Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) members from throughout Florida were honored in Tallahassee this week for their outstanding performances last year. FDLE Pensacola Crime Laboratory Analyst Supervisor Melissa Seifert earned the distinguished Innovation of the Year award.
FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Chris Williams said, “Seifert successfully implemented a new way of working cases that not only increases productivity and provides a quality product for FDLE customers, but also benefits members, FDLE, the criminal justice community, and the public as a whole.”
FDLE Pensacola Chief of Forensic Services Jeremiah Bortle said, “Seifert’s willingness to implement innovative, forward-thinking approaches, along with her can-do attitude, persistence in the face of adversity, and unwavering focus on the goals of her section and of the agency, make Melissa a true visionary.”
Seifert began her career with FDLE as crime laboratory technician in 2006 and was promoted to forensic technologist in the Biology section that same year. In 2012, she was promoted to crime laboratory analyst where she specialized in working sexual assault cases. She was promoted to crime laboratory analyst supervisor in 2019 and is a respected leader to her staff and colleagues in the Pensacola Regional Operations Center.
Seifert developed a methodology to increase productivity and decrease the amount of stress on members of the biology section by creating a workflow solution based on members of the section working collaboratively rather than on an individual basis. The outcome was a 30 percent improvement in productivity above the standard. The new workflow coincided with the biology section preparing for the opening of the new FDLE Pensacola facility. Her solution involved detailed planning, an analysis of team tasks and team meetings to coordinate the new range of assignments. Seifert’s imaginative and innovative approach enhanced her section’s ability to work cases in her region.
