John Burgos, a police officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, has been arrested on charges of battery and false imprisonment. The charges stem from an incident where Burgos allegedly inappropriately touched a crime victim and did not allow the victim to leave the area, claiming it was for an additional investigation. This occurred while Burgos was on duty, according to Action News Jax.
Brian Kee reported that on Wednesday around 4 p.m., Burgos met with the victim for an initial case response. After this first meeting, he returned for a second encounter during which the alleged incident occurred. Although Burgos claimed he was conducting further inquiries, questions have been raised about his reasons for returning. The officer was alone with the victim and reportedly touched them without consent. The victim quickly reported the officer's behavior, leading to immediate action by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Integrity Unit, as stated by News 4 Jax.
Detectives arrested John Burgos the following day. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Director Brian Kee stated that the agency is "appalled by Burgos' conduct" and emphasized that "JSO sends a clear message that we will not tolerate when a member of this agency violates the law and threatens the public trust in law enforcement." Burgos is facing a third-degree felony charge of false imprisonment and a first-degree misdemeanor charge of battery. His police powers have been revoked, and he has been suspended without pay as the process for his termination continues, as reported by the First Coast News and News 4 Jax.
Burgos has a record of several investigations into his conduct. According to Kee, between 2020 and 2023, he faced seven different investigations by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, including three complaints, which led to two written reprimands. Kee stated, "He never did anything to get terminated, but he was certainly working towards that and being monitored by his supervisors." This arrest marks the 15th arrest of a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office employee this year, indicating a need for increased oversight within the department, as mentioned by News 4 Jax.
