901.1505

Federal law enforcement officers; powers.

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901.1505 Federal law enforcement officers; powers.—

(1) As used in this section, the term “federal law enforcement officer” means a person who is employed by the Federal Government as a full-time law enforcement officer as defined by the applicable provisions of the United States Code, who is empowered to effect an arrest for violations of the United States Code, who is authorized to carry firearms in the performance of her or his duties, and who has received law enforcement training equivalent to that prescribed in s. 943.13.

(2) Every federal law enforcement officer has the following authority:

(a) To make a warrantless arrest of any person who has committed a felony or misdemeanor as defined by state statute, which felony or misdemeanor involves violence, in the presence of the officer while the officer is engaged in the exercise of her or his federal law enforcement duties. If the officer reasonably believes that such a felony or misdemeanor as defined by state statute has been committed in her or his presence, the officer may make a warrantless arrest of any person whom she or he reasonably believes to have committed such felony or misdemeanor.

(b) To use any force which the officer reasonably believes to be necessary to defend herself or himself or another from bodily harm while making the arrest or any force necessarily committed in arresting any felon fleeing from justice when the officer reasonably believes either that the fleeing felon poses a threat of death or serious physical harm to the officer or others or that the fleeing felon has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm to another person.

(c) To conduct a warrantless search incident to the arrest, as provided in s. 901.21, and to conduct any other constitutionally permissible search pursuant to the officer’s lawful duties.

(d) To possess firearms; and to seize weapons in order to protect herself or himself from attack, prevent the escape of an arrested person, or assure the subsequent lawful custody of the fruits of a crime or the articles used in the commission of a crime, as provided in s. 901.21.

History.—s. 1, ch. 91-43; s. 1458, ch. 97-102.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1999–2025 · leading case: Goss v. State

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Goss v. State (1999) fladistctapp · cites it 2× “Although an officer cannot make a warrantless arrest for a misdemeanor or ordinance violation unless it is conducted in the officer's presence, see § 901.1505, Fla. Stat. (1997), this does not preclude the officer from conducting an investigatory stop based on a reasonable…”

Ward v. State (2007) fladistctapp · cites it 2× “(2002) (defining "law enforcement officer"); § 901.1505(1), Fla. Stat. (2002) (defining "federal law enforcement officer"); § 934.”

In Re STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES-REPORT NO. 2015-08 (2016) fla · cites it 2× “§ 901.1505, Fla. Stat. A federal law enforcement officer is a person who is employed by the Federal Government as a full-time law enforcement officer, who is empowered to effect an arrest for violations of the United States Code, who is authorized to carry firearms in the…”

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases - Report 2019-09 (2020) fla · cites it 2× “§ 901.1505, Fla. Stat. A federal law enforcement officer is a person who is employed by the Federal Government as a full-time law enforcement officer, who is empowered to effect an arrest for violations of the United States Code, who is authorized to carry firearms in the…”

Raulerson v. State of Florida (2025) fladistctapp · cites it 2× “; see also § 901.1505, Fla. Stat. (giving a “federal law enforcement officer” the authority to make warrantless arrests under certain circumstances, to use force when reasonably necessary, and to conduct a warrantless search incident to arrest); cf.”

— 901.1505(1) — 1 case

Ward v. State (2007) fladistctapp “(2002) (defining "law enforcement officer"); § 901.1505(1), Fla. Stat. (2002) (defining "federal law enforcement officer"); § 934.”

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