SWAT Causes Damage to Man's Rental Home, He Wants Them to Pay

JACKSONVILLE,FL -- James Croft says it was a typical day until he saw several police officers on his property.

"I was sitting on my porch and I saw them coming two policeman with their rifles,"says Crofy.

It started August 9th and ended August 10th. A Jacksonville SWAT team had surrounded one of his rental properties in a stand-off with one of his tenants.

"They had a bobcat and they shot tear gas into the mobile home and they ripped out the door and there was a sliding glass they ripped it out," says Croft.

Croft says when the stand-off was over, he was reassured by law enforcement officers his property would be restored.

Croft says, "They said don't worry about it, the police department will take care of it."

The problem: a month after the incident no one has taken care of it.

"I don't feel I should be responsible for it, it is my loss," says Croft. Croft says he's contacted the city's insurance division and even talked with an adjuster but no one will say who is liable for the damage.

Croft says his rental mobile home is so damaged it has to be replaced.

"I'm going to have to haul it away and replace it, it is my livelihood," says Croft.

When asked what is the protocol when property is damaged in a police action, JSO spokesman Mike Mccall said there is a general order but gave a very vague statement.

"The operating procedure is to notify the city insurance adjuster," says McCall.

Mccall did not explain the protocol. City Hall spokesperson Kristen Beach says the city's insurance adjuster is still investigating Croft's claim

Beach says," The adjuster is waiting on information from JSO to see if the SWAT team followed protocol line by line. At this time there's no final decision."

Beach says if there's any ambiguity in the police procedure, city will side with the citizen. But generally speaking if the swat team was doing its job according to protocol, the city will not pay.

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