Welcome from
the
Green Cove Springs
Police Department
Green Cove Springs
The City of Green Cove Springs is located in
southeastern Clay County, on the beautiful St. John’s River, and proudly serves
as the county seat. Located just 30
minutes south of the City of Jacksonville, or 30 minutes west of the City of
St. Augustine, the city’s full time population is approximately 6,900 and
growing, with several new residential communities presently under
construction. During the workweek, the
city ‘s population swells to over 13,000, due to State Road 16 and Highway 17
running directly through the city and the influx of county workers and
visitors. The city currently covers 9.01
square miles of land and waterways, with a utilities service area of approximately
28.2 square miles.
A Brief History
High ground along the St. Johns River and a
flowing mineral spring drew the first inhabitants to this area some 7,000 years
ago, but historic development dates from 1816 when George I. F. Clarke erected
a sawmill in this vicinity under a Spanish Land Grant. The first settlement, called White Sulfur
Springs, was established in 1854, with a wharf, a store, and several houses
clustered around a Public Square. During
the Civil War, Federal Troops frequently skirmished with Confederate Forces in
the vicinity, and finally occupied the town in 1864.
Renamed in 1866, Green Cove
Springs became the seat of Clay County Government in 1871. River steamers brought visitors to the
"Saratoga of the South", noted for the healthful qualities of its
famous spring and for hotels and boarding houses said to rival the finest to be
found in northern resorts, but in the early 1900’s the City’s tourist industry
declined sharply. The advent of the automobile
age and the creation of state highway system provided the basis for economic
recovery in the 1920’s, when the City shared in the general prosperity of the
Florida Land Boom. With the collapse of
the Land Boom and the Depression of the 1930’s marked the end of the early
development of the City. In the early 1940’s the population increased from
1,752 to 3,026 as a result of the wartime construction of Benjamin Lee Field, a
1,500-acre air-auxiliary complex, built by the U.S. Navy. With the end of World War II, the Navy
constructed thirteen piers and the Green Cove Base became home port to a
mothballed fleet of some 600-war ships.
In 1961, the Navy decommissioned its base, and in 1984, the City annexed
the former Naval Base into its city limits
Green Cove Springs Today
Today, Green Cove Springs is at
the center of the southern Clay County building boom, providing an excellent
location for residential housing and commercial development. Several of the county’s largest employers are
located at Reynolds Park, the previous home of the Naval Base. Future plans for the area include a southern
outer-beltway into St. John’s County and a full service hospital that will
service both Clay and St. Johns Counties.
The city has recently approved and is currently making plans to convert
much of its riverfront properties from commercial to residential use, thus
making way for high-end townhouses and condominiums. Add to this growth recent talk of annexation
of surrounding service areas, and one can see why Green Cove Springs is on the
verge of great change.
The Police Department
The Police Department is
currently comprised of 21 full
time officers, 10 part time officers’ 5 full time
civilian dispatchers, a full time civilian secretary and school crossing
guards. The department has a Criminal
Investigations Unit, a full time Code Enforcement officer and a Traffic
Unit. The department was the first in
the county to establish a full time “Street Crimes
Unit” and participates in the countywide Drug Task Force, SWAT Team and has a
full time officer assigned to the DEA Task Force. In addition to these specialized assignments,
the police department is active in the North East Florida Intelligence
Unit, North East Florida Burglary Detectives Unit, Northeast Florida
Investigative Support Center, the Violent Crime Regional Coordinating Team, Sex
Assault Task Force, and Domestic Violence Task Force. The department functions as a highly
trained force, serving a diverse community and handled
approximately 9,400 calls for service in 2006, with an average response time of
2 minutes for calls of an emergency nature.
The department is a proactive, technology-minded agency utilizing
advanced techniques and equipment. The
department makes use of Mobil Data Terminals (MDT’s) computers in all of their
patrol vehicles for reporting and obtaining information on the streets. All officers receive advanced training in law
enforcement as well as career development.
To address the future growth of the city, plans are now underway to
construct a 13,000 square foot police station on 3.5 acres of land already
purchased by the city.
Employment Opportunities
POLICE
OFFICER:
The City of Green Cove Springs accepts applications for Full time and
Part-time Officer positions. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age,
a high school graduate (some college preferred), and have completed Florida
Police Standards Certification, or be currently enrolled in a State approved
Law Enforcement Academy, prior to consideration. Applicants must undergo screening including
Polygraph Test, Physical Fitness, Written, Oral, Psychological, Medical, Drug
screening, and a complete background investigation.
DISPATCHERS: Applicants must be at least
19 years of age, a high school graduate, have the ability to multitask, learn
various computer applications, possess a clear speaking voice, adequate
hearing, good communication skills, and undergo a background investigation for
clearance to handle confidential material.
SUPPORT: Applicants must be at least
19 years of age, a high school graduate, have the ability to pass a typing
test, multitask, learn various computer applications, possess a clear speaking
voice, adequate hearing, good communication skills, and undergo a background
investigation for clearance to handle confidential material.
Green Cove Springs Police Department
205 Spring Street
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
(904) 529-2220
FAX (904) 529-2224