Jacksonville Bail Bondsmen Shot by Police, One Dies

• May 25, 2011
• by Collateral Staff
• In the News

Two Jacksonville bail bondsmen were shot - one fatally - by police during an attempt to have a warrant served on May 24. The incident comes as a shock to the bail community, especially because it appears to have been caused by an unfortunate series of events and by miscommunication with police.

Bail bondsmen shooting details

According to an article covering the incident released by Florida media, the key details of the case include:

• Police had assisted the bondsmen with serving a warrant at a Jacksonville apartment complex early in the morning on May 24. That group of officers then left the scene.
  
  
• Minutes later, a resident of the apartment complex called police to report three armed men dressed in black trying to break into her building, saying one of them was wearing a mask.
  
  
• A new group of police officers arrived on the scene, unaware that their colleagues had assisted the bondsmen just minutes earlier. An officer said he saw a person dressed in black and wearing gloves and a mask, and that he was armed with a shotgun. The person's ominous-looking clothing and the shotgun he was holding led the officer to fire on the bondsmen.

One of the bail agents was fatally wounded, while the other man hit by police bullets was sent to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

How could this have been prevented?

While the shooting appears to have been a case of miscommunication, it raises questions about how situations such as this can be prevented. Was it an isolated incident, or are there changes that need to be considered regarding:

• Weapons laws
  
  
• Communication with police
  
  
• Rules covering clothing and masks
  
  
• Policies with how bail agents should visually and verbally identify themselves to police and civilians. According to one article, bail agents in Florida are allowed to apprehend subjects at their home as long as they don't commit the illegal act of identifying themselves as bounty hunters. In the state, licensed bail bondsmen are only allowed to refer to themselves as a "limited surety agent" or a "professional bail bondsman."

Share your thoughts
We want to know what you think about this tragic event and how you think incidents like this can be prevented. How do you personally try to keep yourself safe on the job? Post your comments below or share your thoughts on the About LinkedIn Group or Facebook page, and we will consider them for print in the next Bail Report newsletter.