When the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office puts an officer on the community’s streets, residents expect they’re going to be thoroughly screened.
But an Action News Jax Investigation uncovered JSO hired an officer who was under investigation by another local police department for four policy violations.
The Jacksonville Beach Police Department’s spokesman said JSO never checked back with the agency to see what the outcomes of those investigations were after hiring Officer Brent Bartlett.
When #JSO puts an officer on our streets, you expect they’re going to be thoroughly screened. But my 2-month @ActionNewsJax Investigation uncovered JSO hired an officer who was under investigation by another local police dept for 4 policy violations. #ANJaxInvestigates live at 6. pic.twitter.com/vtqYVApbn7
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) April 27, 2018
JBPD went on to finish those investigations after the officer quit.
Bartlett quit his job as a JBPD officer without notice on Friday, April 28, 2017, while he was under investigation.
He told JBPD he was starting a new job at JSO first thing Monday, May 1, according to JBPD records.
Bartlett’s JSO hiring paperwork shows the agency knew Bartlett was under investigation and hired him anyway.
Bartlett checked a box indicating he quit his previous job while under investigation.
Still, JSO marked its check of his previous employment “satisfactory.”
“It appears that he’s not satisfied with this one agency, so he’s decided to go to another agency,” said Action News Jax Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson, who used to be a JSO recruiter. “No, he never should have been hired until the investigation from his previous agency is completed.”
JBPD spokesman Sgt. Thomas Crumley said no agency reached out to learn the outcome of the four investigations into Bartlett.
If JSO had, it would have found out that JBPD decided Bartlett would have been suspended without pay and received written reprimands.
“I’m very surprised that JSO did not reach out to get the outcome of the investigation. Looking at the individual’s personnel file, he has a series of issues,” said Jefferson.
The most serious issue: Bartlett improperly accessed the Driver and Vehicle Information Database through a mobile device while off-duty.
Bartlett also caused thousands of dollars of damage to a Duval County jail transport van by driving under the sally port door while it was coming down.
JBPD found Bartlett was sloppy in documenting a crime scene and failed to seize an unregistered tag during a traffic stop.
Bartlett’s former JBPD patrol sergeant wrote that he “demonstrated a pattern of sub-standard performance.”
“Someone dropped the ball,” said Jefferson.
Bartlett’s JSO personnel file shows no complaints about the officer since he was hired nearly a year ago.
Bartlett turned down Action News Jax’s request for an interview.
JSO spokesman Officer Christian Hancock sent Action News Jax the following statement:
“While it is a rare occurrence, occasionally JSO applicants have open investigations at their current agency.
In each applicant’s case, we review all information that is available to us, including the severity of the allegations (according to our disciplinary guidelines), before an applicant can proceed through the hiring process.
With a training program and a year of probationary status, officers are at-will employees for a minimum of 18 months after they are hired.
During that window of time, the Professional Standards Division follows up on any additional information regarding the officer’s background.
Officers are evaluated during that time to determine if they will be given permanent employment status.
Prior to determining whether or not Officer Bartlett—who is currently in the probationary status—attains this permanent employment status, the Professional Standards Division will conduct a review of any previous administrative investigations involving him.”
Cox Media Group
