Major Uses Community Awareness to Deter Crime

When Major J.R. Burton started working at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, the 20-year-old was too young to be a deputy.

So Burton worked in the jail, and eventually got a job on patrol. He worked his way up to the detective division, and was promoted to major in District 1 in 2009.

Burton, 53, oversees 239 personnel in one of the  - which includes Northdale and a portion of Carrollwood's Ehrlich Road - and attends community meetings like neighborhood watch to hear residents feedback on crime.

We recently talked to Burton, son of a preacher and lover of all activities water-related, about crime in Carrollwood and what citizens can do to deter it.

Patch: What do you want citizens to know about crime?

Burton: Be vigilant about securing your belongings. What we see a lot of in Carrollwood is cars being broken into that aren't locked, where there are items of value sitting in plain view. The owner has a false sense of security thinking everything is OK in their driveway.

Patch: What are crime trends in Carrollwood?

Burton: We see property crimes, thefts, burglaries. It's a relatively low crime area. A big part is that people in Carrollwood are engaged in what goes in in their neighborhood. They are fairly active in neighborhood watch. If they see something amiss, they call us.

Patch: How did you get involved in law enforcement?

Burton: I'd categorize it as a moral calling. I knew it was what I wanted to do.

Patch: What misconceptions do people have about crime in Tampa Bay?

Burton: They know there's a certain amount that goes on, but they aren't aware of it until it happens to them. Then, they become a little more self-aware. They become more aware of resources like online crime tracking.

To contact District 1, call 813-247-0600 or go to 14102 N. 20th Street in Tampa.