JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of one of its own employees on Thursday, marking the first arrest of the year.
This trend from last year when more than a dozen JSO employees were arrested. A significant number of those arrests involved domestic violence or abuse charges.
In fact, one-third of last year’s arrests of JSO employees were linked to some form of domestic violence.
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Last year alone, JSO arrested 14 of its employees. Now, with another arrest made Thursday, the department is once again facing scrutiny over the actions of its officers.
Sheriff T.K. Waters confirmed the arrest of Correctional Officer Christopher Bowens on charges of false imprisonment and battery.
Bowens is facing one count of false imprisonment, a third-degree felony, and one count of battery, a first-degree misdemeanor.
“I didn’t want this to happen. It shouldn’t happen. But it did. Now, we’re going to take the necessary steps to make sure that this employee, who is no longer an employee, will never make this mistake again,” Sheriff Waters said in response to the arrest.
Because of Bowens’ arrest, Action News Jax reviewed JSO’s records and found that five out of 15 employee arrests, spanning both 2025 and 2024, were related to domestic violence.
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Theresa Richardson, the founder of Legal Rescue and a certified legal document preparer, weighed in on the implications of such arrests, particularly when they involve law enforcement officers. She works with many couples facing separation due to intense domestic disputes.
“Because he should know better. He took an oath to protect,” Richardson said.
Richardson went on to point out the troubling nature of such incidents involving law enforcement, adding, “If they can’t control their temper with their companion or spouse, then how can they control their temper in the streets with normal citizens?”
Richardson also offered a strong stance on the consequences for officers involved in domestic violence cases: “One, he needs to be fired. Two, he needs to take that badge off. Three, he needs to go to jail. His sentence should be higher than the average person’s.”
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Sheriff Waters echoed these concerns, emphasizing how these arrests impact the department’s ability to recruit high-quality individuals who are committed to upholding the law.
“It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars to put someone through the rigorous process of becoming an officer, only for them to ruin it all with a bad decision,” Waters said. “The community deserves better, and so do our colleagues who take their oaths seriously.”
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office continues to take a firm stance on misconduct, making it clear that actions like these have no place within their ranks.
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