JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A firefighter with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue was arrested for battery on Tuesday after an argument between him and a co-worker escalated into a fight at a fire station in Northwest Jacksonville, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Police reports state that Joshua Jordan, 38, got into the fight with Justin Smith, who initiated the call to JSO following the altercation.
Recommended Videos
The reports state that Jordan approached Lieutenant Kevin Alvers at Fire Station #53, 4220 Jones Road, and told him that he wanted to confront Smith about “some issues they were having.”
Lt. Alvers advised Jordan not to do that and attempted to de-escalate the situation himself, police said.
Jordan then approached Smith in the bay and said something to him that has been redacted from police reports. Smith did not respond to whatever was said by Jordan and left the area to go to his room.
Police say that Jordan followed him into the room, and what happened next is also redacted.
JSO then spoke with Smith, who explained that the situation began when he finished cleaning the kitchen and was filling a mop bucket when Jordan walked up and stuck his mop into the bucket.
Smith told police he didn’t say anything to Jordan, turned his bucket away, and left the area to mop the bathroom. Once he finished, he was going to return the mop bucket when Jordan said something that has been redacted from police reports.
Smith continued to tell police that he kept walking away from Jordan, but that Jordan continued to follow him, adding that nearby witnesses were attempting to de-escalate the situation, but nothing was working.
Jordan was taken to JSO’s Integrity Unit, where he was interviewed by police, which was followed by his arrest.
In a statement sent to News4JAX, JFRD said the following:
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is aware of an incident that occurred at Fire Station 53 involving two JFRD personnel. This situation is being taken seriously, and we are conducting a thorough internal review in coordination with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The employee who was arrested has been temporarily reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of this review and the JSO investigation. We are unable to provide any additional details while this investigation is active.
We recognize that incidents like this are difficult not only for the individuals involved but also for the men and women who show up every day, dedicated to serving our community. The alleged behavior does not represent who we are or what JFRD stands for as an organization.
The trust Jacksonville places in our department is not something we take lightly. We will continue to hold our personnel to the highest standards, because our residents and visitors deserve nothing less
Spokesperson for JFRD