SavingSeaFood - Southeast Region Fisheries law-enforcement chief whose hiring skirted federal job rules is retiring after agency upheaval

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Southeast Region Fisheries law-enforcement chief whose hiring skirted federal job rules is retiring after agency upheaval

One of the four former Maryland police officers controversially hired for leadership positions in the law enforcement arm of the federal agency that regulates commercial and recreational fishing is retiring at the end of the month.

Hal Robbins, the special agent in charge of law enforcement in the National Marine Fisheries Service southeast division, which includes Florida, was part of a group of retired Maryland police officers who attained top positions despite having little or no experience in natural resources.

Sources also say the four were too old to be hired as first-time federal agents, they did not have to meet physical requirements for their jobs and did not complete federal law-enforcement training.

Robbins, now 63, was hired in 2004 by Dale Jones, who was then the director of the fisheries service’s Office of Law Enforcement.

Robbins did not respond to questions for this report. Spokespersons with the fisheries service would not discuss specifics about Robbins’ background and would not provide his age after repeated requests for that information.

Jones and Robbins, and Mark Spurrier, the former assistant director of the Office of Law Enforcement, and Mark Paterni, the current assistant director, all knew each other from their time working at local police agencies in Maryland.

Jones was hired in May 1999 when he was 42, Spurrier was hired in November 1999 when he was 44, Paterni was hired in June 2002 when he was 52, and Robbins was hired in June 2004 when he was 56, according to biographies of the men obtained by The Reporter. The age limit for first-time federal special agents is 37, government guidelines say.

Read the complete story from Keys Net.

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