Jake Barlow began his career with the Department of Corrections, serving from June 2007 to October 2008. In 2008, he joined the Alachua County Sheriff's Office as a Detention Officer within the Department of the Jail. He also served in the United States Navy Reserve from 2009 to 2017. In 2012, Barlow completed the corrections-to-law enforcement crossover academy and became a Detention Deputy with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office. In 2015, he transferred from the Department of the Jail to the Patrol Operations Bureau. Over the course of his career, he has served in a variety of roles, including assignments within the Criminal Investigations Division.
During his tenure, Barlow has received multiple agency awards in recognition of his service. He currently serves as a Deputy Sheriff assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau, Team 1, District 1, Day Shift. His experience includes responding to a wide range of calls for service, from citizen assistance to serious violent crimes and in-progress incidents. Barlow is also a member of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team, where he serves as a SWAT Sniper. He has been assigned to the SWAT Team since 2017 and to the Sniper Team since 2018, and has participated in numerous pre-planned and emergency operations. He currently serves as the SWAT Sniper Team Leader.