Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

Logo of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

Badge of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Agency overview
Formed 1968[1]
Employees 3,060
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Map of Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction.
Legal jurisdiction Duval County
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters 501 E. Bay Street, Jacksonville, Florida
Sworn members 1,600 Police Officers
760 Corrections Officers
Unsworn members 700 civilians
Agency executive Michael Williams[2], Sheriff
Website
Official website
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) is a joint city-county law enforcement agency, which has primary responsibility for law enforcement, investigation, and corrections within the consolidated City of Jacksonville and Duval County, Florida, United States. Duval County includes the incorporated cities of Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach, Baldwin, Jacksonville Beach, and Neptune Beach; the beach cities have their own police departments as well.

The sheriff's office also performs the corrections duties for the county. The current sheriff is Michael Williams, in office since July 1, 2015. Sheriff John T. Rutherford retired on June 30, 2015 and had been Sheriff since July 1, 2003. The JSO is one of the largest departments in the Southeastern United States, with 3,600 employees. Its headquarters is 501 E. Bay Street Jacksonville, Florida 32202.

Mission

According to the Sheriff's Office, its Mission is "To serve and protect in partnership with our community." The Vision of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is "A crime-free environment, driven by partnerships with empowered citizens, fostering a vibrant community and the success of all individuals." The Core Values of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office are: "Always Improving; Community Focused; Respect for Each Other; and Worthy of Trust."

History

Jacksonville Police Department: 1822-1968

Police Chief A. J. Roberts with Mayor John W. Martin around 1923 Mayor

The first sheriff to be appointed in Jacksonville was James Dell in 1822 when Duval County was incorporated. A town ordinance in 1845 required all free males living in Jacksonville to participate in evening patrol duty. From 1865 to 1869 law enforcement was enforced by the continued occupation of the Union Army and their provost marshal and guard. A civilian Marshal was appointed as head of the department in 1871 along with the creation of the Captain of Police rank. The mayor appointed the captain who would then be confirmed by the city council. In 1887 the captain of police became known as chief of police. A new charter was also established in 1887 creating a board of police commissioners. The department was comprised mostly of African Americans. House Bill No. 4 was passed by the Florida State Legislature allowing the Governor to abolish all offices in Jacksonville and to make new appointments to fill the vacancies. The police force in 1889 consisted of a chief, three officers and 24 patrolment. The first patrol wagon, pulled by two horses, was used in 1895. In 1904, as the automobile became more popular, the speed limit was set at 6 miles per hour. The first automobile patrol car was established in 1911.[3]

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office: 1968-Present

In 1967 a mandate was given by residents of Jacksonville and Duval County with 65 percent of the votes cast in favor of consolidating the city (Jacksonville Police Department) and county governments (Duval County Sheriff's Office). On October 1, 1968, the two governmental bodies were replaced with "a single unified government", the new organization, the Office of the Sheriff - Jacksonville Police, paralleled the name of the new jurisdiction. The four other municipalities within Duval County retained their own police departments. However, the Baldwin city council voted to disband their police department by 2007; at midnight on March 13, 2006, the sheriff's office took over responsibility of police services.[4]

Elected Sheriffs

Organization

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office responding to an emergency

The JSO is headed by the sheriff, a Florida constitutional officer elected to a four-year term with a three-term limit. The sheriff appoints his own senior staff from Undersheriff to Assistant Chiefs. All sworn members of the JSO are sworn in by the sheriff and are considered under the Florida constitution as his/her deputies. All sworn members of the JSO are Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) or Correctional Officers with all powers allowed by state law to carry firearms and make arrest. JSO also employs Community Service Officers, who are unsworn personnel that respond to primarily traffic-related incidents not requiring the full police powers of a sworn officer (now defunct.)

Departments

The Sheriff's Office is divided into five departments, each sub-divided into divisions, sections, units, zones, and squads. Each department is commanded by a director with the rank director of a department. Each division is commanded by a chief. The department and its sections are as follows.

Department of Patrol & Enforcement

There are three divisions in this department, and is headed by the director of patrol and enforcement

Patrol East Division

Commanded by the chief of Patrol East.

Patrol West Division

Commanded by the chief of Patrol West.

Community Affairs & Special Events Division

Commanded by the chief.

Department of Investigations & Homeland Security

There are three divisions in this department, and the director holds the title of director of the Department of Investigations & Homeland Security.

Detective Division

The Detective Division is under the direction of the chief of detectives who is responsible for the overall operation of the division. The Detective Division comprises a Crimes Against Property Section and a Crimes Against Persons Section, both under the command of an assistant chief.

Homeland Security & Narcotics/Vice Division

The Homeland Security & Narcotics/Vice Division is commanded by a chief. It encompasses units and squads that include: Aviation; Bomb Squad; Canine; Dive Team; Homeland Security; Hostage Negotiators; Gang Intervention; Narcotics; Warehouse and Forfeiture Unit. Detectives also work with the North Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA); the division also includes the Violent Crimes/Narcotics Task Force and Internet crimes against children investigations. The division has two sections, both led by an assistant chief.

Department of Police Services

A director leads the Department of Police Services. There are three divisions in this department.

John E. Goode Pretrial Detention Center

Department of Personnel & Professional Standards

A director leads the Department of Personnel & Professional Standards. There are two divisions in this department.

Department of Corrections

The director of this department holds the title of director of corrections. The Department of Corrections has more than 600 certified corrections officers and civilian personnel with three correctional facilities in Duval County. The largest is the John E. Goode Pretrial Detention Facility (PTDF) located in downtown Jacksonville. It is a twelve-story building with a capacity of 2,189. The others are the Malone Correctional Center (MCC); and the Community Transitions Center (CTC). There are two divisions within this department:

Rank Insignia
Sheriff
Undersheriff
Director
Chief
Assistant Chief
Captain (Corrections Only)
Lieutenant
Master Sergeant
Senior Sergeant
Sergeant
Master Patrolman/Master Corrections Officer /

Community Service Corporal/Police Emergency Communications Officer II (Dispatcher)
Senior Patrolman/Senior Corrections Officer/Police Emergency Communications Officer I (Receiving Officer)
Officer / Detective [no chevrons]

Misconduct

In 2005, Melanie Dawn Williams went into labor and rushed to the local hospital. She ran a red light and set off a string of events that led to two Jacksonville officers tackling and handcuffing her. In June 2010, the city paid the woman $67,500 to settle the matter.[8]

In January 2007, undercover Jacksonville officers killed an 80-year-old man on his front lawn. The man, Isaac Singletary, who was known to have used a gun to chase drug dealers off his property attempted the same technique against three officers, James Narcisse, Donald Maynard and Darrin Green, posing as drug dealers. In 2010 the city agreed to pay Singletary's family $200,000 to settle the matter. Internal investigations cleared the officers, although Narcisse was later fired for an unrelated issue.[9][10]

In August 2009, Donald L. Silcott, an evidence technician with the department, assaulted a teenaged girl in his home. In February 2011, he was sentenced to 40 months in jail.[11]

In August 2009, Officer David Cervone and Sergeant Marc Garza conducted an illegal raid on a home in the city. Both were charged with various violations. Cervone disposed of his case in February 2009, by agreeing to by probation and community service.[12]

In March 2010, a bank robber carjacked a woman and her children attempting to flee the scene. Jacksonville officers fired 42 shots at the moving vehicle killing the robber and wounding both hostages.[13]

In April 2011, Sergeant Marc Garza pleaded no contest to beating a handcuffed suspect with his radio. He had already pleaded guilty to encouraging a subordinate to file a false official report.[14]

In July 2011, Michael Eugene Williams resigned from the force after a second incident of domestic violence against women.[15]

In September 2011, Lieutenant Reginald Lott plead guilty to stealing funds from a police charity. He was sentenced to a year in jail.[16]

In October 2011, Officer Michael Rolison resigned after he collided his police car into another vehicle while driving drunk.[17]

In August 2012, Deputy Richard Cannon plead guilty to sexual battery and custodial sexual battery of two underaged girls. He was sentenced to thirty years in prison.[18]

In November 2012, Sam Koivisto was allowed to retire after telling officers he would be willing, if ordered to, to kill the President.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ SLMPD: History
  2. ↑ SLMPD: Sheriff Michael Williams
  3. ↑ "History of Jacksonville Police Department" (PDF). ncjrs.gov. NCJRS. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Baldwin PD disbands
  5. ↑ "W.B. Cahoon". Gainesville Police Department. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Scanlan, Dan (19 November 2014). "1913-2014: Duval sheriff William Cahill, whose term was marred by allegations, dies at age 101". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Kerr, Jessie-Lynne (May 28, 2000). "Former sheriff Carson dies at 78". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  8. ↑ Woman settles lawsuit with Jacksonville police in pregnant arrest case; A woman in premature labor was arrested in the hospital after running a red light, by Paul Pinkham, Jacksonville.com, 7 June 2010
  9. ↑ Police sued for fatally shooting 80-year-old resident, by Matt Galnor, Jacksonville.com, 23 January 2009
  10. ↑ Jacksonville settles with family of man shot by police in 2007; City to pay $200,000, by Matt Galnor, Jacksonville.com, 21 June 2010
  11. ↑ Jacksonville evidence tech sentenced to prison for assaulting girl, by David Hunt, Jacksonville.com, 18 February 2011
  12. ↑ Law & Disorder: Ex-cop sentenced for misconduct in false-report case; He testified against sergeant in case of making false report, by the Times-Union, Jacksonville.com, 9 February 2011
  13. ↑ Jacksonville mother files lawsuit in Wendy's police shooting; She and her son were hit when five officers fired 42 shots at a suspect in her car, by Jim Schoettler, Jacksonville.com, 10 August 2010
  14. ↑ Jacksonville policeman Marc Garza gets no additional jail time for suspect beating; More probation, community service, but no additional jail time, by David Hunt, Jacksonville.com, 4 April 2011
  15. ↑ Jacksonville cop quits after battery arrest, by Dana Treen, Jacksonville.com, 20 July 2011
  16. ↑ Jacksonville cop who scammed police charity gets year in jail, by Bridget Murphy, Jacksonville.com, 3 December 2011
  17. ↑ Cop Who Caused Crash Charged With DUI FHP: Jacksonville Officer Crashed Into Oncoming Car In St. Johns County,News4Jax.com, 3 October 2011
  18. ↑ Former cop gets 30 years in prison for sex charges, First Coast News. com, 21 September 2012
  19. ↑ Florida: Officer Resigns After Assassination COmment, by the Associated Press, New York Times, 23 November 2012

External links

Coordinates: 30°19′31″N 81°39′08″W / 30.325381°N 81.652126°W / 30.325381; -81.652126

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