University Police Department

Crime Alerts/Clery

Campus Security Update, Friday, August 10

The University Police Department has filed 15 new felony charges against a former UNF residential student who has been in custody since April. Jesse Martinez was originally arrested and charged with threatening to share nude photos of another male student in exchange for sexual favors. Since that time, Martinez has been in the Duval County Jail on charges of intent to compel and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. The UPD investigation expanded earlier this year, and Martinez was additionally charged with eight counts of video voyeurism after police discovered he had hidden a video camera in a bathroom in Osprey Fountains residence hall.

Now the UPD has charged Martinez with an additional 15 felony counts of video voyeurism after discovering he had hidden a video camera in the men’s room of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library this past spring. Police have been able to identify seven new victims. It is important to note that these newly identified victims were not in any way being extorted for sexual favors. They were unaware that they were being recorded while using a public restroom.

As police examine other devices belonging to Martinez, additional charges may be filed.

The UPD is handling this sensitive matter with the upmost discretion to protect the victims. The UPD strongly believes that being a victim is never the fault of the victim. Everyone who has been identified as a victim has been offered counseling services. The UPD can be reached at (904) 620-2800, and UNF has a 24-hour crisis hotline for victims at (904) 620-1010.

University employee says active shooter training he received at UNF helped him in a real life situation

UNF employee, Frank Brown, described his recent experience as a hostage during a bank robbery to WJXT4 news. He credits the active shooter training he received at UNF with helping him decide what to do.

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Safety Tips:

Hometown Security

What You Can Do When There Is a Bomb Threat

Lock Doors:

It may seem simple but it is very important to lock your doors, even when you are gone for just a few minutes. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity. It only takes a few seconds for someone to enter your room or your car and take your valuables. We recommend that you always lock your door when your room or your car is unattended. Don’t give someone the opportunity to make you a victim.

Suspicious Activity:

We encourage you to contact the University Police Department any time you see something or someone suspicious. This could include an unfamiliar person loitering around campus, a person “cruising” the parking lot or someone trying to sell things door-to-door. We are here to respond to your concerns, so please don’t hesitate to call us. We would rather check out 100 “false alarms” than miss one incident truly needing our attention.

Sexual Consent: It's as Easy as a Cup of Tea

The most important thing you need before having sex

Be more than a bystander. Do something.

Be aware and help prevent sexual assault

Consent is voluntary and mutual, and can be withdrawn at any time.

Past consent does not mean current or future consent.

There is no consent when there is force, intimidation, or coercion.

One cannot always consent if under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Talk to your friends honestly and openly about sexual assault.

Don’t just be a bystander – if you see something, intervene in any way you can.

Trust your gut. If something looks like it might be a bad situation, it probably is.

Be direct. Ask someone who looks like they may need help if they’re okay.

Get someone to help you if you see something – enlist a friend, RA, bartender, or host to help step in.

Keep an eye on someone who has had too much to drink.

If you see someone who is too intoxicated to consent, enlist their friends to help them leave safely.

Recognize the potential danger of someone who talks about planning to target another person at a party.

Be aware if someone is deliberately trying to intoxicate, isolate, or corner someone else.

Get in the way by creating a distraction, drawing attention to the situation, or separating them.

Understand that if someone does not or cannot consent to sex, it’s rape.

Never blame the victim.

If you are a victim or survivor, or helping someone in that situation go to notalone.gov to get the resources and information you need. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE

Mission & Vision

Our Mission

The University of North Florida Police Department is entrusted to preserve the peace, provide general police services to the University community, and enforce the laws of the State of Florida, the ordinances of the City of Jacksonville, as well as the rules, policies and traffic regulations of the University of North Florida. In cooperation with the entire campus community, the University Police Department also is committed to protecting the University's population, buildings, grounds and equipment.

Our Vision

A safe and secure campus which fosters an atmosphere that allows the University community as a whole to achieve personal and institutional goals pertaining to learning, working and quality of life issues.

Core Values

PARTNERSHIP: The University Police Department will work to create partnerships with the University community. Partnerships allow the community a voice in the policing process and promote a mutual understanding of quality of live issues.

INTEGRITY: The single most valuable tool a law enforcement officer has at his/her disposal is integrity. Integrity builds a foundation of trust and support, which is an essential element in a relationship between the police department and the community.

RESPECT: The University Police Department serves a diverse community and each person in our community deserves a level of respect that we would want extended to us as an agency and as individuals. Having respect for every person we serve will help build relationships that improve the community as a whole and will ensure that the rights of every individual are respected.

Focus on Community Safety

The University of North Florida Police Department sponsors a Safety Ranger program to escort students to and from parking lots weekday evenings from sundown until 10 p.m. During all other times, the escorts will be conducted by UPD officers. Students can request a Safety Ranger or officer by calling (904) 620-2800, or using a Code Blue Phone. The Safety Ranger program provides an extra layer of security to everyone’s safety while on campus.

In addition to a strong emphasis on the Mission, Vision, and Core Values, members of the University Police Department have implemented a pro-active approach in administering police services with focus on Visibility, Prevention and Enforcement to reduce crime and improve safety on campus.

With this principle in mind, each member of the University Police Department is coached on the importance of this approach in their daily activities when serving our community.

A Focus on Visibility – Officers are encouraged to maintain a high level of visibility in all of their assignments to provide a sense of safety and comfort within our community and to discourage crime.

A Focus on Prevention – Officers are encouraged to identify any problems or concerns on campus and then implement crime prevention tactics and techniques to address them. This proactive technique helps to address the issue before it becomes serious.

A Focus on Enforcement – After using visibility and prevention tactics, enforcement is implemented where necessary to address the law or policy violation to bring about the necessary compliance.

A FOCUS ON VISIBILITY, PREVENTION and ENFORCEMENT increases the safety of our community and encourages a closer working relationship within the community we serve.