STARKE, Fla. – A Starke Police Department supervisor resigned Wednesday after he was charged with domestic battery and aggravated assault last week.
Sgt. Robert Todd Jordan, 37, is accused of attacking his girlfriend and pulling a gun on her during an argument while multiple children were in the home, police said.
The couple share one child.
Jordan was arrested and released on bond Nov. 21. He was initially placed on paid administrative leave but submitted his resignation Wednesday, according to Maj. Barry Warren, with the Starke Police Department.
Jordan had been on the Starke PD force for three years. It's a small force of only about 20 officers, so losing one of their own is tough, Police Chief Jeff Johnson said, but he said he has no tolerance for domestic violence.
“It’s disappointing. It hurts me,” Johnson said. “(Jordan was) very productive, very sharp, very educated, just a real fine officer.”
Johnson said Jordan will be treated the same as anyone else and won't be getting any special favors.
“He apologized for embarrassing the Police Department, but he is looking forward to his day in court,” Johnson said.
Detectives said Jordan called a fellow officer he's friends with to tell him about the incident and then officially reported it and turned over his weapon.
Report describes attack
The Bradford County Sheriff's Office arrest report said deputies were called to a home on Thompson Street in Starke where Jordan's girlfriend said he kicked down the door when she tried to lock herself in the bedroom with their baby and a little girl during an argument.
The girlfriend said Jordan pushed her down five times, then grabbed her by the neck and shoved her up against a wall. She said she fell to the floor when he let go of her neck to grab a gun off the dresser.
The woman told deputies that Jordan said she "was not the killer he was" while he held the gun by his side, and she then grabbed the end of the gun and the magazine fell out. She said she pushed several bullets out of the magazine and then threw it across the room.
She told deputies that as they continued to argue, she grabbed a knife, cutting Jordan's wrist, and was able to escape the room.
The woman suffered multiple bruises down her left arm and on her right foot, deputies said.
Deputies said physical evidence inside the home backed up the woman's account of what happened.
The Bradford County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident because the Starke Police Department doesn't investigate cases involving its own officers.
News4Jax went by Jordan's home hoping to get his side of the story but no one answered the door.
How to get help
Elizabeth Sheppard, a Sheriff’s Office victims' advocate, said there are often red flags in relationships that people need to be aware of.
“Domestic violence is one of the hardest things to report,” Sheppard said. “Call, email, there are hotlines, 1- 800 numbers. Domestic violence is very serious and every county has something available, even if you’re not sure what that is, call your local law enforcement and they will give you some resources.”
To learn more about domestic violence or get help in Northeast Florida, the following resources are available:
- Hubbard House (Baker and Duval counties): hubbardhouse.org or 904-354-3114
- Micah's Place (Nassau County): micahsplace.org or 904-225-9979
- Betty Griffin Center (St. Johns County): bettygriffincenter.org or 904-824-1555
- Quigley House (Clay County): quigleyhouse.org or 904-284-0061
- Lee Conlee House (Putnam County): leeconleehouse.org or 386-325-3141
- Peaceful Paths (Bradford, Alachua & Union counties): peacefulpaths.org or 352-377-8255