from staff
The newest member of the Florida Public Defender’s Association (FPDA) Board of Directors comes from Jacksonville in the Office of Fourth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk. A.L. Kelly serves that office as the Director of Investigations and will join the 20 elected Public Defenders from across the State to fill the opening on the Board that is held for an Investigative representative, effective immediately. He becomes a voting member for the statewide organization that is dedicated to ensuring that Florida’s 20 judicial circuit Public Defender offices are adequately funded to provide the State’s indigent-accused with the criminal defense they are constitutionally afforded.
“Northeast Florida gains a stronger voice for indigent criminal defense with the addition of Director Kelly to our Board,” said Shirk. “While our offices in Duval, Clay and Nassau counties provide our clients with the most effective representation we can, the FPDA Board meets regularly to make certain that our individual offices have the necessary resources to fulfill this mission. I’m thrilled that Director Kelly will become the voice for criminal investigations on our Board; he is extremely knowledgeable about that function of our office and well deserving of this appointment.”
With 35 years of experience in law enforcement, Kelly joined Shirk’s office in January 2009. Serving most of his career in the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, he held numerous ranks and supervisory positions including: an internal affairs investigator, an assistant chief, the lead planner for the Super Bowl in 2005 and most recently as director of patrol and enforcement. For a short time, he also served as deputy executive director of the Police Athletic League.
“It’s a tremendous honor to serve as the Investigations representative on the FPDA Board of Directors,” said Kelly. “It is our policy in the Fourth Judicial Circuit to thoroughly investigate our clients’ cases and provide our attorneys with necessary and timely information. I pledge to represent investigators throughout Florida on the Board and make certain that the challenges and concerns that we all face are addressed.”
The FPDA Board of Directors meets nine times per year at various locations in Florida. Two of the regular meetings are in conjunction with a winter and a summer education and training seminar for all staff of PD offices. In his role as Investigations representative on the board, Kelly will play a key role in organizing the education and training activities offered exclusively for Investigations staff.