Candidate: Calvin L Adams Jr

Calvin retired in 2015 as Colonel, Director of Law Enforcement for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) with over 30 years of service. He provided leadership and overall authority for a statewide law enforcement agency with approximately 1,200 employees, of which 900 were certified Florida sworn law enforcement officers. The approximate annual budget he managed was $128 million, including a fleet of approximately 1,000 vehicles, 500 vessels, 100 all-terrain type vehicles, and 15 aircraft. As director of a large Florida law enforcement agency, Colonel Adams has extensive public safety experience and made final decisions on all administrative, finance, personnel, and operational matters that are presented to modern civilian law enforcement agencies.            

Law enforcement is an Adams’ family tradition. Five family members have over 150 years combined military and Florida Law Enforcement service.

A fifth generation native Floridian, Calvin, moved to Inverness in 1964 when he was one month old. He graduated from Crystal River HS in 1982, attended Santa Fe, Central Florida colleges, and received his Associate of Arts degree from Hillsborough Community College.

During college, Calvin was selected, and completed the FMP Law Enforcement Recruit Academy. He was sworn in as a certified Florida Law enforcement Officer in May 1985. He began work in east central Florida, working as a patrol Officer for five years. He then promoted to LE Investigator in 1990, working as a Criminal Investigator with an area of expertise in Boating Homicide, and Environmental Crimes. In 1996, Calvin promoted to Lieutenant in the Tampa Bay area. In 1999, he promoted to Captain, supervising Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, and Desoto Counties. In 1999, FMP and GFC merged creating the FWC.  He promoted to Major, as a Regional Commander in 2002 responsible for an 18-county area in North Central Florida. In 2006, Calvin transferred to Tallahassee, and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Director. In 2012, he was selected as the Director of Law Enforcement, Colonel of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and served as the Colonel until retiring.

He received many commendations, Lifesaving and Awards of Merit. He has deployed throughout Florida and the southeast working over thirty hurricane, and storm details.  In 2005, Colonel Adams served as the Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR) Law Enforcement Field Incident Commander, leading over 200 state officers from multiple agencies to Mississippi for Hurricane Katrina. He has deployed many times, responding to major events related to floods, wildfires, tornados, super bowls, Presidential details, Gubernatorial inauguration details, port security, political conventions, civil unrest, and other significant events.   

Colonel Calvin Adams Jr is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session 237 and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Chief Executive Session. Federal Certifications include: US Department of the Interior-Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Agent, US Department of Commerce-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Marine Fisheries Services Agent, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Incident Command, The National Oil Spill Response School. 

Colonel Calvin Adams Jr served as a statewide commissioner for the Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA). He was an original committee member for the development of the Florida Fusion Center under the direction of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Colonel Adams served on the Florida Fire Chief’s Association, Statewide Emergency Response Committee to implement the Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR), Statewide Emergency Response Plan (SERP). He participated with the FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

He is known statewide and in the southeast from his current and past involvement and memberships in the FBI-National Academy Associates (FBINAA), International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), State Law Enforcement Chief’s Association (SLECA), Florida Sheriff’s Association (FSA), Florida Police Chief’s Association (FPCA), Florida Fire Chief’s Association (FFCA), FWC Officers Association, Gold Shield Foundation, Florida Marine Intelligence Unit (FMIU), Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA), and Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA).

After retiring and moving back to Citrus County, Calvin Adams Jr, has continued to serve our community as a volunteer firefighter with the Crystal River Fire Department. He completed the fire operations training and became Florida certified as a volunteer Combat Firefighter, (FF1). He is currently an active member of the Crystal River Fire Department and is serving as the Assistant Fire Chief.       

Calvin and his wife Olga grew up in Citrus County and have family members living in the local area. They have two children and two grandchildren.