Law Enforcement Agencies
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO)
Non-emergency: 630-0500. For emergencies only: 911
Cedar Hills Substation: 573-3165 email: JSOzone4@jaxsheriff.org
Other Law Enforcement Agencies
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) - 695-4115
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) - 360-7100
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Jacksonville Office: 721-1211
Neighborhood Crime Watch
General Information
Everyone should be vigilant, take notice of your surroundings, and report suspicious activities to the police immediately. Sometimes, a person may not know what constitutes suspicious behavior. A general rule of thumb is that anyone who acts abnormally or anything that is placed in a location that is not usual should be considered suspicious. Trust your instincts. Remember that it is always better to report a person or situation and have it turn out not to be a crime or hazard then to not report the person or situation and find out later that a crime was committed.
Guidelines for Reporting Suspicious Activity
1. First....Call the Police as soon as possible! If you are reporting suspicious activity, call the Police non-emergency number at 630-0500. If you have been the victim of a crime or witness a crime in progress, call 911.
WHEN DO I USE 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is a reporting number. Call 911 to report an incident which you believe requires the response or intervention of a law enforcement officer, firefighter or emergency medical service.
- When a person is hurt or injured.
- When a crime has been or is being committed.
- When a motor vehicle accident occurs.
- Any situation involving a fire.
The dispatcher will answer the phone. Remain calm and speak clearly. It's really important to provide to the dispatcher as much information as possible, such as:
- What happened?
- When did it happen?
- What did the suspect look like: male/female, height, weight, clothing, hair color?
- Were there any weapons used: What type?
- Is the suspect still there; if not, which direction did he/she go?
- Did the suspect drive a car: What type, color?
Do not Hang up, until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.
It is extremely important that you give the dispatcher as much information as possible. The dispatcher relays all of your information to the police officers who are "out in the field" responding to your call. It is imperative for the safety of the officers that you put as much detail into your report as possible, so they know exactly to what they are responding.
Don't call for situations which are not time sensitive or which do not require the response of police, fire or emergency medical services.
Don't call 9-1-1 to report inconveniences such as "no electricity" or plumbing problems, or to ask for weather reports or other information.
2. After you have called the Police, please email the OFA with information, descriptions of suspects, date and time of incident, descriptions of any vehicles involved, etc. Your emails are important and are the only way we have of knowing about incidents and suspicious activity in the neighborhood. We do not receive reports from the police when they are dispatched to a call. See the form below for assistance in describing a suspect and vehicle.
Templates & Forms
How to Describe a Suspect and Vehicle
The list below is to aid you describing a suspect or a suspect's vehicle. When emailing OFA about a crime, please use this as a guideline for sending information. A printable version of the form can be downloaded by clicking here. Print it and keep it by the phone. In an emergency, don't take the time to fill out the form until you have called 9-1-1.
Date ______________________________________
Time ______________________________________
Location ____________________________________
Direction of Travel _____________________________________
Weapon _____________________________
Suspect Information
Male _____ Female _____
Adult _____ Juvenile _____ Approximate Age _____
Race _____________________________
Height __________ Weight __________
Hair Color _____________________________
Eye Color _____________________________
Mustache, beard, sideburns or other facial hair:
_______________________________________________
Tattoos, scars or other identifying marks:
_______________________________________________
Gait, limp or amputations:
_______________________________________________
Suspect's Clothing
Hat _____________________________
Glasses _____________________________
Shirt type and color _____________________________
Pants type and color _____________________________
Shoes _____________________________
Automobile Information
Make _____________________________
Model _____________________________
Color _____________________________
Year _____________________________
Body style (2-door, 4-door, convertible, truck, etc.)
__________________________________
License plate number _____________________________
Distinguishing features (spoiler, racing stripes, tinting, damage, etc.)
_____________________________________________
PLEASE NOTE: To report suspicious activity, THE POLICE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER IS 630-0500. If you see an actual crime in progress, call 911 right away, then send us an email with information that will be helpful to our neighbors.
If you are the victim of a crime in Ortega Forest or if you have lost (or found) a pet or other valuables, please send us an email with the date, time and any other information that may be pertinent. We reserve the right to withhold publication of any information sent to us, especially if it may compromise an investigation by the police. Emails and eNewsletters from the Ortega Forest Association are distributed for informational purposes only to residents of Ortega Forest and surrounding communities who have subscribed to our email distribution list -- they are not intended to be interpreted as professional advice from the author(s).