New report criticizes JSO’s relationship with Black residents, calls for citizen review board - WJXT News4JAX

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A call for reform at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

A critical report called “Safer Together” spells out what the authors say are problems with the relationship between Black residents in Jacksonville and JSO. The report calls for the community to have more oversight of the Sheriff’s Office and several city council members will address the report on Monday night.

There have been harsh words for JSO in past years when it comes to policing in minority neighborhoods. That was brought to light in the Black Lives Matter protests over a year ago in downtown Jacksonville. It is also echoed by community groups lashing out at JSO when there are police-involved shootings.

That was the reason behind the yearlong Safer Together workshops organized by the city council. Some of those findings from the Safer Together report that came out of those workshops spell out the problems. For example, the report blasts the sheriff’s office and the media for overreacting to this past summer’s Orange Crush festival at the beach.

Report critical of JSO’s relationship with Black residents, calls for citizen review board

Here is what one of the authors of the report, Dr. Tammy Hodo, told the council last month.

“Orange Crush was labeled as a black beach weekend and we put this in our report. There were 100 inmates moved from the county to St. Johns County or Flagler County to make way for this black beach weekend. We don’t see that when we have 20,000 people come for the Florida-Georgia game. The demographic is different,” Hodo said.

That was included in the report, but there is much more.

News4Jax spoke with councilwoman Joyce Morgan about that and how the report slams the sheriff’s office suggesting there are race-related issues.

“Of course it’s a concern and this is one of the reasons why we’ve had all these workshops so we can bring people together so they can talk about it,” Morgan said.

One of the most controversial proposals is a citizen review board.

MORE | Should Jacksonville create a police citizen review board?

The report suggests forming it to help investigate police-involved shootings in Jacksonville. We do know it’s something the sheriff’s office has been opposed to in the past. Community groups like the Northside Coalition have been pushing for the review board for years.

The city council will be taking up legislation again to consider the process but it would not happen anytime soon.

“There was actually a lot more than just the citizen’s board, but when something sticks out like that you have to recognize it,” Morgan said.

News4Jax wanted to ask Sheriff Mike Williams about that on Monday but he declined an interview and in a statement said:

“The report has not yet been introduced publicly. [Monday’s] meeting will serve as that induction...We also understand there is to be certain recommendations included within the report and we will have staff present to work with the committee.”

Sheriff Williams will meet with councilwoman Morgan later this week the discuss the outcome of Monday’s meeting.

News4Jax also reached out to most of those running for Jacksonville Sheriff in 2023.

Lakesha Burton who was one of the first to announce said she is waiting to hear what Willaims will say about the reports.

Wayne Clark who is also a candidate believes there could be a compromise regarding a citizen review board.

All of this is likely to be debated in the upcoming election two years from now.

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