{"id":228270,"date":"2026-04-12T05:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T05:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/228270\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T05:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T05:08:17","slug":"former-jso-detective-says-new-policy-to-prevent-false-overtime-claims-could-be-difficult-to-enforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/228270\/","title":{"rendered":"Former JSO detective says new policy to prevent false overtime claims could be difficult to enforce"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 A former detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office said the agency\u2019s new policy to prevent false overtime claims could be difficult to enforce.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2026\/02\/26\/jacksonville-sheriff-announces-arrest-of-jso-officer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2026\/02\/26\/jacksonville-sheriff-announces-arrest-of-jso-officer\/\">JSO officer accused of falsely claiming $14K of overtime was with girlfriend instead, who was also his boss: Sheriff<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">With the arrest of three more officers charged in connection with claiming false overtime pay, News4JAX is digging into how the discrepancies were uncovered and how JSO plans to prevent future issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Sheriff T.K. Waters announced on Thursday the arrests of two active Jacksonville police officers \u2014 Sgt. Michael Rourke and Officer Christopher Sosa \u2014 and one former employee \u2014 Officer Dylan Bostick.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">All three are charged with grand theft, organized fraud and official misconduct, which are third-degree felonies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Watch the full press conference below:<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Former JSO detective Kim Varner said all three arrested officers\u2019 pending legal cases may now be challenged in court because their credibility is now in question.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cThose officers, if they\u2019re lying on those reports, what\u2019s their work going to look like in court?\u201d Varner said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The sheriff said an investigation sparked by the unrelated arrest of another JSO officer in February revealed that all three had claimed overtime pay for traffic enforcement shifts that they never worked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The arrest of former officer Christian Madsen, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2026\/02\/26\/we-reviewed-jsos-code-of-ethics-after-jso-said-an-arrested-officer-had-a-romance-with-his-boss-heres-what-it-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2026\/02\/26\/we-reviewed-jsos-code-of-ethics-after-jso-said-an-arrested-officer-had-a-romance-with-his-boss-heres-what-it-says\/\">who was accused of falsely claiming $14,000 of overtime when he was actually spending time with his girlfriend<\/a>, who was also his supervisor, spurred the JSO Integrity Unit to launch a deeper investigation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">They conducted what amounted to a full audit of all traffic overtime claims connected to funding from a Florida Department of Transportation grant, which relies on the iPass system to monitor hours worked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">According to JSO, the overtime assignments require officers to perform pedestrian and bicycle-related safety enforcement and educational activities while remaining in specific enforcement corridors and using JSO communications equipment to check in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The investigators said they found that from Dec. 1, 2025, to Feb. 23, 2026, Rourke, Sosa and Bostick each submitted overtime entries of various amounts for time that they never actually worked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">According to the arrest reports, investigators flagged Rourke and Bostick\u2019s overtime hours because there were no radio location communications or body camera footage hours in the system during those times.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">That led them to check the officers\u2019 cellphone records, which investigators said showed they were not where they said they were during overtime claims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Rourke, 56, was paid for 51 overtime hours that he didn\u2019t complete between Dec. 1, 2025, and Feb. 7, 2026, resulting in more than $4,600 in public funds, Sheriff Waters said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Bostick, 35, submitted 243 hours from Dec. 1, 2025, to Feb. 23, 2026, resulting in $18,000 in false payments, according to Waters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Cellphone data, including a review by an FBI expert, was also used to show Sosa\u2019s overtime claims were false, investigators said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Sosa, 39, submitted 147.5 overtime hours from Dec. 9, 2025, to Jan. 23, 2026, resulting in more than $10,700 in overtime pay, the sheriff said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Rourke was suspended on March 12; Sosa was suspended on March 3; and Bostick resigned on March 3. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Waters said Bostick is expected to turn himself in, and that JSO is seeking to terminate Rourke and Sosa. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Waters clarified that the cases are not connected to Madsen\u2019s case, but were found as part of the follow-up investigation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cThese guys had knowledge that they could do this, and they were taking advantage of the system,\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Rourke, Sosa and Bostick\u2019s arrests are the third, fourth and fifth arrests of JSO employees in 2026. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">The sheriff said the supervisor overseeing all of these officers, C. Plank, is leaving the agency. He is not under criminal investigation but is the subject of an administrative investigation, Waters said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Waters said he doesn\u2019t anticipate additional arrests stemming from traffic and overtime misconduct and that the agency is working to prevent this from happening in the future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cThey\u2019re going to have to report to an on-duty supervisor; [the supervisor] is going to have to lay eyes on them, and that is going into policy as we speak,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">But Varner said enforcing this policy will create new challenges for JSO supervisors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cThey may be in one zone, there may be 40 officers working, off-duty work in different areas, so that supervisor is going to have to run to each spot, that\u2019s gonna be kinda complicated,\u201d Varner said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">News4JAX spoke with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2024\/09\/19\/jso-launches-new-social-media-series-to-address-dangerous-driving-habits-105-traffic-deaths-in-duval-this-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/news\/local\/2024\/09\/19\/jso-launches-new-social-media-series-to-address-dangerous-driving-habits-105-traffic-deaths-in-duval-this-year\/\">Bostick back in September 2024 after JSO launched a social media series to address dangerous driving habits<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">In 2017, he was involved in a chargeable traffic crash and was the subject of two criminal complaints; one involving \u201cfailing to take appropriate action\u201d was sustained.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Rourke had formal counseling twice after an in-house complaint of misuse of computer software and then insubordination and failure to conform to work standards in 2013 and 2019.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Sosa had received informal counseling three times for violating JSO\u2019s body-worn camera policy since 2022 and also had remedial training after a chargeable traffic crash in 2017.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Varner said the recent arrests of the officers send the wrong message about trusting police.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">\u201cAnd we\u2019re held to a higher standard, so naturally, people are going to look at you funny when you get accused and convicted,\u201d Varner said. \u201cIt\u2019s embarrassing, it\u2019s a very embarrassing thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Varner said he expects JSO supervisors will also use GPS tracking to make sure an officer is actually working overtime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dist__Box-sc-1fnzlkn-0 dist__TextBase-sc-1fnzlkn-3 bYFsJw cuqaEv article-text\">Rourke was hired April 27, 2009; Sosa was hired Oct. 19, 2015; and Bostic was hired Aug. 3, 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX &#8211; All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 A former detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office said the agency\u2019s new policy to prevent&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":228003,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,118,117,1872,101443],"class_list":["post-228270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news","tag-jso","tag-sheriff-t-k-waters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228270\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}