Illegal attacked ICE agent

Mexican national arrested for allegedly attacking ICE agent during Orange County traffic stop

A Mexican national is facing a felony charge after he allegedly struck a federal agent and fled the scene during an Orange County traffic stop last week, prompting a multi-agency manhunt.

On Tuesday, June 16, the Florida Highway Patrol’s Criminal Alien Apprehension Team, working alongside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Americana Boulevard and Pointe Vista Circle in Orange County, according to a media release from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

During the traffic stop, multiple occupants reportedly exited the vehicle and fled on foot. An ICE agent pursued one of the fleeing subjects, identified as Elias Bautista, and attempted to detain him.

FLHSMV reported that Bautista, who authorities say entered the country illegally, actively resisted apprehension. A physical altercation ensued, and Bautista allegedly struck the ICE agent, causing the federal officer to sustain a “significant head injury.”

“ICE officers are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults, a 3,200% increase in vehicle attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats.

To make a long story short, they captured the SOB who fled again and who is charged with a felony.

FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner: “We remain focused on ensuring that those who endanger our officers or our communities are held fully accountable, especially those who should have never been in our country to begin with.”

Read about it...

But Democrats want to abolish ICE and jeopardize the safety of all American citizens.

Arrive Alive

Florida launches 'Arrive Alive' campaign. What that means for drivers

Florida has launched its Arrive Alive public safety campaign.

The two-month public safety campaign is intended "to keep Floridians safe during one of the most patriotic seasons in our nation’s history," according to a news release from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

"The data tells us summer is statistically our safest ... but we want to remind you that lower risk is not the same as no risk," the agency said.

"We want nothing more than for every family to enjoy the summer season and arrive at every destination safely,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner.

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Florida Man charged grand theft

and possession of a controlled radiation device without a license...involving property valued between $10,000 and $20,000

Florida Man Accused of Selling Radioactive Device on Facebook

A Bradenton man faces felony charges after Florida Highway Patrol investigators say he attempted to sell a radioactive industrial device through Facebook Marketplace.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 24-year-old Marco Antonio Benitez Jr. was arrested on May 28 following an investigation into the theft and possession of a Moisture Density Gauge, a specialized piece of equipment used in construction and engineering projects to measure soil and asphalt density.

Authorities said the device, valued between $10,000 and $20,000, contains a radioactive isotope known as Cesium-137 (Cs-137), making it a tightly regulated piece of equipment that can only be possessed and operated by licensed individuals.

The investigation began on May 26 after the Florida Highway Patrol’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence received information that the device was being offered for sale through Facebook Marketplace.

Investigators arranged a meeting with the seller to purchase the gauge. When the seller failed to appear at the agreed-upon location, state troopers went to Benitez’s residence in Bradenton to continue the investigation.

Troopers assigned to the Florida Highway Patrol’s Preventative Radiological Nuclear Detection unit conducted a radiation screening from outside the residence. According to the agency, the screening produced an industrial-level alert indicating radioactive material was present inside the home.

Investigators subsequently located the moisture density gauge inside the residence. Officials said the device remained intact and that its radioactive source had not been damaged. The gauge was seized and secured as evidence.

“The Florida Highway Patrol is home to some of the most sophisticated and technically experienced criminal investigators,” Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner said in a statement. “Their efforts, along with the efforts of BCII and CIU Troopers, led to this important arrest, and Florida is safer as a result.”

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Passover Security Briefing

Annual security briefing before Passover

Passover, also called Pasch or Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday and one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. It celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office led the county’s annual pre-Passover security briefing Wednesday, bringing together federal, state, and local officials to address threats facing the Jewish community ahead of the holiday.

The high-level meeting, held at the agency’s headquarters and coordinated together with Chief Chaplain Rabbi Mark Rosenberg—who also serves as Senior Advisor to the Sheriff and as Chief Chaplain for both the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement—drew approximately 160 attendees, including community leaders, law enforcement officials, and representatives from municipalities across South Florida.

This year’s briefing comes at a time of heightened concern, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and a noticeable rise in antisemitic incidents across the United States.

As we approach Passover, our focus is on visibility, readiness, and partnership. We will act decisively—investigating thoroughly and holding those responsible accountable under the law.

Our own Dave Kerner, Executive Director of the Florida Highway Patrol, was among the featured speakers.

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License Plate recognition imperative in Florida

Are license plate frames still legal in Florida?

DMV clarifies guidance after public confusion

After months of debate over what counts as “obscuring” a tag, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issued fresh guidance clarifying what’s fair game and what could land drivers in hot water.

The new memo, signed by Lake Worth Beach's very own Executive Director Dave Kerner, was sent to every law enforcement agency in the state last week.

The updated interpretation of Florida Statute 320.262 makes one thing clear: you can still have a frame, just not one that covers the actual license numbers or the registration decal in the top-right corner. Everything else—especially those decorative borders that cover the bottom slogan like “Sunshine State” or “MyFlorida.com”—is generally fine.

Some drivers have complained about getting ticketed for frames they say barely covered the border, while others flaunt thick metal or plastic surrounds that make their tags nearly unreadable.

If your version does run afoul of the law, punishments start with up to a $500 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both.

The clarification follows growing confusion as new license-plate recognition cameras roll out across Florida.Those cameras rely on crisp images to catch stolen cars, hit-and-runs, and toll violators among other targets.

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Dave Kerner appointed by Governor DeSantis

Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Dave Kerner to the Palm Beach State College District Board of Trustees

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Dave Kerner to the Palm Beach State College District Board of Trustees.

Kerner is the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Active in his community, he was previously elected as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 87, and as a Palm Beach County Mayor and Commissioner. He began his career as a law enforcement officer in 2005 and is a prior City of Alachua Police Department Officer of the Year. Kerner attended Palm Beach State College and earned his bachelor’s degree and his juris doctor from the University of Florida.

This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. [FlGov.com]

Drug Bust on Florida's Turnpike

Nearly $15M in cocaine seized in massive drug bust, officials announce in West Palm Beach

Florida officials say a joint operation between state and federal law enforcement intercepted 173 kilograms of cocaine — worth an estimated $14.7 million — during a traffic stop on the Florida Turnpike earlier this month.

Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the DEA Palm Beach Field Office, joined by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner. The event focused on public safety and law enforcement collaboration, highlighting the major drug interdiction success.

The DEA’s West Palm Beach office had alerted FHP to intelligence regarding a semi-truck suspected of transporting narcotics from the Mexican-Texas border into South Florida. Acting swiftly, FHP’s Criminal Interdiction Unit located the vehicle traveling southbound and conducted a lawful traffic stop for inspection.

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Crackdown on Florida Criminal Aliens

DeSantis: FHP arrests 3,000 in immigration crackdown; Kerner attacks Post arrest story

Highway Safety chief Dave Kerner, a former Palm Beach County official, called a July 22 story about the arrest of a U.S. citizen a 'false narrative.'

No surprise about The Palm Beach Post...that's why I ended my subscription after 40 years...all that biased "reporting."

Florida Highway Patrol troopers have "apprehended almost 3,000" undocumented immigrants so far this year, and that number will continue to go up as the agency prepares to set up a new strike team to increase arrests, officials said Aug. 1.

At a press conference in Orlando at Florida Highway Patrol Troop D Headquarters, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Florida Highway Patrol will establish a new unit: The Immigration Enforcement section within the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence.

The team will work closely with state and federal agencies to "identify, locate and apprehend criminal aliens across the state," DeSantis said. "There's no other state that is even in the ballpark of our efforts."

At the press conference, FHSMV executive director Dave Kerner also criticized The Palm Beach Post's coverage of the arrest of Kenny Laynez, a U.S. citizen who got detained in a federal immigration crackdown. 

Dave Kerner – previously a Palm Beach County Commissioner and state representative who is from Lake Worth Beach– said reports of the video were "a false narrative" and "trying to change history," and said prosecutors, who dropped the resisting an officer without violence charge against Laynez, were encouraging people to resist arrest.

"If this continues, it's certainly above my pay grade, but I do not think it's going to end well for that prosecutor," Kerner said.

Read about it...

Scam Alert from Dave Kerner Florida Highway Patrol

Scam Alert

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is warning drivers about a recent text message scam targeting Floridians. The scam claims the recipient has an unpaid traffic ticket and threatens to suspend their driver license and vehicle registration if payment is not made immediately through a fraudulent link.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has received reports of this scam across the state. While the full extent of the scam is unknown, the threat is serious.

REMEMBER: FLHSMV will never contact you via text message demanding payment or threatening suspension or arrest.

• If you receive a suspicious message:
• Do not click any links.
• Do not share personal or financial information.
• Report it to your local law enforcement agency immediately.

I don't have to remind Republicans who visit this page but the rest of you might need a reminder.

Trans tries to change his gender on Florida Driver's License

Trans TikToker Posts Taunting Video and Gets Bad News From Florida DMV

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issued a correction to a transgender TikToker who tried to change their gender on a driver’s license.

James Rose, a trans actor known as "Jamesissmiling" on TikTok, shared a now-deleted video on Dec. 20 claiming to have found a loophole in Florida’s laws.

"I just got my gender changed on my driver’s license in the free f---ing state of Florida," Rose said. "My god, Ron DeSantis would be screaming right now if he knew about this. This little license now says female on it."

FLHSMV cancelled his license and sent him a corrected one that says “male.” Executive Director Dave Kerner assured the public, "We maintain quality assurance in our program to ensure it won't happen again."

Read more about the wise guy

Florida Department of Highway Safety

Report from Florida Dept of Highway Safety

“The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), along with the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), have made significant progress this year—progress that would not have been possible without the unprecedented support of Governor Ron DeSantis,” said Executive Director Dave Kerner.

“The Florida Highway Patrol and law enforcement agencies across the state are empowered to protect our communities and uphold justice as a law and order state. This dedicated effort ensures that criminals are held accountable for their actions and reinforces our collective commitment to public safety.”

Read about their successes and many accomplishments... headed by our very own, Dave Kerner.

Sure do miss you, Dave, jogging at John Prince Park.

Governor Ron DeSantis news conference after apparent assassination attempt on Trump

Florida is taking over this investigation and will get to the truth

No one trusts our federal government!

At 8:39, our own Dave Kerner speaks.

"If the higher ups in the federal government refuse to provide the light of transparency, then we will fight in the shade."

FHP Cruiser, Out of this World - Best looking Cruiser Contest

FHP launches campaign to win ‘America’s Best-Looking Cruiser’

This year’s FHP cruiser submission is out of this world!

The Florida Highway Patrol and our very own Dave Kerner, has called on Floridians to help rocket past their competition as they defend their title of “America’s Best-Looking Cruiser.”

As defending champions, FHP has entered the 2024 American Association of State Troopers “Best Looking Cruiser” competition.

Vote for Florida

The alleged Pay-To-Play

Lawsuit: Two county commissioners pressured builder into making political contribution

Mack Bernard I can believe but Dave Kerner?

"Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard pressured a contractor to support last year’s affordable housing bond issue, according to a lawsuit filed by a Greenacres builder, Robling Architecture Construction Inc.

The claim, which county attorneys are "vigorously" opposing, is drawn from new evidence Robling claims it obtained as part of a lawsuit it filed in June against the county after it failed to win a multi-million dollar contract overseeing the construction of new fire stations.

By a 4-3 vote on March 22, 2022, commissioners awarded the work to Core Construction Services of Florida, despite the county purchasing agent's finding that Robling should have been awarded the deal. The agent said Core was improperly given points for having a presence in Palm Beach County.

Based on emails obtained from Core, Robling’s lawyers are seeking to add Bernard and former Commissioner Dave Kerner as defendants.  Bernard’s aide pressured Core to make a sizable contribution to the Hometown Housing Trust, a nonprofit created to support the passage of a bond referendum to build affordable and workforce housing in Palm Beach County

The lawsuit also alleges that the emails show there were meetings between Core and Bernard and Kerner and that the two men engaged in activities that exceeded “the scope of their official capacities as county commissioners and acted in bad faith, willfully and wantonly and in disregard for Robling’s constitutional rights.”

Read about the alleged pay-to-play

Speech and assembly rights are not a hall pass to disturb the public

DeSantis Sends Florida Troopers to Palestinian Protests

Florida responds to wake of college protests

Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has sent Florida state troopers to control pro-Palestinian protestors.

Top officials have confirmed that the Florida governor has directed the Florida Highway Patrol to respond to these protests. "On countless occasions, campus and local law enforcement has requested the assistance of Florida Highway Patrol. And on countless other occasions, we have proactively assisted campus and local law enforcement," said Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Safety and Motor Vehicles, which oversees the highway patrol.

Last week a total of 37 protestors were arrested across the campuses of UF, FSU, USF and UNF. Florida first responders even deployed the use of tear gas to quell protestors.

For DeSantis, this is a battle against antisemitism and is proud of the job Florida has done in combatting these demonstrations in comparison to "elite" colleges like USC in California. The governor stated last week, "elite colleges and universities that have allowed themselves to be overrun with encampments, graffiti as well as a lot of really nasty antisemitism."

Read about our great governor

Clearing Florida streets of Drug Traffickers

Eight people charged with distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine

The indictment alleges that Alain Romero, 33, of Hialeah Gardens, Florida, Mauricio Herrera, 40, of Hialeah, Florida, Anthony Lee Davis, 27, of Naples, Florida, David Martinez Ortega, 35, of Naples, Patricia Correa Ramirez, 28, of Miami, Andy Cabrera, 28, of Miami, and Yanker Perez-Diaz, 34, of Westland, Michigan, a member of the Latin Kings gang in Miami, were part of a drug trafficking organization that trafficked methamphetamine and cocaine in Florida.

According to the allegations in the indictment, Martinez and Davis distributed the drugs from Naples to Miami, at the direction of Oscar David Cardona, 29, of Miami, another member of the Latin Kings gang.

Several law enforcement officials were part of the announcement and one was our very own, Dave Kerner, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).

Read about it...

Governor DeSantis taking precautions for Spring Break crime

Ron DeSantis lays out Spring Break crime prevention plans at Miami Beach conference

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a news conference Tuesday to discuss the state's preparations for the expected seasonal Spring Break crime spikes.

The governor joined some of Florida's top law enforcement officials at the Miami Beach Convention Center to speak.

DeSantis took the podium donning the banner "LAW & ORDER," backed by rows of stoic Florida Highway Patrol Troopers and Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agents.

Joining DeSantis were the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass and FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner.

We are proud of Dave Kerner, who currently serves as the executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. He is the former county mayor and a county commissioner for Palm Beach County (he was my commissioner) and a former Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives. He is a sworn law enforcement officer and is a former special prosecutor.

Dave Kerner in 2013 at a city commission meeting

Read about it...

Florida Highway Patrol Apprehended Chinese illegals

Florida Highway Patrol Assist in Apprehension of 17 Chinese Nationals Following Illegal Landing in Key Largo

Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) announced the capture and detention of 20 undocumented arrivals who landed in Key Largo by boat. On October 22nd, FHP responded to Mile Marker 109 in Monroe County at the request of U.S. Border Patrol to set up a secure perimeter and to assist in the apprehension of the suspects.

The undocumented arrivals consisted of 17 subjects from China (11 adult males, six adult females) and three from Ecuador (all adult males).

“While the Biden Administration has completely failed at border security, our Florida Highway Patrol troopers stand ready to protect the U.S. border, whether in the southwestern United States or here off the coast of Florida,” said Executive Director Dave Kerner. “This detention of Chinese nationals shows how an open border allows individuals from enemy nations to enter our communities.”

Read about it...

We have China buying land near military bases. They have built a base in Cuba. They sent a spy balloon across our country for 7 days. They are crossing our border in droves. What are you doing about it, Joe?

Thank God for Ron DeSantis protecting Florida.

Blue States give Illegals Driver's Licenses

Mass. licenses for immigrants will be honored in Florida

Bay State licenses have stayed off the list of those no longer accepted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, because Massachusetts issues the same standard driver's license to everyone.

As of July 1, some licenses from Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii and Vermont have been considered "invalid" in Florida, as a result of an immigration law Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed earlier this year. All four of these states issue driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.

"Florida will not accept driver licenses from those who cannot provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. By doing this, we commit to a safer Florida," said Florida Highway Patrol Executive Director Dave Kerner.

But for Massachusetts, which on July 1 began implementing a new law allowing undocumented immigrants to legally drive, the Florida law won't apply.

This is such BS.

Read about it...

Florida Catching the Bad Guys

Multi-Agency Strike Force nets 350 felony charges, over half million in assets seized, eight undocumented aliens

Last week Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Florida National Guard Counterdrug Taskforce, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) participated in a weeklong operation in Columbia County.

The strike force was formed at the direction of Governor DeSantis to interdict human smuggling and human trafficking and to seize illegal weapons transported through the State. Through the collaborative effort of all involved, the strike force conducted 286 traffic stops resulting in the following:

K9 in front of drugs confiscated--33 Misdemeanor Charges-- 3 Vehicles Seized
350 Felony Charges -- 4 Guns Recovered
2 Firearm Charges -- Over 1,500 grams of Fentanyl
8 Undocumented Aliens -- Over 41 grams of Cocaine
23 Drug Charges -- Over 1,000 grams of Heroin
42 Total Arrests -- Almost 4,000 grams of Marijuana
Recovery of almost $9,000-- Over 150 grams of Methamphetamine

“The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to battling the illicit flow of deadly drugs entering our state and damaging our communities,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner.

Read more about it...