related to federal 287(g) program participation that should be reimbursable under the Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant Program and its funding criteria.
- Requesting guidance from ICE for training opportunities and strategies to further federal 287(g) program participation and make related recommendations to the board to expand the grant program to reimburse costs related to new training activities.
- Providing recommendations on financial and other resources necessary to aid local law enforcement agencies.
- Providing recommendations to enhance information sharing between state entities, local governmental entities, law enforcement agencies, and the federal government in the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
- Providing recommendations on strategies to increase the number of available detention beds for use by ICE.
- Assisting in data collection from law enforcement agencies for the board’s annual report.
For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.
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