Alachua County is located in the middle of Florida. Alachua County is home to the largest university and possibly the most notable- University of Florida. The county is home to approximately 255,000 people but is considerably larger when taking into consideration the student population. The University of Florida is located in Gainesville which also holds the county seat. Other cities in the county include Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, Waldo, Micanopy, and LaCrosse. The county also has numerous tourist’s attractions including hiking trails, natural spots and parks.
With the University of Florida keeping the county busy, there are many law enforcement agencies that patrol the local roads. The law enforcement agencies with the most arrests in the county are Alachua Police Department, Alachua Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, and High Springs Police Department.
Alachua County Judges
| Alachua County Judges: | Last Name: |
| Judge Denise R. Ferreo | A-G |
| Judge Susan Miller Jones | H-N |
| Judge Walter M. Green | O-Z |
| Judge Thomas Jaworski | Civil |
8th Circuit Judges
| 8th Circuit Judges: | Last Name: |
| Judge Phillip A. Pena | A-E |
| Judge James M. Colaw | F-K |
| Judge William E. Davis | L-R |
| Judge Mark W. Moseley | S-Z |
Common Crimes in Alachua County, FL
Below is a list of the most common crimes people were arrested for in Alachua County, in 2015. These statistics were received from the Uniform Crime Report provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
| Offenses: | Total Arrests: |
| Drugs | 1805 |
| Larceny | 1320 |
| Simple Assault | 1127 |
Gainesville Police Department made the majority of the arrests for drugs, larceny and simple assault. Alachua County Sheriff’s Office makes a considerable amount of arrests as well.
DUI’S
In 2014 Alachua County reported there were 727 people arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) but in 2015 this number dramatically dropped to 496 people. 256 of the 496 DUI arrests were made by Gainesville Police Department.
Specialty Courts:
Adult Felony Drug Court
Adult Felony Drug Court, a division of the Alachua County Department of Court Services, provides pretrial diversion to individuals who have been arrested and charged with substance abuse related offenses. It provides an alternative to incarceration and is based on a therapeutic rather than a punitive model. Adult Felony Drug Court provides the following services: group and individual therapy, acupuncture/mediation therapy, support groups, random drug testing, and case management. The average length of Adult Felony Drug Court is 12-18 months. Successful completion will result in the participant’s charges being nolle prossed by the Office of the State Attorney. Typically a history of violence will make someone ineligible for Drug Court.
Mental Health Court
Mental Health Court is a partnership between the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, Department of Children and Families, defense attorneys, State Attorney’s Office, Alachua County Court Services, and treatment providers that work with defendants arrested for misdemeanor offenses who are mentally ill or developmentally disabled. By providing defendants access to the least restrictive treatment, training, and support services necessary to reduce repeat offenders and ensure public safety, the program is designed to divert the mentally ill and developmentally disabled defendants from jail and to expedite legal case processing through the criminal justice system. Mental Health Court is ideal for non-violent offenders.
Veterans Treatment Court
Veterans Treatment Court is a partnership between the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Alachua County Court Services, State Attorney’s Office, Office of the Public Defender, treatment providers, and other community stakeholders. The Court accepts military veterans and service members arrested for certain non-violent felonies and misdemeanors. Judge Phillip A. Pena presides over Veterans Treatment Court. Veterans Treatment Court is available to eligible veterans as a pre-trial diversion program or as a post-plea program. Both tracks utilize a treatment-based, holistic approach focused on the particular needs of veterans. Participants are linked to appropriate tools and services in the community to provide support as needed after the program has been completed.