Get Involved
Support Us
The JSO Transparency Project is not currently accepting monetary donations. However, money is not the only way to support this project.
One of the most valuable ways to support our work is by providing information. We are interested in learning how the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office operates, how JSO implements its policies, and whether the same rules are applied consistently.
A small piece of information may help us identify a record, understand an unusual event, or connect several events which originally appeared unrelated.
Share Information
You can support us by sharing information about JSO. The types of information which may be useful include the following:
- Firsthand experiences involving JSO
- Information about how a written policy is implemented
- Differences between official policies and normal practices
- Information about internal procedures or terminology
- Unusual access, privileges, relationships, or decisions
- Interactions involving police officers or correctional officers
- Information about internal investigations or disciplinary decisions
- Names, dates, case numbers, units, and locations
- Information about JSO’s organizational or command structure
- Stories or rumors which may identify something worth researching
- Corrections or additional context concerning our published findings
Information does not need to prove that misconduct occurred. We are also interested in information which helps us understand normal practices. Understanding what usually happens may help us recognize when an event is unusual.
If you heard a story from another person, you may still share it with us. Please explain whether you personally witnessed the event or heard about it from someone else. We will treat unconfirmed stories as possible research leads and not as established facts.
Share Records
We are interested in records which may help the public understand JSO and Florida’s criminal justice system. These records may include the following:
- Incident reports
- Internal investigation files
- Policies and procedures
- Public-records responses
- Emails or written correspondence
- Court documents
- Photographs or videos
- Organizational charts
- Disciplinary records
- Training materials
- Government databases or spreadsheets
- Records from other law-enforcement agencies which may provide a useful comparison
Please explain where the record came from and whether it has already been made public. If possible, include the name of the agency, the public-records request number, and the date on which the record was received.
Do not submit a record which you are legally prohibited from sharing.
Share Knowledge
Some people understand parts of JSO which are difficult to understand from public records alone. This may include current or former employees, attorneys, journalists, researchers, contractors, residents, and people who have interacted with the agency.
We are interested in information which explains:
- How a particular unit operates
- How responsibilities are divided between employees or units
- How complaints are normally handled
- How disciplinary decisions are made
- What an abbreviation or technical term means
- Which records are normally created during an event
- Which person or unit would normally authorize a decision
- Whether a documented event appears routine or unusual
You do not need to have information about misconduct to help us. An explanation of an ordinary procedure may provide important context for another record.
What Happens After Information Is Submitted
Submitting information does not mean that we will immediately publish it. We may use the information to identify public records, develop research questions, compare similar events, or request additional documents.
We will attempt to verify significant information before presenting it as fact. When publishing our findings, we will attempt to distinguish between the following:
- Confirmed facts
- Allegations
- Statements made by individuals or government agencies
- Reasonable conclusions based on available evidence
- Unanswered questions
We may not be able to investigate or respond to every submission. However, information which does not appear important by itself may become useful after additional records are obtained.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Please do not assume that a submission is anonymous simply because you do not provide your name. Websites, email services, and submission systems may retain information such as IP addresses, timestamps, account information, or document metadata.
We will not promise anonymity or confidentiality unless we have a system which can reasonably provide it.
Before submitting information, please tell us whether:
- We may contact you with additional questions
- We may quote your statement without identifying you
- We may publicly identify you
- We may publish the records which you provided
These are separate permissions. Allowing us to contact you does not automatically give us permission to identify you publicly.
Information Is a Form of Support
Public records do not always explain the complete event. A report may show what an agency documented without explaining why a decision was made, whether the decision was normal, or how a policy operates in practice.
The people who live and work in Jacksonville may have information which helps answer these questions.
By sharing information, records, or knowledge, you can help us identify important questions, preserve public information, and make JSO easier for the public to understand.