NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – A Neptune Beach police officer has been charged with grand theft after several complaints that he took money during traffic stop searches, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday.
Officer Chris Ortiz, 32, was arrested Tuesday morning and has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
The Neptune Beach Police Department asked in May for the Sheriff's Office to help in the investigation after several complaints were received.
“With their assistance we were able to put this to bed really quickly,” Neptune Beach Police Chief Richard Pike said.
Pike said Ortiz, who was assigned to patrol on the midnight shift, is accused of taking money from vehicles during inventory searches after suspects were arrested. In an undercover sting operation, Ortiz took $805, according to his arrest report.
"We're going to do everything at the Neptune Beach Police Department to ensure the integrity of the agency," Pike said. "We are a small agency, and we have a great relationship with our community. We will not tolerate any misconduct in the Neptune Beach Police Department, and if you do, you will be handled with the harshest of punishments."
Ortiz had been with the Neptune Beach Police Department for just over a year and was with the Jacksonville Beach Police Department for before that, Pike said.
There were no international affairs investigations or complaints against Ortiz during his nine months with the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, according to a city clerk.
"I think it's pretty sad that you have officers, people such as politicians, people sworn to do their duty diligently and then they let down the people like that. I mean, grand theft," Bruce Banninga said.
Ortiz was in the news in March after he used his own money to buy a bicycle for a young man who had his bike stolen and needed it to get to work.