Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Frequently Asked Questions

About the 911 emergency system

Can the police open my car if I have locked my keys inside?

Because of the potential for damage to vehicles the Sheriff's Office does not open locked vehicles. A locksmith is your best alternative. If a child is locked inside the vehicle, the Fire Department will send a rescue unit to remove the child from the vehicle, possibly by breaking a window.

Is there a waiting period before I can report someone missing?

No, you may make a missing person report whenever you realize someone is missing.

I have left my spouse and am living elsewhere but I need to get my clothing and other items. Can the police help me?

The Sheriff's Office will send an officer to keep the peace and prevent violence while you retrieve your belongings. Call the police from a public telephone near to where your belongings are, and an officer will go to the house with you.

Can I make a police report at any time of day and do I need to make an appointment?

The Sheriff's Office will respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week to any requests for police assistance.

Can I make a police report over the telephone or does a police officer have to come to my house?

Some reports can be taken over the telephone by the Sheriff's Office Teleserve unit. The receiving officer that answers your call can determine if your report can be handled over the telephone.

Someone has abandoned a junk car in my parking lot or on my property. Can the police tow it away for me?

The police can only tow away vehicles abandoned on public property. Call a wrecker service in your area and the vehicle will be towed away at no cost to you. The wrecker service will notify the Sheriff's Office once they have the vehicle to determine ownership.

How can I find out if someone is in jail, when someone in jail can be visited and any other information about persons in jail?

Call the jail information number, 630-5747, for any information about someone in jail.

My friend or relative is overdue returning home. How can I find out if they were in a traffic accident?

The Sheriff's Office dispatch center does not have the names of persons involved in accidents available until later when accident reports are turned in. If a person is injured in an accident and unable to call themselves, we will notify their family.

I do not have any transportation and have to get somewhere. Can a police officer give me a ride?

Police officers cannot provide rides.

I need to get a message to someone that does not have a telephone. Can the Sheriff's office go to the person's home and deliver the message?

The Sheriff's Office can only deliver emergency, life or death, messages.

Why did it take so long for the police to come when I called them last night?

All requests for police services are assigned a priority based on the seriousness of the incident and the potential for injury or damage to property. At times, calls of a less urgent nature must be delayed so that we can respond immediately to emergencies.

My family and I are going on vacation. Can the police keep an eye on our home while we are gone?

You can call 630-0500 and request a "dark report". An officer will call you back to get the information and will pass the information on to the officer that patrols your neighborhood at night. While we cannot "watch" your house, the officer will try to check on it each night.

We have a problem with speeders in our neighborhood. What can we do about it?

Call 630-0500 for non-emergency police service or report it to the Substation for your area.  (Click on the map to locate your substation.)

How do I apply for a position with the Sheriff's Office?

Call the Sheriff's Office Human Resources division at 630- 2134 for employment information.

Should I report suspicious activity in my neighborhood?

The Sheriff's Office depends on citizens calling to report crimes or suspicious activity. The receiving officer who takes your call will ask questions about the activity to determine its nature and ask for descriptions of the people involved. You will be asked for your name and address but you may refuse this information and we will still respond to the report.

How can I evict someone from my property?

Eviction is a legal process that often times requires a court order. Call the Civil process office at 630-2141 for more information.

What can I do about stray dogs and cats and barking dogs?

Animal Control is the city agency responsible for calls involving dogs and cats. Their number is 387-8846.

Can I report drunk drivers to 911 on my car telephone?

Yes, calls to 911 on a cellular telephone are free. Do not try to pursue the drunk driver or place yourself in any danger. When you call you will be asked for the description of the car, where it is, and the direction it is going.

Why do they ask so many questions when I call the police?

Receiving officers are trained to try to get as much information as possible to best determine the nature of the problem and its seriousness. On emergency calls, the receiving officer has already sent the information to the dispatcher while asking additional questions.

Does Jacksonville have a curfew? 
A curfew applies to persons under 18 years of age. The curfew is 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday nights and midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.
    A person under 18 is exempt if he or she is:
        1.  with a parent or guardian or other person 18 or over who is authorized by the parent to have control over the child
        2.  at or going to or from a job, school or church function,
        3.  attending an event open to the public and supervised by adults and beginning no later than 10:00 p.m.
        4.  in an area immediately adjacent to his or her residence
        5.  running an emergency errand.

How can I find out about Florida's concealed weapon law? 

Complete information is available on the Florida Secretary of State's website.

Who is required to wear a bicycle helmet?
Florida law requires that a bicycle rider or passenger under 16 years of age must wear a helmet that meets the nationally recognized standards for bicycle helmets.  It is also unlawful to rent a bicycle to a person under 16 years of age unless the person has an approved helmet or one is provided with the bicycle.  Violations of the law relating to bicycle helmets subject the violator to issuance of a traffic citation.
 
Where can I pick up a copy of a police report?

You can get a police report at any JSO substation (Click on map on
homepage to locate the nearest substation) or at the Police Memorial
Building, 501 E. Bay St.

What is the cost of a police report?

Police reports are $3 each (cash, money order or company check only),
however a victim may obtain a copy of his or her own report at no charge
with picture ID.
Crash reports are $3 each for everyone. The report number, a victim or
driver's name, date of accident and location is necessary in order to obtain
a report.

Are police reports available over the internet?

No.

What information can I receive regarding my arrest information?

Local arrest information only is available at any substation or at the
PMB. The information is available for a $5 fee (cash, money order or
company check only).
We will need the person's full name, date of birth, race, sex and social
security number (if available). A printout listing the charges, dates of
arrests and dispositions (if available), or actual copies of the court
dockets may be obtained. The Clerk of the Court maintains the official
dispositions on all arrests.
A statewide criminal history check can be obtained from the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement for a $15 fee. Contact the FDLE at P.O. Box
1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Phone: 850-488-4931.

Can I obtain driver's license information?

Driver's license information is available from the Division of Motor
Vehicles. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office does not provide that
information to the public.

What kind of criminal history information can I get?

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office releases local criminal history
information only. This consists of either a printout listing charges, dates
of arrest and dispositions (when available).
The fee for this information is $5 (cash, money order or company check
only). We will need full name, date of birth, race, sex, and social
security number.

Does the JSO offer fingerprinting services? Where? How much does it
cost?

Fingerprinting is available from any JSO substation or at the Police
Memorial Building, 501 E. Bay St. The cost is $5 per card (cash, money
order or company check only).
The person must have a fingerprint card at the time of the
fingerprinting. The agency or company requesting the fingerprints should
supply the card. The JSO does not supply fingerprint cards.
A person must present a picture ID at the time he/she is fingerprinted.
The JSO does not fingerprint children for personal identification. There
are many agencies that sponsor programs to fingerprint children.

How do I obtain a clearance letter?

A clearance letter is basically a background check. It is sometimes
referred to as a letter of good conduct.
It can be done at any JSO substation or at the PMB. The full name, date
of birth, race, sex, and social security number of the persons who needs the
clearance must be provided.
The charge is $5 (cash, money order or company check only). A letter
will be provided stating either "no local record" or "record." If the
subject has a local record, a printout of the arrest history will be
attached.


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