Plans Finalized for JSO Veteran Who Died of Heart Attack On-Duty

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The funeral arrangements for an undercover detective who died while on-duty earlier this week have been finalized, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The visitation for JSO Detective Robert "Bobby" Ford, a 24-year veteran of JSO, is 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Parkwood Baptist Church, 7900 Lone Star Road in Jacksonville.

The funeral is at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Abyssinia Baptist Church, 10325 Interstate Center Drive in Jacksonville. Burial is at Evergreen Cemetery at 4535 N. Main St.

Officers were called to the Hart Bridge around 1:15 Wednesday afternoon because a northbound car was stopped. Officers said the driver was unresponsive, so they broke out the back window.

When they got to the driver, they realized it was Ford. He was on-duty and was driving an unmarked vehicle.

"The vehicle was kicked into neutral, and as it came over the bridge, it scrubbed the rail and came to a stop," said Sheriff John Rutherford.

Rutherford says authorities don't know what may have caused the heart attack.  The Sheriff says Ford appeared healthy.

According to JSO records, this is the sixth time in the history of the department that an officer has died of a heart attack while on duty.

Ford was taken to St. Vincent's where he was pronounced dead.  Flags flew at half-staff outside the Police Memorial Building Wednesday afternoon.

Ford was an undercover detective for the vice unit, previously assigned to the narcotics and warrants units.

Sheriff Rutherford met with Ford's family to offer condolences. Rutherford says Ford was a great man and a great officer.

"Easy going, full of life. A great guy," the Sheriff said.

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