FCJEI Directors

Chris Johnson (July 2015 - Present)
Chris Johnson was appointed to the position of Bureau Chief of Bureau of Professional Development (BPD) in July 2015 by FDLE Commissioner Richard Swearingen.  Chief Johnson has served with FDLE since 1996 in a variety of positions in various program areas within FDLE. During that time, he served as supervisor over the eGovernment section within the Criminal Justice Information Services which handled on average approximately 6,000 criminal history requests each day. Chief Johnson most recently served in BPD as the Training and Research Manager over internal training. He has also been the recipient to several Davis Productivity Award certificates during his career.

Chief Johnson is a graduate from Valdosta State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.  He is also a certified instructor through the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission.

Kristi Gordon (February 2012 - July 2015)
Kristi Gordon was named by FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey to the position of Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Professional Development (BPD) in February 2012. Chief Gordon has more than 14 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Florida and FDLE. During that time, she has served as the supervisor over the Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center and the Florida Investigative Support Center. In addition, she has served in a variety of analytical positions with the Office of Statewide Intelligence and the Office of Executive Investigations. As the leader of the BPD, Chief Gordon will oversee the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute, the Law Enforcement Analyst Academy and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.
 
Chief Gordon earned her bachelor’s degree from The Florida State University. She is a graduate of the Florida Law Enforcement Analyst Academy.
 
Lori Mizell (Interim Director, December 2011 - February 2012)
Lori Mizell was appointed in December 2011, to act as Interim Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Professional Development (BPD). Ms. Mizell was appointed in July 2011 to serve as the Executive Director of the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA). She has been a member of FDLE for almost 12 years and most recently served as the statewide coordinator of the Law Enforcement Analyst Academy. She first joined FDLE in 1999 as a Research and Training Specialist with the Professionalism Program’s Leadership Center. In 2002, she was promoted to a Senior Management Analyst Supervisor and named to head up the newly established Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center. She served in this capacity for four years before transitioning to a Government Analyst II position to handle domestic security initiatives and projects. Prior to joining FDLE, Director Mizell was an Education and Training Specialist with the Auditor General's Office.
 
Director Mizell earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Florida State University. She is a graduate of FDLE’s Law Enforcement Analyst Academy and is instructor certified through the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission.
 
T.W. Smart (July 2010 - December 2011)
T.W. Smart, a 22-year veteran with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, was appointed to the position of Bureau Chief of Professional Development in July 2010. In this capacity, Chief Smart was in charge of the FDLE Leadership Center and FDLE’s certified law enforcement training school. As the leader of the Bureau of Professional Development (BPD), Chief Smart also directed the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute and the Alcohol Breath Test Program, and oversaw the Law Enforcement Analyst Academy and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. Chief Smart served as Chief of Law Enforcement for the Florida Capitol Police prior to his appointment to the BPD.
 
David Brand (Interim Director, July 2009 - July 2010)
David Brand was assigned as the Interim Director of the Bureau of Professional Development and Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute in July 2009. Mr. Brand served 28 years with the Tallahassee Police Department, retiring as the Internal Affairs Commander. His background includes extensive experience in homicide and sex crimes investigations including managing multi-jurisdictional cases. He has a Bachelor in Criminology and Master of Public Administration degrees from The Florida State University and has published numerous articles in professional journals involving law enforcement practices and procedures. While at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement he has managed the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Field Services, Trust Fund, and Professional Compliance Sections. 
 
Charles "Steven" Casey (March 2007 - June 2009)
Steven Casey was appointed Director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute in March 2007. Director Casey has nearly three decades of public service experience. He has served as the Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (the largest juvenile justice agency in the nation); Chief Deputy of the Monroe County, FL, Sheriff’s Office; Director of Security of the Florida Lottery (a billion dollar enterprise); and as a Special Agent and Special Agent Supervisor with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco. In the past, he served as a member of the Florida Violent Crime and Drug Control Council; the Florida Supreme Court Task Force on Treatment Based Drug Courts; the Florida Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice Information Council, and the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission Regional Council. Mr. Casey received a Master’s degree in Management from Troy University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Harvard University Senior Executive Program for State and Local Government, and class 41 of the Chief Executive Seminar.
 
Susan Kyzer (October 2005 - March 2007)
Susan Kyzer was appointed Director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute in October 2005. Prior to this appointment, Susan was the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s first Executive Director for the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. (CFA). She has established the Florida Accreditation Program as the leading state accreditation program in the nation. Susan has spent the last twenty five years in Florida and the Bahamas where she has earned a Master’s of Science degree from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor’s degree from Barry University. She’s also a graduate of the Chief Executive Seminar from the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute.
 
Susan was elected President for the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, (NAWLEE) for her second term of office, serving on the Executive Board since 1999. Susan’s law enforcement career includes serving as the Planning and Research Director of the Port St. Lucie (FL) Police Department for eight years. Her many responsibilities included developing and overseeing the budget, policy development, pursuing and maintaining state and federal grants; managing the accreditation program, and strategic planning for a dynamic and constantly growing organization.
 
Susan has served on many task forces and committees throughout her career helping to foster professionalism in the criminal justice community, demonstrating her commitment to excellence, forging new ground for women law enforcement executives, and promoting cooperation among all the stakeholders concerned with public safety.
 
Terry Lewis (June 2004 - October 2005)
Chief Lewis served 27 years with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, retiring at the rank of Colonel, before joining FDLE in June 2004. During his tenure with Sarasota County he worked in every area of the agency including Patrol, Special Operations, SWAT, and Training. In addition to being a CJSTC Certified Instructor, he was a member of the local criminal justice academy advisory board and served as its chairman. Prior to joining Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, Chief Lewis was employed with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington DC as a patrol officer.
 
Chief Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration.
 
Michael D. Crews (February 2004 - June 2004)
Michael Crews began his career with FDLE in 1987 as a Standards and Training Specialist in the Professionalism Program. Over the next several years he held the positions of Research and Training Specialist; Field Services Specialist and Training and Research Manager. Director Crews then assumed the position of Manager over the Criminal Justice Information Program’s Help Desk and Sexual Predator Program. Director Crews was then assigned to the position of Training Manager in FDLE’s newly created Leadership Center. During that time he oversaw the development, delivery and maintenance of the Foundational Leadership Program and worked closely with the training delivered through the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute. Director Crews most recently served as Bureau Chief of Standards in the Professionalism Program overseeing Florida’s Officer Discipline and Alcohol Testing Programs as well as, the Officer Records, Training Trust Fund, and Field Services Sections.
 
Prior to joining FDLE, Director Crews was employed as a certified correctional officer at Apalachee Correctional Institute and a correctional probation officer in Tallahassee. He has also worked with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission as a part-time officer. Director Crews is a graduate of The Florida State University and the Chief Executive Seminar.
 
M. Michael McHargue (December 2000 - January 2004)
Director Mike McHargue began his law enforcement career with FDLE in 1973 as a Special Agent in criminal investigations. Prior to his appointment as Director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute in December 2000, he was assigned as Special Agent Supervisor, Director of the FDLE Academy, Director of Executive Investigations and Director of Criminal Investigations and FDLE Inspector General. Mike is a graduate of Florida State University, the FBI National Academy and the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute's Chief Executive Seminar.
 
Arthur Lee McGehee (March 1995 - September 2000)
Serving on the original advisory committee, and later as the Chairman of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute Policy Board, Chief Lee McGehee retired after 21 years as the Chief of Police for the City of Ocala to accept an appointment as the Director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute. Director McGehee served as the FCJEI Director from March 1995 until his untimely death in September 2000.
 
Lee McGehee was the Chief of Police in the city of Ocala from 1974 to 1995. Prior to 1974 he served as Deputy Chief in the St. Petersburg Police Department, and Director of Planning for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. His law enforcement career also included service as an Ocala police officer (1965-67).
 
Director McGehee received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from The Florida State University and a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of Georgia. He also completed portions of a Doctoral program in Public Administration, and attended the University of Florida’s College of Law. He served on the faculty of The University of Georgia's Institute of Government, and as an instructor in Police Administration for St. Petersburg Junior College.
 
He was awarded the "Public Safety Management Award" by the City of St. Petersburg in 1972, the Ocala Jaycees "Good Government Award" in 1976, the state "Distinguished Service Award" by the Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency in 1980, and the "Award of Distinction" in 1983 by the West Central Florida Police Chiefs Association.
 
Director McGehee served on the Education and Training Committee for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and was a past President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association.
 
Connie Smith-Patrick (June 1994 - March 1995)
Connie Patrick served as the Director of the Executive Institute from June 1994 to March 1995. Connie went on to serve as the Director of the Office of General Training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Ms. Patrick was appointed Associate Director for Planning and Resources in June 1998 at FLETC.
 
Director Patrick began her law enforcement career in 1976 as a deputy sheriff with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. In 1981, she became a Special Agent with FDLE. She was promoted to Special Agent Supervisor and worked in both the Orlando and Tampa offices. While assigned to the Tampa office, Connie became the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Regional Operations Center. She then moved to Tallahassee where she was the Special Agent in Charge of the FDLE Investigative Support Bureau until her appointment as Director of the FCJEI.
 
Director Patrick has a BA in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Chief Executive Seminar and Federal Executive Institute.
 
James D. Sewell, Ph.D. (September 1990 - June 1994)
Dr. James D. Sewell served as the first director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute. Dr. Sewell started his law enforcement career with the Florida State University Department of Public Safety, leaving at the rank of Lieutenant, and supervisor of the Support Services Section, which included the Crime Prevention Unit. He joined FDLE in 1980, leaving in December 1982 to go to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles where he served as the Director of the Office of Management and Planning Services. In March 1986 he was appointed Chief of Police in the City of Gulfport, Florida until August 1990, serving his last nine months in Gulfport as Acting City Manager for this City of 12,000 residents. Dr. Sewell returned to FDLE as the Director of the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute on September 1, 1990. Dr. Sewell retired as the Assistant Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 2005.
 
Director Sewell holds a BS, MS, and Ph.D., all in Criminology from The Florida State University. His dissertation research was in the area of law enforcement stress. He has published numerous articles in professional journals and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FCJEI Chief Executive Seminar.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Priorities

FDLE is composed of five areas: Executive Direction and Business Support, Criminal Investigations and Forensic Science, Criminal Justice Information, Criminal Justice Professionalism and Florida Capitol Police. FDLE’s duties, responsibilities and procedures are mandated through Chapter 943, FS, and Chapter 11, FAC. To learn more about these areas, read our Statement of Agency Organization and Operation or visit our Open Government page.