Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officer arrested, accused of claiming over 200 overtime hours he did not work
Arrest centers on alleged overtime fraud tied to a bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement grant
A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) police officer has been arrested and accused of stealing more than $14,000 in overtime pay by claiming work hours investigators say he did not perform. The allegation involves more than 200 overtime hours over a period that investigators identified as running from Dec. 1, 2025, through Feb. 7, 2026.
The officer, Christian Madsen, is accused of submitting overtime that did not match his whereabouts during scheduled assignments. Authorities said the investigation relied on technology-based records, including license plate reader data and the officer’s cell phone records, to determine he was not where he was supposed to be during the times he claimed overtime.
How investigators say the alleged mismatch was identified
In the incident report referenced in the case, investigators listed multiple Jacksonville-area locations connected to the overtime shifts under review. Those locations included roadway corridors and segments such as Julia Street to the Arlington Expressway/Washington Street area, Biscayne Boulevard to Interstate 95, North Myrtle Avenue to I-95 southbound, and Lane Avenue South to Cassat Avenue.
Authorities said the evidence they reviewed did not support the officer’s reported presence at the assigned locations during the claimed overtime periods. Based on those findings, the officer is facing multiple charges, including a scheme-to-defraud allegation.
Grant-funded traffic deployments and oversight questions
The overtime at issue was connected to a state-funded bicycle safety grant administered by the Florida Department of Transportation. Such grants have been used in Jacksonville to support overtime traffic deployments focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety, including high-visibility enforcement efforts designed to improve compliance with traffic laws that apply to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The arrest is likely to draw renewed attention to how grant-funded overtime is documented, verified and audited. Technology such as automated license plate reader data and mobile device records can provide time-and-location indicators that investigators may use to corroborate or challenge timekeeping and deployment claims.
Employment history and broader agency context
Authorities also noted that Madsen had received recognition in prior years for motorcycle skills competitions. Separately, records referenced in the report indicated he earned more than $105,000 in overtime between 2020 and 2025.
The arrest was reported as one of several involving JSO employees in 2026, reflecting an ongoing pattern in which the agency has publicly announced internal criminal investigations and arrests involving sworn and corrections personnel.
Accusation: more than $14,000 in overtime pay tied to allegedly unworked hours.
Timeframe cited: Dec. 1, 2025, through Feb. 7, 2026.
Key investigative tools cited: license plate reader data and cell phone records.
Funding link: a bicycle safety grant administered by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The case remains pending in the criminal justice system. The officer is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
JSO had not provided a public statement on the arrest in the materials reviewed for this report. Further details may emerge through court filings, public records requests, and any internal administrative action taken by the agency as the case proceeds.