Robert Ura, Colonel
Colonel Ura is a 27-year law enforcement veteran, having begun his career at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in 1997. He has served in the patrol and motor units, and as an undercover narcotics detective. After serving with Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for nine years, Colonel Ura rejoined HCSO in 2011. He served as the Criminal Investigations Division Commander from 2012 to 2018 and the District IV Commander from 2018 to his promotion to Colonel in 2020.
Colonel Ura served as the Commander for the Department of Investigative Services which is comprised of the Special Investigations Division (SID), the Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Child Protective Investigations Division (CPID) and the Tampa Bay Regional Intelligence Center (TBRIC). Colonel Ura now serves as the Commander for the Department of Detention Services.
In 2024, Colonel Ura was appointed President of the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Association.
Colonel Ura is a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a graduate of Ball State University. He is also a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 136th Administrative Officers Course and FDLE’s Foundational Leadership Course.
Department of Detention Services
The Department of Detention Services is comprised of a 4,947 bed jail system that is responsible for the housing, custody, and care of all persons incarcerated in Hillsborough County. The Orient Road Jail is the primary receiving facility, providing booking, processing, and detention services for over 27 different law enforcement agencies. It also furnishes the secure component of the Juvenile Assessment Center, a centralized processing center for adolescents taken into custody in Hillsborough County. The Orient Road Jail consists of Central Booking, Intake and Housing Operations, Central Breath testing Unit, Juvenile Assessment Center, Inmate Property, Inmate Records and Classification, and the Detention Programs Bureau which is comprised of House Arrest, Criminal Registration Unit, Hillsborough Re-Entry Center, Inmate Treatment and Intervention Services, Adult Education, Religious Services, and Misdemeanor Probation.
With a rated capacity of 3,300 and encompassing 142 acres, the Falkenburg Road Jail is one of the largest direct supervision facilities in the country. Educational and vocational programs including culinary arts, sewing, GED, domestic violence, and substance abuse are offered to eligible inmates. It is also the site of the Video Visitation Center which serves inmates at both facilities Third party contractors are used to provide inmate medical, food, and commissary services.
Included in the Department of Detention Services, the Court Operations Division provides security for judges, courtrooms and the courthouse complex. The Civil Process Section is tasked with serving subpoenas and other legal documents resulting in an average of 250,000 court papers processed annually.
