Lieutenant Andrew Watts has over 30 years of experience in the criminal justice field. He began his career in 1995 with the Florida Department of Corrections as a Correctional Probation Officer. In 1997, he transitioned to law enforcement, working as a Police Officer for the City of Largo. In 1999, he moved to Central Florida and joined the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, where he held a variety of positions, including Patrol Deputy, Investigator in Economic and Computer Crimes and Major Crimes, Patrol Sergeant, CCIB Sergeant, and Domestic Security Sergeant. He also served on the Crisis Negotiation Team, where he completed his tenure as the Executive Officer.
Following his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant Watts joined the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), where he worked as a Special Agent in various areas such as Violent Crime, Public Integrity, and Electronic Surveillance Support. He later became a Special Agent Supervisor, overseeing investigations related to Public Integrity, Targeted Violence, and Public Corruption. During his time at FDLE, he contributed to several notable cases and was recognized for his work with colleagues as part of distinguished teams in 2013 and 2016.
Lieutenant Watts holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminology from Florida State University and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. He is a graduate of the Command Officers Development Course, the Florida Leadership Academy, and the FDLE Advanced Leadership Program, and has certifications as a Firearms and First Aid Instructor as well as a FLETC Tactical Medical Instructor.