This holiday season the men and women of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office participated in various events where they had the opportunity to help spread holiday cheer. Here is a glimpse of just some of the events JSO members have been involved in this December:
Jacksonville Bar Association Gift Delivery
In early December, JSO officers teamed up with members of the Jacksonville Bar Association to play the role of Santa delivering presents to 300 seniors in the community.
To watch a video recap of this event, please click here to visit JSO's Facebook page.
Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5-30 Members Host Annual Children's Christmas Party
On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5-30, hosted the FOP's Annual Children's Christmas Party at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds.
Students along with staff members from the Duval County Schools' special-education program attended the event which included a special visit from Santa Claus, who made his grand entrance sitting on the hood of a JSO patrol car. Following his entrance, Santa and his helpers greeted each child and presented them with a gift.
For more information about the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5-30, please visit: fop530.com
To watch a video recap of this event, please click here to go to JSO's Facebook page.
904 Secret Santa
Throughout the day on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, JSO members had the opportunity to give back to citizens in the community as a result of a well timed gift from the 904 Secret Santa.
A generous donation allowed for several law enforcement agencies in North Florida, including the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, to give $100 gift cards out to random citizens. A total of $100,000 was given to the cause, with $50,000 of the total being allocated to JSO.
Officers had a great time giving back and building relationships with members of the community.
Photo: Police Officers Chris Hancock (left) and Jennifer Johnson (right) with one of the #904SecretSanta recipients.
To view more photos from this event, please click here to visit JSO's Instagram account.
Fraternal Order of Police's "COPS & Kids" Event
The next day, Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Sheriff T.K. Waters joined members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5-30 for their annual "COPS & Kids" event.
The "COPS & Kids" event pairs children with law enforcement officers for an afternoon of holiday shopping. Children are nominated by several Jacksonville organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida, 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville (JaxPAL), and the Jacksonville Housing Authority.
The program is designed to build relationships between officers and the community they serve. It is funded through the FOP's annual fundraising drive.
For more information about the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5-30, please visit: fop530.com
To view photos from this event, please click here to visit JSO's Facebook page.
JSO Members Participate in JaxPAL's "Christmas for the Kids" Event
Rounding out the week, JSO members partnered with the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville (JaxPAL) and various community leaders for JaxPAL's "Christmas for the Kids" event at the Walmart Supercenter located on 103rd Street.
This annual holiday event, organized by JaxPAL board members, provides children from our community with a chance to shop for items on their list.
For more information about this event, please visit: jaxpal.com.
Story updated on Monday, December 23, 2024