Its unfortunate but many Law Enforcement agencies in the U.S. are like this. Mandatory that you are first an experienced Police Officer THEN you may fly. Problem is getting folks with Current flight experience to set that aside for a few years while they go out and learn the ropes as a Cop.
Taking a high stress situation and giving it to an experienced cop may be OK, but if he is not an experienced Pilot aslo, therin lies an accident waiting to happen.
Its not easy and some agencies such as Tampa may be paying the price for it.