JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JSO's Undersheriff Pat Ivey gave a press conference today to discuss the arrest of JSO officer Max A. Hovey.
Speaking from JSO headquarters Wednesday, Undersheriff Pat Ivey said officers responded to a woman’s home Tuesday night after she found her ex-boyfriend looking through her window and called the police.
Ivey said the man was identified as 8-year JSO veteran Max A. Hovey.
Ivey said the 34-year-old officer did not resign and will now go through criminal proceedings, during which he will be stripped of police powers.
Hovey is being charged with one count of trespassing, Florida state statute 810.08, a first degree misdemeanor.
The arrest stems from an incident which occurred last night where patrol officers responded to a location where a female complainant reported that Hovey was in her backyard looking in her rear window.
When it was determined that the individual in question was a member of the JSO, Integrity Special Investigations Unit responded to take lead.
During their investigation it was determined that this a former girlfriend of officer Hovey, and they had been in the former relationship for a number of years. They had since ceased to be in a relationship.
It was a townhome type residence. Hovey entered the rear area and was looking in a window. The woman was alerted to his presence by her dog.
Hovey was detained and brought to Integrity's office. He did not give a statement, then was served a warrant. JSO arrested him on a warrant for that basic charge they had gotten earlier for trespassing.
This marks the fourth arrest of 2022 involving JSO employees, two police officers and two corrections officers, compared to ten in all of 2021.
Hovey did not resign from his position with JSO, and now goes through criminal proceedings.
JSO does not want to jeopardize the criminal case against him, meaning JSO can't prosecute him if they force him to answer questions. They will question him once they begin their administrative process.
JSO will follow the case through then deal with Hovey's employment status.
Hovey's police powers have been taken away. He will not drive a police car. He will not carry a gun. He won't have a badge. His ID card is basically turned off. He's given a visitor's badge, and will be assigned to a desk until legal and administrative process run their course.
Undersheriff Ivey said Hovey was still in jail at the time of the press conference, and that he will bond out. Bond amount is $1,503, according to the arrest report.
These are civil service rules for employees of the city of Jacksonville, so they can't immediately fire him.
Hovey will go before a civilian board and plead his case.