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Director C. J. Hladki
Department of Patrol &
Enforcement
Chief J. C. Tranquille
Community Affairs /
Special Events
Chief M. Cook
Patrol East
Chief P. Ivey
Patrol West
Assistant Chief
M. Nemeth
Community Affairs
Assistant Chief
L. Propper
Special Event
Assistant Chief
A. Ayoub
Zone One
Assistant Chief
J. Lamb
Zone Two
Assistant Chief
M. Johnson
Zone Three
Crime
Prevention
Unit
Special Events
Patrol
Patrol
Patrol
Vehicle Towing
& Storage
Bike Officers
Traffic
DUI
Traffic
Hanna Park
Officers
Traffic
Task Force
San Marco
Officers
Crime Prevention/
Safe Parks
International Affairs
Secondary
Employment
Lieutenant
Pendley
FTO
Emergency
Prepardness
Assistant Chief
D. Lewis
Zone Four
Patrol
Traffic
Walking
Beat
Assistant Chief
T. Davis
Zone Five
Assistant Chief
T. C. Davis
Zone Six
Patrol
Patrol
EWC
Officers
Traffic
New
Town
Huguenot
Park
Officers
ABTF
Safety Education
Marine Unit
PAL
Springfield
Task Force
ABTF
Bike
Unit
COPS
Traffic
Jacksonville Housing
Authority
Walking Beat
Walking
Beat
MCI
Tele-Serv
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Office of the Sheriff
501 East Bay Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Dear Sheriff Rutherford,
Attached is the Annual Report for the Department of Patrol and Enforcement for the
Year 2014.
The Command Team of the Department of Patrol and Enforcement embarked on the
mission of fighting the current crime issues facing our community. One important step in
this process was the reallocating of resources within the Department. The Operation
Safe Streets Initiative officers were redistributed into the patrol zones to add valuable
calls for service officers into the equation. In addition, each patrol zone was assigned a
Community Problem Response Team (CPR) to address the underlying causes of the
current crime trends through a combination of strategies such as intelligence led
policing, problem strategic policing, and community oriented policing.
This reallocation of resources made it possible to deal with the ever challenging
problem of attempting to do more with less. The process as a whole could only be
successful with the continued effort of the men and women of the Department of Patrol
and Enforcement.
Sincerely,
C. J. Hladki
Director of Patrol and Enforcement
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Chief
M. Cook
A/C A. Ayoub
Zone One
Patrol
Bike Unit
Traffic
Springfield
Task Force
A/C J. Lamb
Zone Two
A/C M. Johnson
Zone Three
Lieutenant A.
Pendley
FTO
Patrol
Patrol
FTO
Task Force
DUI
Emergency
Prepardness
Hanna Park
Officers
Traffic
Traffic Unit
San Marco
Officers
COPS
ABTF
Walking Beat
PATROL
EAST
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PATROL EAST
The Patrol East Division is comprised of Zones One, Two, and Three as well as the
Field Training Unit. It has a total population of more than 420,000 citizens, which is over
half of the city’s population, and covers more than 240 square miles. The primary
mission of the Patrol East Division is to protect lives and property while also preventing
crime and disorder. To accomplish the mission personnel regularly conducted proactive
initiatives, including truancy and curfew enforcement deployments, summer and holiday
initiatives, directed patrol deployments, traffic safety checkpoints and traffic saturation
deployments.
The Patrol East Division covers a large and diverse area. In addition to patrol officers
handling calls for service, the division deploys walking beat officers, bicycle operators,
motorcycle officers, traffic officers in marked and unmarked vehicles and 4-wheel drive
officers to handle a variety of missions.
The Patrol East Division is tasked with handling many special events around the
Jacksonville Landing and Southbank areas, including the Florida-Georgia Game, 4th of
July, New Year’s Eve and Gator Bowl Game events. The DUI Unit is assigned to the
Patrol East Division, but its officers deploy city-wide to deter impaired driving incidents
and reduce traffic fatalities. The Patrol East Division also has an Auto Burglary Task
Force whose members are tasked with following up burglaries to automobiles.
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Patrol East Division Staffing
2013
2014
Chief
1
1
2013-2014
Comparison
0
Assistant Chiefs
3
3
0
Reserve Captain
0
1
+1
Patrol Lieutenants
20
20
0
FTO Lieutenants
0
1
+1
Patrol Sergeants
46
44
-2
FTO Sergeants
0
1
+1
Traffic Sergeants
3
3
0
DUI Sergeants
2
2
0
Patrol Officers
335
332
-3
Traffic Officers
24
24
0
DUI Officers
15
12
-3
Auto Burglary Task Force Officers
5
5
0
CPR Team Sergeants
2
3
+1
Hanna Park / Beaches Officers
2
2
0
CPR Team Officers
5
21
+16
San Marco Officers
3
2
-1
FTO Officers
0
1
+1
Emergency Prep Officers
0
3
+3
Bike Unit Officers
9
15
+6
Walking Beat Officers
9
7
-2
CRIMES Officers
3
3
0
Light Duty Officers
5
7
0
Civilian Personnel
3
3
0
528
514
-14
Personnel
Total
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ZONE ONE
Zone One is located in the heart of the city and has
approximately 42,000 people residing within its 12.17
square mile radius. The boundaries of Zone One are
the St. Johns River from the south and east, Trout
River to the north, and Interstate 95 to the west.
Zone One is unique in that it consists of a traditional
Downtown expanse as well as a series of smaller neighborhoods that are to the north of
the core Downtown area.
The officers in Zone One have established an
excellent working relationship with the Downtown
Vision, Inc. to assist with their mission to build and
maintain a healthy and vibrant downtown community
and promote downtown as an exciting place to live,
work, play and visit. Zone One also has a great partnership with the Friends of
Hemming Park. We assist them with their day to day management and programming of
Hemming Park. Understanding that a safe Downtown is important to our City, Zone
One is committed to continuing with these efforts.
Community Policing
In 2014, “Dispatched” calls for service from the Communications Center averaged 142
per day. In 2013 officers received approximately 135 calls per day from dispatch. In
2014 “On view” calls were generated at a rate of
approximately 158 per day and in 2013 which were
120 per day. In addition to Patrol Officers, Zone One
has Walking Beat Officers, three Bicycle Squads, two
Traffic Officers and a Community Problem Response
team (C.P.R.). These teams work closely with
citizens implementing various community policing
initiatives for long-term results.
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Neighborhoods
The neighborhoods of LaVilla, Springfield, Eastside and Panama Park are located just
north of the Downtown area. These neighborhoods round out Zone One. Each one
provides a rich history along with the growth and progress the area has made.
LaVilla is a historic neighborhood located immediately west of Downtown. Jacksonville’s
first suburb, it was originally an independent city until
it was annexed in 1887 along with several other
suburbs. It included streets west of Clay Street and
north of McCoy’s Creek and the railroad lines. The
part of Lavilla north of Adams Street was for many
years a center of African-American life and culture in
Jacksonville. The neighborhood contained many venues, such as the Ritz Theater and
the many clubs on the Ashley Street strip. The southern part of the neighborhood was a
major railroad hub, with several rail lines meeting at Union Station (now the Prime F.
Osborn III Convention Center).
Springfield is a historic residential neighborhood located
immediately north of Downtown. This area was originally
part of the “Hogans’ Donation”, which was divided up
following the Civil War for residential development. The
original Springfield development dates to 1869; over time
other
developments
were
absorbed
into
a
single
community, all of which were annexed by Jacksonville in 1887. Springfield became
home to many of Jacksonville’s wealthiest residents and boomed following the Great
Fire of 1901, with many lavish houses being buiLieutenant However, zoning changes in
the late 1920’s altered the residential character of the neighborhood, and the urban
decay afflicting most of the United States’ inner city neighborhoods since the mid-20th
century sent Springfield into substantial decline. In 1975 a preservation society was
formed with the intent of saving Springfield’s architectural heritage, resulting in a
resurgence of growth. Zone One leadership works collectively with the Springfield
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Preservation and Revitalization to facilitate positive change in the Springfield Historic
District through a variety of roles and initiatives.
Eastside, or East Jacksonville, is a residential
neighborhood located directly to the east of
Downtown and Springfield. Eastside contains
Jacksonville’s sports complex, including Everbank
Field, Jacksonville’s Veteran’s Memorial Arena,
and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. In 2011, the Police Athletic League
expanded to Flossie Brunson Eastside Park and still provides after school programs to
the children that live in the Eastside community.
Leadership and Personnel
Zone One has built a strong and experienced
management
team.
As
Zone
Commander,
Assistant Chief Andre Ayoub has over 19 years
of experience and brings an exceptional degree
of leadership and expertise. He received a
Certificate of Commendation in April from the
Sheriff at the monthly award ceremony for his efforts in Zone One.
We are also
fortunate to have the JSO Field Force Commander as one of our watch commanders.
Other watch commanders bring a wealth of experience from previous work assignments
in Investigations, Narcotics, Community Affairs, Crime Free Housing and Integrity Unit.
Several Zone One supervisors and officers were
recognized by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for
their outstanding performance in 2014. This
included Sergeant Mike Senterfitt receiving the
Supervisor of the Month award, Officer Elaina
Gonzales, Officer Kenneth Lentz and Officer
David Busekrus receiving the Officer of the Month award and Officer Kevin Kilcoin
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receiving the Purple Heart. Sergeant Mike Senterfitt and Sergeant Rob Beers also
received a lifesaving award. Several supervisors have years of investigative experience
as previous members of the JSO Narcotics, Burglary, SWAT, and Bomb Units. This
experience allows Zone One to be a leader in training, not only for new recruits, but for
all officers.
The officers assigned to Zone One hail from
different
law
enforcement
and
civilian
backgrounds. This mixture of experience allows
for quick resolutions of many citizen complaints.
The officers are highly trained, experienced and
motivated in their efforts to continue Always
Improving. The officers stay community focused and understand the importance of
maintaining an open line of communication with the citizenry.
Substation
The Gateway Substation is located within the
Gateway Shopping Center (5258-13 Norwood Ave.)
and houses Zone One central operations. The
substation is open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. until
5:00
p.m.,
offering
varying
services
to
the
community. Some of these services include assisting the community via incoming
telephone calls, on-site arrests for warrant cases, performing background checks, crash
reports and alarm decals.
ShAdCo
Sheriff’s Advisory Council (ShAdCo) is an important component in the daily information
flow between the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the neighborhood communities
throughout the Zone. Currently there are three active ShAdCo’s in Zone One and
there’s one representing each of the Zone’s three sectors (A/B/C).
Each ShAdCo
meets one time per month. The Zone One Command Staff attends each ShAdCo
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meeting and are available to interact with citizens one-on-one. Relationships are
developed at these meetings between our agency and the citizens we serve.
The Alpha Sector ShAdCo meeting is hosted by the
Jacksonville Public Library downtown (303 N. Laura St.)
and is comprised of our retail, business and urban
dwelling citizens. The Bravo Sector ShAdCo is hosted
by the Kennedy Community Center (1133 Ionia St) and
is comprised of the neighborhoods of Springfield and
Eastside.
The Charlie Sector ShAdCo is held at the
Zone One Substation (5258-13 Norwood Ave.) and is comprised of our Panama Park
neighborhood.
Breakdown of the ShAdCo members:
 Alpha – 67
 Bravo – 102
 Charlie - 73
Downtown Events
In 2014, the Downtown area had several protests,
such as Roe v. Wade, Michael Dunn Trial, Victim
Rights Rally, Free Marissa Alexander, Jax 19,
Hands up for Ferguson, I Can’t Breathe, Same Sex
Marriage and Rights for Free Religion.
The
officers and supervisors developed a professional relationship with each protest group.
This encouraged an open dialogue between JSO and the protestors. As a result, each
protest was conducted in a lawful manner and without incident.
Zone One has the ability to triple in population
depending upon the popular events that are held in
the downtown area.
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Examples include the
Jacksonville Jaguars football games, the Florida - Georgia game, the Lighted Boat
Parade, the Fourth of July Fireworks, New Year’s Eve, the Monster Truck Jam,
Jacksonville Jazz Fest, One Spark Fest, Gate River Run and the Greater Jacksonville
Agricultural Fair. In addition, smaller events such as the monthly Art Walks bring in a
host of visitors on a monthly basis.
Traffic
The Traffic Unit is specifically challenged with providing a program that is designed to
assure safe and expedient travel. The Zone One Traffic Unit is staffed by one sergeant
and two officers. The unit provides safe and expedient travel on our roadways by
enforcing state traffic laws, responding to and conducting crash investigations,
monitoring high-frequency crash areas and conducting traffic safety checkpoints.
Highlights of the Traffic Squad’s activity for 2014 included:
 Buckle Up Jacksonville Click It Or Ticket – Participated in educational and
enforcement campaigns that focused on increasing motorists’ compliance with
Florida’s safety belt and child restraint laws.
 Hands Across the Border – Joined with other law
enforcement
agencies
in
Florida
and
Georgia
raising
awareness of traffic safety during the Labor Day weekend.
 High Frequency Crash Corridors (HFCs) – Continued to
conduct deployments at major intersections and crash sites
including locations on Norwood Ave., Main St., State St., and
Union St.
 Conducted Traffic Homicide deployments – To address the issue of
pedestrian and bicycle crashes in the downtown area. Officers also hand out
safety pamphlets to educate the public about pedestrian and bicycle laws.
 Speed Enforcement – Aggressive use of laser radar units to enhance speed
enforcement.
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 Aggressive Driving Deployments – Utilizing unmarked police cars and police
motorcycles to combat aggressive driving, aggressive drivers are educated and
cited on highly traveled roadways throughout Zone One.
 Traffic Deployments – Speeding deployments are conducted along with patrol
officers to increase focus on heavily traveled roadways.
 Special Events – Zone One Traffic Officers serve a vital traffic function at a
variety of special events throughout Jacksonville, which include the Jaguars
Games, Florida/Georgia Weekend, Gator Bowl, Parades, and Dignitary Visits.
Zone One Officers have developed a strong bond with the citizens and business
community within Zone One. This relationship has helped in making Zone One a safer
place to live and work.
ZONE TWO
Zone Two is located in the northeastern
part of Duval County and encompasses
the communities of Arlington, East
Arlington, Atlantic Beach, and Mayport.
191,744 people live in Zone Two, which is
approximately 75 square miles in size,
according to the 2010 US Census (the
latest census conducted to date). The St.
Johns River borders Zone Two to the west
and north, the Intracoastal Waterway and the City of Atlantic Beach serve as the
eastern boundary, and Beach Boulevard borders the south. Zone Two consists of a
self-sufficient community which includes elementary, middle and high schools,
commercial districts, a major indoor shopping mall, Craig Executive Airport, Jacksonville
University and FSCJ South Campus. Zone Two contains a wide variety of apartment
and residential communities of varying socioeconomic levels, and the U.S. Naval
Station Mayport, which is the third largest naval base in the USA. The Zone continues
to experience an increase in Interstate traffic since the completion of the I-295 Beltway
13
last year. According to the North Florida
Transportation Planning Organization,
approximately 125,000 vehicles daily traverse
the Eastern Loop of the I-295 Beltway through
Zone Two.
The Regency Sub-station, located within the
Regency Square Mall Complex, houses Zone
Two Central Operations. The substation is open Monday through Friday, 7:00am until
5:00pm, offering a wide range of services. Background checks, police reports, crash
reports, and alarm decals, are examples of some of the services provided. Citizens are
able to report crimes and meet with patrol officers and supervisors at the Zone Two
Sub-station, when necessary. In 2014, the Regency Sub-station provided almost 8200
pages of police reports to citizens, issued 252 alarm decals, wrote approximately 300
police reports, and still completed more than 5,100 other services.
Some of those
services included assisting the community via incoming telephone calls, issuing on-site
arrests for warrant cases, and performing background checks.
At the conclusion of the 2014 calendar year, Zone
Two personnel consisted of six lieutenants, sixteen
sergeants, 139 police officers, one C.R.I.M.E.S.
officer, one light duty officer, one sub-station officer,
and one clerical support aide III. Zone Two patrol
personnel are divided into six watches (mornings,
days, alpha, evenings, bravo, and midnights), a
Community Problem Response Team (Blue & Red),
and a Traffic Enforcement Unit. Zone Two is led by Assistant Chief John Lamb.
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Seniors vs. Crime
The “Seniors vs. Crime” mission is “to
prevent crimes against senior citizens,
strengthen the partnership between seniors
and
law
awareness
enforcement,
of
increase
fraudulent
the
activities
committed against seniors, to act as a
liaison directing seniors to various other
social service agencies, and to provide
mediation services to victimized seniors.”
In order to accomplish this mission, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has created
three branch offices, with the main administrative office being located in the Zone
Two Sub-station. This program is unique in that it is completely staffed by senior
volunteers, who willingly give of their time and talent to other senior citizens of
this community.
Currently, there are seventeen volunteers that staff these
positions, and Zone Two is proud to host the Office Manager, Deputy Manager,
and Outreach Coordinators from our sub-station in the Regency Square Mall.
When Valerie Norton was appointed to the
position of Duval County Office Manager, she was
responsible for opening additional offices in other
areas, which now make their services available to
more officers and more senior citizens. In addition,
the JSO Cops More Report Writing Software was
updated to allow officers to route reports directly
to Seniors vs. Crime. In 2014, the Zone Two
volunteers worked more than 1,200 hours (up 200 hours from 2013). They handled 351
cases (up 239 from 2013) recovered more than $208,750 (up $167,920 from 2013) in
funds and services for defrauded seniors, and increased the amount of outreach and
education in senior communities to over 100 programs. Seniors vs. Crime has also
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initiated a "senior scam" column in the Florida Times Union. This column runs every first
Tuesday of the month. This is largely due to the growing number of volunteers to the
program. Seniors vs. Crime is now open four days a week in the Regency Office, closed
only on Mondays. Seniors vs. Crime proved to be an effective bridge between law
enforcement and Florida’s senior citizens in 2014.
A few examples of cases worked are:
CASE #1 – “YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOUR NEXT CASE WILL COME FROM”
The complainant walked into our Mandarin Office, located at the local Senior Center,
nervous and somewhat frightened. She was elderly and was reluctant to admit that she
was having problems paying her mortgage and she was afraid she might lose her
home. Our sleuths made her welcome and put her at ease. After they obtained the
relevant details of her case, and the signed RFA, they set about the task of finding a
bank that would be willing to work with her on restructuring her mortgage.
After
numerous phone calls and referrals, the Duval SVC sleuths contacted a representative
from Wells Fargo Bank who agreed to reduce her payments by 22% ($200 per month)
and to forego one month’s payment ($900), thereby saving her thousands of dollars
over the lifetime of the loan and allowing her to be able to continue living in her home
without fear of foreclosure.
CASE #2 – “AIN’T NOTHING EASY”
The complainant ordered a convertible top for her Corvette for which the defendant
quoted a price of $850, including installation; however, the complainant decided to shop
around for a better price. After several months had passed the complainant was ready
to place the order, but she was told that the price had gone up to $950.
The
complainant wanted the top at the original quoted price, the defendant refused, and
weeks of contentious negotiations ensued covering issues such as installation, delivery,
and warranty.
Trust between the parties had completely eroded when Duval SVC
offered to convene a mediation/negotiation session at our Highland Office to try to reach
a mutually beneficial solution. The meeting was successful and the conditions of the
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sale were ones that both parties could live with. As evidence of the agreement, the deal
was memorialized on a form SVC management had specifically designed for the
purpose. This case provided Duval SVC with a structure and a format that has been
subsequently used on other difficult cases.
CASE #3 – “THE ONE MAN CRIME WAVE”
It was a steamy day in August when the client visited SVC’s Regency Office. She was
elderly but determined and she was looking for justice. Her complaint was against a
contractor she had hired and to whom she paid $900 for repair work on her home.
What she got for her money was a job that was unfinished and a kitchen which was
trashed.
She brought photographic evidence with her and we added it to her file
together with her completed RFA. She mentioned that she had other neighbors who
she believed were also taken advantage of by this untrustworthy character. We asked
her if she would be willing to speak with them and ask them to complete RFA’s as well.
She left the office more confident than she arrived and in less than a week she returned
with three more completed RFA’s against the same contractor; with virtually the same
complaints of shoddy work and more photographs to support their claims. The total
taken from the victims was around $8,000. With the overwhelming evidence in hand,
Duval SVC immediately engaged the Economic Crimes Unit of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s
Office and, the two agencies agreed that the case merited being treated as a criminal,
rather than a purely civil, matter.
Working together, SVC and the Sheriff’s Office
combined to turn victims into victors in the fight against a ruthless confidence man.
Traffic
The Traffic Unit is specifically challenged with
providing a program that is designed to assure safe
and expedient travel. The Zone Two Unit is staffed by
one Sergeant, five Traffic Officers, five Motor Officers,
and two Four-wheel Drive Officers. The unit provides
safe and expedient travel on our roadways by
enforcing Florida State traffic laws, responding to and
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conducting crash investigations, monitoring Corridor of Concerns (C.O.C.), and
conducting traffic safety checkpoints. The unit also
assists the Florida Highway Patrol with crash
investigations and traffic control on State Roads. In
2014,
the
Zone
Two
Traffic
Unit
conducted
deployments in the Corridor of Concerns, as well as
participating in two traffic safety checkpoints.
In
2014, the traffic unit responded to 1,450 traffic
crashes (slightly down from 2013) and issued approximately 10,000 citations (slightly up
from 2013). There were 33 traffic fatalities in 2014. The unit also maintains two Fourwheel Drive Units that are assigned to assist Hannah Park visitors with ocean rescue,
locating missing beachgoers, and assisting patrons with general traffic assistance in the
park.
Highlights of the Traffic Squad’s activity for 2014 included:

Operation Safety Stand Down – Traffic officers conducted D.U.I./Traffic safety
stand-downs for the United States Navy at Naval Station Mayport.

Corridor of Concerns (COC) – Continued to conduct deployments at major
intersections and crash sites including locations at:
COC# 1: Beach Blvd.,
between Southside Blvd. and St. Johns Bluff Rd.; COC# 2: Atlantic Blvd.
between St. Johns Bluff Rd. and Hodges Rd.; COC# 3: Arlington Expy. Between
Arlington Rd. and University Blvd.; COC# 4: Monument Rd. between Live Oak
Dr. and St. Johns Bluff Rd.; COC# 5: Merrill Rd. between University Blvd. and I295; COC# 6: Mayport Rd. between Atlantic Blvd. and Wonderwood Expy.

Park Patrol - Hanna Park is located in the Mayport area of Zone Two. During
the tourist season, April through September, the number of people visiting the
park greatly increases. One officer is assigned to the park during the off-season
and two officers during the tourist season. Four-wheel drive vehicles are utilized
to patrol Hanna Park and monitor activities throughout the area.
18

Speed Enforcement – Aggressive use of laser radar units to enhance speed
enforcement.

Aggressive Driving Deployments – Utilizing unmarked police cars to combat
aggressive driving, aggressive drivers are educated and cited on highly traveled
roadways throughout Zone Two.

Traffic Deployments – Twenty-five Speeding Deployments are conducted along
with Patrol Officers to increase focus on heavily traveled roadways. They also
participated in two traffic safety checkpoints.

Special Events – Zone Two Traffic Officers serve a vital traffic function at a
variety of special events throughout Jacksonville, including Jaguars’ games,
Florida/Georgia Weekend, the Gator Bowl, parades, and dignitary visits.

Red Light Cameras – Nine of Zone Two’s intersections have Jacksonville’s new
Red Light Cameras in 2014.
Community Policing
Within
Zone
Two,
Community
Policing
is
addressed through the application of a variety of
prevention
implemented
and
by
enforcement
the
techniques
Community
as
Problem
Response Team, Traffic Units, and Patrol Units.
The two Community Problem Response Teams
(five officers per squad) work day and night to
address ongoing criminal activities such as burglary and robbery. Additionally, Burglary
Task Force officers take an active role during in-progress burglary calls and subsequent
burglary investigations. These specialized officers coordinate with Patrol Officers and
Burglary Detectives to follow leads, link crime trends, identify suspects, conduct directed
deployments, and make arrests.
The year 2014 was no exception to the historic
clearance of significant cases by these units which tailor their schedules and directed
activities to target these cases, in addition to providing regular support for the Detective
Division in apprehending wanted persons. This varied adaptability is accomplished by
adjusting days off and work hours, as needed. In addition to cleaning up Homeless
19
Camps throughout the Zone, the Community Problem Response Team provided ground
support for the Sutton Lakes Neighborhood and Black Pine Estates (Mayport) Sheriff’s
Walks. During high-profile holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day), the
Task Force is assigned to Hanna Park to mitigate crowds, traffic, and assist visitors.
The Task Force also supplements other law enforcement resources by working at the
stadium during the annual Florida/Georgia Game and at the Jacksonville Landing during
New Year’s Eve festivities.
Perennially, the directed activities employed by the Task Force and Traffic Units include
directed activity during the Christmas shopping season. This activity serves to ensure
the safety of shoppers patronizing the merchants in the area by providing an effective
deterrent to opportunistic criminal activity. Also, it has the added benefit of augmenting
zone staffing, thereby ensuring reduced response times for the remaining citizenry.
Each year, the Zone Two Task Force conducts a pre-holiday Crime Prevention Initiative
which directs presence and enforcement activities around high-activity, high-density
points of commerce.
The stated objective of these activities includes abating auto
burglaries, retail larceny, aggressive panhandling, and robberies.
Zone 2 supervisors and officers participate in
an after school program. The P.A.L. Fishing
Club is for 10-12 years old, taught by
Lieutenant Mullen and others to teach these
children how to fish during a one week class.
Once completed, Zone 2 supervisors and
officers take these children fishing at different
locations (ponds, Hannah Park, and the
Jacksonville Beach Pier) each Friday during the school year.
20
Homeless Camp Cleanup Initiative
As in 2012, the HOME Project (Homeless
Outreach through Monitoring and Enforcement)
was again working throughout Zone Two. Since
its inception in 2008 by Daytime Community
Problem Response Team Sergeant Donald Smith,
the HOME Project has focused its activities
towards
apprehending
criminals
living
in
homeless camps and patrol areas which have a
large population of homeless persons that are experiencing an uptick in criminal activity.
Additionally, the task force assists detectives in their investigatory and enforcement
activities. The team addresses homeless issues as initiated through citizen, officer, and
City Council member complaints. Solutions range from the elimination of homeless
camps near schools, parks, and high-incident locations, to coordination with the
Sulzbacher Center’s HOPE Team and Code Enforcement Officers. This can take the
form of checking criminal histories, distributing pamphlets on available services, and
warning about vagrancy related crimes. Physical arrests, being a more costly option,
are used as a last resort. Campsite cleanup work is augmented through the use of
inmate labor from Montgomery Correctional Center.
21
In 2014, the HOME Team
conducted 75 (92 in 2013) homeless camp cleanup projects, along with several
panhandling complaints. They conducted four large projects in which underbrush was
removed from JTA property, as well as City property in and around Mid-Town Center.
The HOME Team also partnered with the owner of the old Buccaneer Trailer Park in
Mayport to have the property cleared. These properties are all popular camping and
drinking locations. Approximately 113,175 pounds (103,750 pounds in 2013) of trash
and debris were removed and the utilization of inmate labor saved the City $18,600
($17,200 in 2013)) in manpower costs. Although the number of projects decreased from
2013, it should be noted that inmate crews were unavailable for two months.
ShAdCo
(Sheriff’s
Advisory
Council)/CPAC
(Citizens
Planning
Advisory
Committee)
ShAdCo is an important component in the daily
information
flow
between
the
JSO
and
neighborhood community leaders throughout the
zone, enhancing efforts to identify trends and
confront criminal activity. Currently, there are
three active Sheriff’s Advisory Councils (ShAdCo)
in Zone Two, one representing each of the Zone’s
three sectors (D/E/F). ShAdCo meets one time
22
per month. The Zone Two Command Staff attends each ShAdCo meeting and are
available to interact with citizens one-on-one. Relationships are developed at these
meetings between our agency and the citizens we serve.
ShAdCo members are an important component in the preparation and execution of the
Sheriff’s Neighborhood Walks throughout the
Arlington area, which occur multiple times per
year. In cooperation with the Zone Command
Staff, the ShAdCo spread the news of the
Sheriff’s visit to a particular neighborhood, so
that the residents will have an opportunity to
meet the Sheriff one-on-one. It is here where
the residents can meet the Sheriff, share concerns and ask questions. Zone Two
officers, ShAdCo, and community leaders combine their efforts to make each “Sheriff’s
Walk” as meaningful as possible.
They always follow-up with citizens to ensure all
concerns are addressed in a timely manner.
ShAdCo assisted with two “Sheriff’s Walks” in 2014 in the Sutton Lakes Neighborhood
and Black Pine Estates (Atlantic Beach).
On October 7th, 2014, Zone 2 participated in the National Night Out and had twenty-one
locations for the city, just in Zone 2. Supervisors and officers went to the different
locations and participated in cookouts, ice cream socials, and neighborhood meetings.
The Zone Commander forms ties with the business community through a monthly
meeting with the Greater Arlington and Beaches Citizens Planning Advisory Committee
(CPAC.) He provides a current summary of issues relevant to the home owners and
business representatives each month and they have an opportunity to voice their
concerns. Information sharing between the community and the Zone Commander
serves to build and foster existing partnerships.
This meeting is crucial in further
strengthening the bond between community leaders and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s
Office.
23
ZONE THREE
Zone 3 encompasses an area of Jacksonville which includes the Southbank, San
Marco, Southside, Deerwood, Bayard, Julington Creek, Bartram Park and Mandarin. It
is bordered by waterways on three sides. Its boundaries are Beach Boulevard on the
north, the St. Johns River on the west, Julington Creek and the St. John’s County line
on the south and the Intracoastal Waterway on the east.
Zone 3 continues to reign as the most populated zone in Duval County with nearly
238,000 residents. Zone 3 covers an area of 154.6 square miles. The zone provides
access to downtown from the south. Inside its boundaries are headquarters to several
major corporations which include Gate Petroleum, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Bank of
America, Citi, Aetna Insurance, PSS World Medical and Merrill Lynch. The Duval
County School Board’s main office is located on the Southbank. The zone has a total of
5 major high schools (Samuel L. Wolfson, Englewood, Mandarin, Douglas Anderson
School of the Arts, and Atlantic Coast) and 3 of the largest private schools (Bolles,
Bishop Kenny, and University Christian) in the city.
Zone 3 contains the St. Johns Town Center and The Avenues Mall, two of the largest
shopping venues in the city. The St. Johns Town Center has 265 businesses and is
visited by over 10 million shoppers each year. The Avenues Mall has 156 businesses
and is the second most visited shopping venue in the city. The zone contains more than
250 apartment communities and the ever expanding Nocatee residential community.
Residents stay connected to other portions of the city via 4 major bridges (Buckman,
Main Street, Fuller Warren and Acosta. Jacksonville offers students 12 college
campuses, including The University of North Florida, which is the largest in the city.
Zone 3 is also the epicenter for emergency medical treatment as it houses 6 major
hospitals (Baptist Downtown, Baptist South, St. Vincent’s Southside, Memorial Hospital,
Mayo Clinic and Wolfson Children’s Hospital). In addition, the nationally recognized
Ronald McDonald House is located in the Southbank area.
24
One of Zone 3’s most endearing qualities is its diversity. The officers take pride in their
professionalism and their interpersonal skills in dealing with citizens from all walks of
life. For example, an officer might respond to a waterfront mansion during one call for
service and to a government subsidized housing project on the next. Although Zone 3
houses the largest population of immigrants in the city, the officers provide the same
level of quality police service to everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Leadership and Personnel
The Zone Commander, Assistant Chief Mike Johnson, has 26
years of police experience. He has supervised officers in
numerous units within JSO to include the Jacksonville Sheriff's
Office S.W.A.T. team, Narcotics and Vice Unit, K-9 Unit, Integrity
Unit, and served previously as a watch commander in Zone 3.
Assistant Chief Johnson was responsible for several security
enhancements at the Zone 3 substation. These included the
addition of card readers at the interior and exterior doors, which
provide additional security for officers and civilian staff. He was also responsible for the
installation of bullet resistant glass around the front desk which provides security for
officers assigned at the front counter. He had them replaced with clear glass which gave
officers a clear view of the parking lot and main entrance. Assistant Chief Johnson also
secured a business sponsor, Lester Jackson of Safe Touch Security, for the Zone 3
Christmas party which was catered by Maggiano’s and he personally assisted with
serving the officers dinner over a two day period. Assistant Chief Johnson also
requested and was approved for the addition of an Administrative Lieutenant who is
responsible for supervising Office Personnel, the Traffic Unit, Patrol East Auto Burglary
Unit and all of the Patrol East CPR projects.
25
Zone 3 has built a strong and experienced management team.
The Lieutenants in Zone 3 are diversified in their skills and have
a wealth of experience from previous work assignments as is
reflected in their leadership abilities. Zone 3 is fortunate to have
Lieutenant
Robert
Hacksunda,
Lieutenant
Jimmy
Judge,
Lieutenant Danny Adams, Lieutenant Ron Norse, Lieutenant
Larry Kitchen and Lieutenant Roger Highcove in place as watch
commanders. Lieutenant Ellis Burns, pictured to the left, recently became the Patrol
East Problem Solving Lieutenant. He leads the community policing and problem solving
efforts for Zones 1, 2, and 3. His office is located at the Zone 3 substation.
The Zone 3 line supervisors are equally experienced. Several supervisors have years of
investigative experience as previous members of the JSO Homicide, Robbery, Auto
Theft, and Burglary Units. Others have backgrounds to include the D.U.I. Unit, Mobile
Field Force, School Resource Unit, K-9, Narcotics, Vice, Integrity and Police Academy.
This experience allows Zone 3 to be a leader in training, not only for new recruits but for
all personnel.
The officers assigned to Zone 3 hail from different law enforcement and civilian
backgrounds. This mixture of experience allows for quick resolutions of many citizen
complaints. The officers are highly trained, experienced and motivated in their efforts to
continue “Always Improving”. The officers stay community focused and understand the
importance of maintaining an open line of communication with the community they
serve.
Meritorious Award Recipients
Sergeant Clay Short was recognized as Police Supervisor of the Month. Sergeant
Short was recognized for his apprehension of three robbery suspects. Sergeant Short
responded to a local motel and was able to apprehend two suspects who had just
committed an armed robbery. The victim’s property was recovered and the suspects
ultimately admitted to the felony crime.
26
In 2014, two Zone 3 officers received “Life Saving Awards” for separate heroic acts.
Officer Traci Leveritt received the “Life Saving Award” for performing CPR on an
unresponsive victim who was not breathing and had no pulse. Officer Leveritt directed
someone to call fire rescue and began CPR until the victim began breathing. The victim
was transported to the hospital and made a full recovery. Officer Leveritt later received
a card and photograph of the gentleman and his family. His daughter thanked her for
saving her father’s life. She said he suffered a heart attack and said the doctors said he
would not have survived had the CPR not been administered. Officer Richard C.
Santoro received the “Life Saving Award” for performing CPR on a male victim who was
suffering from a heart attack at the Jewish Community Alliance.
Community Relationships
In 2014, zone 3 chose to do something special in celebrating the holiday season.
Rather than exchanging Christmas gifts, officers opted to donate money to assist JSO
retirees. Two retirees were chosen. They are Mr.
Robert Grentzinger and Mrs. Dale Schoenauer. Mr.
Grentzinger retired years ago after a long career with
the Jacksonville Sheriff's
Office. Mrs. Schoenauer is
the widow of Dale Schoenauer, who was a twenty year
veteran of JSO. Both were presented with cash and gift
cards to use as needed. Mr. Grentzinger and Mrs.
Schoenauer were extremely grateful of the officer’s generosity.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office continues to maintain positive relationships with
citizens and businesses.
Zone 3 personnel have adopted this belief and have
27
maintained several of those relationships. One of these businesses is Safe Touch
Security. Safe Touch Security’s owner, Lester Jackson, has generously supported the
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office by funding the Zone 3 Christmas Party for several years.
This year’s event was a success for all of those that attended which included ShAdCo
members, officers, and their families. The party allowed officers to enjoy a festive meal
with family, friends and coworkers.
Support Staff
The Substation for Zone 3 is located at 7100 Powers Ave. The front desk officers
provide service for thousands of walk in customers yearly. Service requests include
background checks, finger printing, incident and crash reports and property watch
requests. They also schedule Civilian Observers (ride-along) and keep track of all public
records requests. The substation front desk is staffed full time by Officer Rhonda
Hullender, working with additional officers on a rotating basis.
ShAdCo
Last year Zone 3 initiated a campaign to grow our ShAdCo membership. We obtained a
list of all the Neighborhood Watch groups in the Zone 3 from Community Affairs. An
email distribution list was developed and sent to the President of each of the
Neighborhood Watches. Those who did not have an email address received a letter
through the US mail. Each member was invited to the next ShAdCo meeting in their
sector in an effort to encourage the Neighborhood Watch community to join
ShAdCo. During 2014, ShAdCo grew by adding 66 new members, a 100% increase
from last year. We also believe that having guest speakers and continuing with
Lieutenants walks with ShAdCo members has also contributed to an increase in our
attendance.
Our ShAdCo has monthly meetings to review crime trends, neighborhood concerns and
information sharing. Once per quarter, a joint meeting of all the sectors in Zone 3 is held
at University Christian Church, located at 5520 University Boulevard West, with featured
speakers and discussions regarding various topics. In 2014, special guests included
28
officers from the K-9 Unit, Active Shooter instructors, J.S.O. Citizen’s Academy and the
Crime Analysis Unit.
On Saturday, August 9, 2014, the Sheriff’s Advisory Council hosted the 17th Annual
ShAdCo Safety Fair at the Avenues Mall. The event was coordinated by Officer Betty
Bates and sponsored by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Community Traffic Safety
Team, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Avenues Mall. The goal of the Safety Fair
was to inform the public of the Sheriff’s Advisory Council objectives and the benefits of
becoming a member of ShAdCo. The public was also presented with safety related
information from a variety of sources including various divisions of the Jacksonville
Sheriff’s Office, other law enforcement agencies, government agencies and the private
sector. Again this year, several free services were provided to the public. The U.S.
Secret Service conducted Operation Safe Kids in which they electronically finger printed
and photographed 102 children. Approximately 65 displays were on the lower level of
the mall and in the parking garage. Inside the mall, the displays included a JSO and
FHP Police car, motorcycles and the JSO “Beat the Heat” race car. The parking garage
displays included a helicopter from Trauma-One, fire trucks from JFRD, the JSO SWAT
Armored Vehicle, the Mobile Command Center and the Bomb Squad vehicles along
with their robot.
San Marco Officers
Zone 3 had dedicated three (3) officers to San Marco
and the adjoining Southbank area in an effort to
minimize criminal activity. The Southbank is an
extension of downtown and serves as a historically
artistic
and
progressive
cultural
area.
The
neighborhood offers many shopping, dining and
entertainment attractions. During holidays and city
events, the San Marco area and Southbank are home
to several annual celebrations. These dedicated officers assist with not only daily
patrols but are instrumental in forming community partnerships to safely hold these
29
events. Examples of these events include the Lighted Boat Parade, the Gate River Run,
the Florida/Georgia football game and the nationally recognized Taxslayer Bowl. The
officers also provide a direct line of communication between the community businesses
and the Sheriff’s Office. In 2014, these officers were assigned the task of locating,
dismantling and cleaning up homeless camps in the zone as well as relocating the
occupants. Those efforts resulted in 136 camps being located and removed and 293
homeless individuals being relocated.
Traffic Unit
The Zone 3 Traffic Unit is comprised of five motor
officers, five covert traffic officers, one sergeant and one
lieutenant. They share the responsibility of educating
motorists, preventing traffic crashes and thoroughly
investigating crashes when they occur. Traffic officers
issued more than 14,000 citations in 2014. They also
provided educational pamphlets to better inform drivers of
changes in state traffic laws. Traffic officers conducted
312 deployments involving more than 600 man-hours and
investigated 359 traffic complaints.
Due to a 54%
increase in traffic fatalities in the zone, the Traffic Unit initiated a new traffic fatality
reduction plan. They began aggressively deploying in the zone’s High Frequency Crash
(HFC’s) locations and the Fatality Corridors of Concern. During these deployments the
officers utilized enforcement, education, and engineering to reduce the likelihood of
another traffic fatality. This plan was a success and resulted in a 62% decrease from 53
fatalities in 2013 to 33 in 2014.
In addition the traffic unit has participated in several state-wide traffic campaigns to
include: “Buckle up Jacksonville, Click it or Ticket It”, Red Light Running Enforcement
week, and Train Safety Awareness week. The Traffic Unit continued to be ambassadors
to the community by participating in several events to include: Dreams Come True
Christmas Party, F.O.P. Christmas Party, Caring Chef’s charity event, and hosted the
30
annual ShAdCo Safety Fair at the Avenues mall.
In 2014, Zone 3 had a total of 10,374 traffic crashes of which the Zone 3 Traffic Unit
investigated 2,820.
2013
Traffic Citations
2014
10,852
Traffic Citations
Traffic Deployments
181
Traffic Deployments
Traffic Complaints
221
Traffic Complaints
Traffic Crashes
3,229
Traffic Crashes
Percent of Change
14,012
29%
312
72%
359
62%
2,820
-15%
The Traffic Unit as a whole was responsible for traffic control and security at numerous
special events including: NCAA and NFL football games, charity poker runs, funeral
escorts, motorcycle rides, organized marathons, parades and various charity events. In
addition, they provided traffic control during the holidays at the two major shopping
malls.
Traffic Officer David Sciandra continued to operate the “Beat the Heat” program. His
one-of-a-kind rebuilt police supercar was displayed at events throughout the city. Officer
Sciandra focuses on educating drivers about the dangers of speeding, not wearing seat
belts, careless driving, distracted driving, and driving while impaired.
X-Ray Officers
In 2014, Zone 3 continued the use of specialized patrol officers. These officers are
designated as “X-ray” officers as a derivative from their radio call sign. These officers
follow up on criminal patterns, series, and trends, and develop solutions to these
problems. They do not handle routine calls for service which allows them the time to
work on a proactive basis. Their troubleshooting efforts include re-canvassing every
crime scene for reported business burglaries, residential burglaries, and conveyance
burglaries.
They also research data published by the Crime Analysis Unit, to help
prioritize their work load. The X-ray units work very closely with the agency’s detectives
31
to coordinate their investigations and avoid duplication of efforts. These specialized
officers are also very adept at locating and apprehending wanted persons. Their efforts
and subsequent successes are a major asset in the zone’s efforts to combat crime.
D.U.I. Unit
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office DUI Unit consists of twelve Officers (3 less than last
year) and two Sergeants. The personnel are allocated into two separate squads that
operate on opposite blue/gold schedules providing enforcement 365 days a year. The
unit is based out of Zone 3, but its services are available to any zone in the city that
requests the expert assistance of an advanced DUI trained Officer. The primary focus
of the DUI Unit is to ensure the continued safety of the motorists and pedestrians that
travel the roadways of Duval County. The mission of the unit is carried out in various
forms that include education as well as enforcement.
The unit conducts safety
presentations and demonstrations for local civic groups, area colleges and high schools,
as well as presentations for the U.S. Military commonly referred to as “Safety Stand
Downs”. The unit’s assistance helps to keep patrol officers available to handle nontraffic related calls. It also provides for better evidence (video) collection and better
testimony to prosecute DUI cases. The unit is also utilized for traffic control during
dignitary escorts and special events e.g., Monster Truck, NFL and NCAA games,
Holiday extravaganzas, etc.
The year 2014 saw a 0.08% decrease in citywide DUI arrests from 2013. While there
was a slight decrease in total numbers, when factoring in the reduction in DUI officers,
there is actually an increased number of arrests per officer. The DUI Unit has also
joined with the Department’s FTO Office to offer a day of specialized DUI training for
every new police recruit.
The training helps the recruits understand some of the
nuances of DUI investigations and to aid in their “comfort” with handling DUI related
incidents. In 2014, the Unit placed 2nd in the Statewide Florida LEL DUI Challenge.
Three (3) members of the DUI Unit were also recognized with Centennial Awards in
2014 by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), as well as other acknowledgements
for the unit’s continual efforts in DUI enforcement and education. The Jacksonville
32
Sheriff’s Office DUI Unit looks to continue its mission of education and safety into the
year 2015 and beyond.
2013
2014
Percent Change
Citywide
1299*
1190*
-0.08
Patrol East
838
729
-0.13
Zone 1
76
76
0
Zone 2
259
220
-0.07
Zone 3
504
433
-0.14
Patrol West
375
380
+0.01
Zone 4
224
230
+0.02
Zone 5
98
89
-0.09
Zone 6
53
61
+0.15
Citywide numbers include other jurisdictions (Beaches, NAS, etc.) not included in zone
Auto Burglary Task Force
The Patrol East Auto Burglary Task Force
(ABTF) is based out of Zone 3. Their mission
is to investigate auto burglaries in Zones 1, 2
and 3. Sgt. Ricky Hike supervises the 5 ABTF
detectives. These detectives are ultimately
responsible for reviewing and following up on
every auto burglary that occurs in Patrol East.
Additionally, an ABTF detective is on call 24 hours a day to conduct suspect interviews
when requested. They coordinate closely with sector officers and other investigative
units forming a large pool from which to obtain information. In 2014, ABTF followed up
on 2607 cases.
Their efforts resulted in the clearance of 222 cases in which 178
suspects were charged with a variety of crimes. Along with the arrests, detectives
recovered thousands of dollars in stolen property. ABTF detectives continue to attend
multijurisdictional meetings with officers from Clay County and St Johns County. This is
a joint effort to combat the current “Felony Lane” type crime trend in which subjects from
33
south Florida travel to our area and commit auto burglaries and fraud. Several arrests
have been made resulting in the clearance of a large number of cases.
CPR Team
In the summer of 2014, a new problem solving
unit was added to Zone 3. This unit is the Zone
3 CPR team.
CPR stands for “Community
Problem Response” and is designed to be a
proactive approach to combating crime issues in
our community.
The CPR team is led by a
Sergeant and currently has 6 Officers assigned
to it. The CPR team assists with not only J.S.O.
investigations but with other local, state and federal investigations as well. The CPR
team receives training in current problem solving methods from the latest practices
within the criminal justice field. The goal of the CPR team is to identify problems in the
community that law enforcement can assist with, either directly or through joint
partnerships with the appropriate agencies. Some of these problems are gang related
issues, violent crime trends, residential burglaries and many other issues that adversely
affect the quality of life for the citizens in our community. The Zone 3 CPR team also
handles the responsibility of maintaining liaison with the numerous certified “CrimeFree” apartment complexes in Zone 3.
FIELD TRAINING PROGRAM
The Field Training Program at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is a necessary part of
maintaining a professional law enforcement agency.
The program combines field
training with objective evaluation to ensure that the standards of a competent solo
officer are met. The current model for our program is based on the Field Training
Program developed by the San Jose Police Department. The Field Training Program
consists of a six week Academy FTO Orientation and a fourteen week training portion
with a police recruit riding with a certified Field Training Officer.
34
The Field Training Unit Commander is Lieutenant Adam Pendley.
The unit also
supports the position of a Field Training Office (F.T.O.) Liaison Sergeant, Travis Cox
and a Police F.T.O. Coordinator, Joyce Smith. Currently, in the patrol division there are
seventy (70) active F.T.O. Sergeants and one hundred and eighty-four (184) active
F.T.O. Officers.
In the year 2014, three (3) police recruit classes with a total of ninety-eight (98) Recruits
were hired and began processing through the program. By December of 2014, thirtytwo (32) recruits have completed the entire process and obtained the rank of Police
Officer. The other sixty-four (64) Recruits will complete the process in March, April and
May of 2015.
The task of processing ninety-eight (98) Police Recruits through the program has taken
a team effort by the Field Training Unit. While Officer Smith served as the main liaison
during the academy portion of the program, she invited other FTOs to come in and help
with the classroom instruction and physical training. She developed a core group of
instructors that became regulars in the classroom such as Sergeants Travis Cox, Chris
Brown, Bruce Baker, James Paris, Rob Adams, Nick Damone and Officers Henry River,
Lance Liggett, Martin Prinzi, Terence Robinson, Carl Kahre, Robert Bias, Jesse Eanes.
Once again, the physical training and conditioning were under the close direction of
Officers Billy Perry and Bart Smith. Participation from the above Sergeants and Officers
was crucial to the mission and provided Officer Smith the time to monitor both Recruits
in the classroom and Recruits training on the street simultaneously.
In order to keep up with the number of newly hired Police Recruits, the Field Training
Unit held two FTO Certification classes at the Northeast Florida Criminal Justice
Training Facility. FTO Officer Rob Lestrange and Field Training Coordinator Officer Joy
Smith facilitated the classes. After the completion of these two classes, fifty (50) FTOs
were certified within the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and fourteen (14) from outside
agencies.
35
Reserve Officers
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit is a volunteer organization that performs
a vital law enforcement function for the Sheriff’s Office and our community. Reserve
Officers are trained, qualified, and eager to provide police service. In 2014 there were
one hundred (100) Reserve Officers who contributed more than 32,414 hours of
service, a contribution adding up to more than $2,020,688 (based on a full-time officer’s
hourly rate of pay, including benefits). Community contributions by Reservists include
time volunteered for special events, recruiting events, charitable events, athletic events
at neighborhood schools, Sheriff’s walks, as well as supplementing the staffing of police
officers who patrol the streets of Jacksonville. Reserve Officers have assisted the Air
Unit, Organized Crime Division, Patrol Division and the Community Affairs Unit. In
addition to normal duties, some reservists have received additional training with the
Mobile Emergency Response Team, Flight Operations, and Marine Operations.
During 2014 Seven (07) Reserve Officers received “Reserve Officer of the Month”
awards and one (1) received the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office “Reserve Officer of the
Year” award for various actions committed during the course of their duties. The 2014
Reserve Officer of the year is Officer Morey J. Cooksey. One Reserve Officer received
the first “National Sheriffs Association Reserve Officer of the Year” award. This award
went to Reserve Officer Robert Coyle.
During 2014 the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Police Reserve Unit continued to expand
participation in the “ROMEO” program. This program is designed to ease the burden on
the patrol workforce by assisting officers as back-up units or transporting prisoners for
the beat officer in order to get the beat officer back in service sooner. The Reserve
Officers also assisted with non-report writing calls such stranded motorists, roadway
obstructions, missing person searches and perimeter control. In 2014 the reserve
ROMEO program logged 2,574 hours in ROMEO rides.
During 2014, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office sponsored a Reserve Officer Academy
class, in which thirteen (13) people joined the unit by successfully completing 307 hours
of training in basic law enforcement and high liability areas such as first aid, firearms,
36
vehicle operations and defensive tactics. An additional three (3) that were already BLE
certified joined the unit and all of these officers have become productive members of the
Reserve Unit.
Emergency Preparedness Unit
The Emergency Preparedness Unit is responsible for supporting the continuity of
government as it relates to disaster/incident prevention, preparedness, response,
recovery and mitigation in accordance with Presidential Policy Directives and the
National Response Framework.
In 2014, the Emergency Preparedness Unit deployed the COPS Bus, Mobile Command,
Western Shelter tents and traffic cones to Homicide call outs, planned community
events and special events. Members also ensured that agency personnel were properly
trained in the Incident Command System (ICS) 300 & 400 courses of instruction. The
members also conducted several threat assessments for Duval County Board of Health
and Hospital Facilities.
The officers, Sergeant, and Lieutenant for the unit responded to and assisted with a
myriad of roles which included Planning and Logistical support for several events.
Notable events included the Georgia vs. Florida Game, One Spark, and a missing child
in Baker County.
JSO Safety Board
The Field Training Unit is responsible for Blue Team Report submission approvals and
serves as the liaison between the City Motor Pool and the Police Academy Training
Specialist who then reports to the Safety Board Coordinator matters related to the JSO
Safety Board.
Since the beginning of 2014, the Field Training Unit Commander has held nine (9)
Safety Review Boards. As a result, a total of one hundred fifty-nine (159) cases were
heard and found chargeable to the Officer or Civilian who was responsible for damages
to JSO vehicles, compared to two hundred and three (203) cases in 2013.
37
The JSO Safety Board is a committee which determines whether a crash, vehicle
pursuit, or any other incident involving a JSO vehicle, resulting in personal injury or
property damage was caused by a violation of laws, a violation of Sheriff's Office
procedures, negligence, or lack of good judgment on the part of any member of the
Office of the Sheriff.
CopLogic Online Reporting System
The Citizen’s Online Reporting System has been a successful addition to the Sheriff’s
Office reporting format. Citizens are able to submit crime tips, traffic complaints, and
report abandoned/junk vehicles via the Citizen’s Online Reporting System which began
in 2009.
The number of entries made by citizens does not automatically generate an approved
report. Each entry is reviewed by the Online Reporting Officer and then is either
approved or rejected. Approved complaints are forwarded to the appropriate unit for
follow up.
In 2014, a total of nine hundred and ninety-four (994) complaints were submitted by way
of the Online Reporting System. Seven hundred and twenty-eight (728) crime tips, one
hundred eighty-one (181) abandoned/junk vehicle complaints, and eighty-five (85) traffic
complaints.
Citizen's Crime Tips
JSO has provided the community with a direct email address for reporting issues or
concerns. This process has become a key element when immediate public assistance is
needed; for example, AMBER Alerts or in the assistance of identifying homicide
suspects. Citizens can report criminal activity or suspect information via the following
web address: [email protected].
38
PATROL WEST
The Patrol West Division is comprised of Zones Four, Five and Six. Most notably in
2014, to combat the ever increasing need for resources, the Operation Safe Streets
Initiative Officers were reallocated to develop Community Problem Response (CPR)
Teams and patrol positions in each zone to increase the number of calls for service
officers patrolling the streets. The CPR Teams are trained and deployed to target
specific chronic violent crime locations and violent offenders by utilizing problem solving
strategies. These teams combat the under lying issues that cultivate crime. Many times
the strategies are a combined effort between the CPR Teams, Patrol, various
investigative units, and a multitude of city agencies.
The Patrol West Division continued with Lieutenant walks, bicycle officers in each zone,
walking beat officers, and New Town Success Zone officers to enhance our
relationships with the community. All three zones in the Patrol West Division did a great
job of holding the line with their respective crime problems. From the officers patrolling
the streets to the Zone Commanders everyone pulled together to do more with less.
39
Chief
P. Ivey
A/C D. Lewis
Zone Four
Patrol
A/C T. Davis
Zone Five
A/C T. C. Davis
Zone Six
Patrol
Patrol
Traffic
EWC
Walking Beat
New Town
Traffic
Huguenot
Park Officers
ABTF
Bike Unit
Traffic
Walking Beat
40
PATROL
WEST
Patrol West Division Staffing
2013
2014
Chief
1
1
2013-2014
Comparison
0
Assistant Chiefs
3
3
0
Reserve Captain
1
0
-1(East)
Patrol Lieutenants
16
17
+1
Operation Safe Streets Lieutenant (OSS)
2
0
-2
FTO Lieutenant
1
0
-1(East)
Patrol Sergeants
43
46
+3
Bike Unit Sergeant
1
0
-1
FTO Sergeant
2
0
-2 (East)
Traffic Sergeants
3
3
0
CPR Team Sergeants
0
3
+3
Operation Safe Streets Sergeants (OSS)
6
0
-6
336
350
+14
EWC / New Town Initiative Officers
6
4
-2
Traffic Officers
22
21
-1
FTO Officers
3
0
-3 (East)
Walking Beat Officers
3
3
0
CPR Team Officers
9
23
+14
Felony Registration Officers
3
0
-3(Community Affairs)
Offender Tracking Officers
9
0
-9 (Community Affairs)
Operation Safe Streets Officers (OSS)
54
0
-54
Auto Burglary Task Force Officers
5
5
0
Huguenot Park Officers
2
2
0
Substation Officers
3
3
0
CRIMES Officers
3
3
0
Light Duty Officers
6
2
-4
Recruits
16
0
-16
Civilian Personnel
5
4
-1(East)
564
490
-74
Personnel
Patrol Officers
Total
41
ZONE FOUR
Located in the southwest portion of Duval County and most commonly referred to as
the Westside of Jacksonville, from the historic boroughs of Five Points and Avondale to
the rural spaces of Maxville, is the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office’s Patrol Zone Four. With
a population estimate of over one hundred ninety thousand (190,000) and covering a
geographic area of one hundred sixty-eight square miles (168), Zone Four is bordered
by Clay County on the south, the St. John’s River on the east and Baker County on the
west and Interstate 10 on the north. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Zone Four, is
broken into three sectors, Juliet, Kilo and Lima, and nine sub-sectors, three in each
sector. In 2014, the men and women assigned to patrol Zone Four responded to
110,625 of the 479,595 or approximately twenty-three percent (23%), of the citizengenerated calls for service that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office received in 2014. This
was a decrease of 46 calls handled by Zone 4 personnel from the 110,671 calls handled
in 2013.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Zone Four Substation is located in the Cedar Hills
Shopping Center at 3726 Blanding Boulevard, which is centrally located in the Kilo
sector of the zone. Utilizing the locale of a shopping center storefront allows the public
to take care of police business in a manner that offers the utmost in convenience and
the location makes it easily accessible to the zone’s residents. The substation operates
Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and offers citizens the ability to
utilize the substation for a variety of police services. The services offered range from
copies of police reports, to background checks, fingerprinting and making reports of a
crime.
Assistant Chief R. L. Walden and Assistant Chief D.L. Lewis served as the Zone Four
Commanders for the 2014 calendar year. At the conclusion of the 2014 calendar year,
Zone Four was staffed by two hundred eight (208) sworn employees and one (1)
civilian. The Zone Four personnel breakdown consisted of one (1) Assistant Division
Chief, one (1) Operations Sergeant, one (1) C.R.I.M.E.S. Officer, three (3) Sub-Station
Officers (one of which were limited duty) and one (1) CSA III. The zone’s street patrol
42
personnel consisted of six (6) Lieutenants, twenty (20) Patrol Sergeants, one (1) task
force Sergeant, one (1) Traffic Sergeant, and one-hundred seventy-four (174) Patrol
Officers, (some of which include cross trained Bike-operator Officers, Traffic Officers,
Task Force Officers, and Walking Beat Officers).
During the 2014 calendar year, Zone Four experienced some notable changes within
the command structure. Lieutenant T.C. James joined the management team as the
Blue Squad /Midnight Shift Watch Commander, Sergeant T.L. Batrous joined as a Blue
/Bravo Watch Sergeant, Sergeant P.M. Presti and Sergeant D.J. Batrous joined the
midnight shift as Blue Squad Sergeants, Sergeant P.K. Lewis, Sergeant R.R. Scott and
Sergeant S.R. Hartley joined the midnight shift as Gold Squad Sergeants.
During 2014, Zone Four officers continued to embrace new technology and enhanced
their communication capabilities with improvements to and increased utilization of the
Zone Four Intranet Website. This SharePoint tool allows officers, from each color
squad, unit and division the ability to share information and intelligence. Officers use
this tool to track their strategies, deployment efforts, and serve as the core of the zone’s
information hub.
Zone Four has continued our partnership with Lexus of
Orange Park to recognize officers for outstanding police
work and public service in Zone Four, on both a Monthly
and Annual basis.
This program serves as an
outstanding morale booster for our officers and gives us
a sponsored opportunity to showcase the outstanding
police work done by the police officers of this zone. This
year’s award recipients were:
43
Zone Four’s Finest for 2014:
January
Officer J.L .Day
February
Officer J.T. Whitcomb
March
Officer C.P. Collins
April
Officer K.D. Munger
May
Officer M.A. Duckworth
June
Officer M.P. Fox
July
Officer S.L. Alvers
August
Officer J.M. Mosley
September
Officer J.A. Benson
October
Officer K.C. Thomas
November
Officer R.C. Holton
December
Officer R.J. Tuten
Zone Four prides itself in maintaining meaningful two way relationships with the
businesses of this community. By doing so, Zone Four has been granted the opportunity
to utilize eight business locations throughout the zone as Stop Stations. The Stop
Stations provide office space for officers to write reports, conduct follow-up
investigations and interact with the community.
The leadership team of Zone Four stressed the continuation
of partnerships which have been built over many years with
the community and are the foundation of the Jacksonville
Sheriff's Office’s community policing concept. Zone Four has
strived to continue the Sheriff’s emphasis on his commitment
to the community by working to maintain strong, lasting
partnerships with our residential neighborhoods, as well as,
44
our apartment complexes.
Zone 4 personnel also developed and maintained
relationships with City Council members and met with them several times throughout
the year to address issues within their districts.
To follow the Sheriff’s example of sincere and dedicated relationships with our
community, Zone Four conducted regular Crime Prevention Walks in neighborhoods
throughout the zone. This forms key partnerships between the officers and the residents
to work together to solve community problems. The walks take place with the
participation of community partners such as ShAdCo members, neighborhood watch
groups, apartment management partners, local business people and concerned
citizens. Officers and supervisors distributed crime prevention literature as they
interacted with the public.
Zone Four has continued to maintain Sheriff
Rutherford’s commitment and dedication to his
Sheriff’s
Advisory
Councils
or
ShAdCo
by
continuing to take part in the monthly sector
meetings. By working closely and regularly with
ShAdCo members, it allows a free flowing channel
of communication between both the Jacksonville
Sheriff’s Office and the Zone Four Community as
we work toward our mutual goals of public safety and crime reduction.
Due to the activism of its membership base staying involved and passing information
along to their neighbors and friends, the Sheriff’s Advisory Council(s) (ShAdCo) in Zone
Four continue to grow. At the end of 2014, the Juliet Sector had thirteen (13) new
members, the Kilo Sector had ten (10) new members and the Lima Sector had eight (8)
new members. Zone Four boasts a total ShAdCo membership base of 700 plus
dedicated members.
45
Due to the geographical size of the zone and the numerous communities that
encompass Zone Four, we work closely with the other divisions and internal resources
of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to provide the best possible service to the
community. In order to rapidly identify crime patterns and/or trends, and concentrate on
patrol level focal areas, Zone Four works one on one with the Crime Analysis Unit. This
provides the zone with the information needed to attack crime problems from the
problem solving platform of “Intelligence Led Policing”.
The information obtained from the Crime Analysis Unit is not only disseminated through
all levels of patrol within the Zone, but is also a central focus of weekly Information
Sharing Meetings with investigators of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Investigations
Division. In 2014, Zone Four’s Assistant Chief’s continued the bi-monthly Information
Sharing Meetings with the Burglary Unit, Robbery Unit, Auto Burglary Task Force, Zone
Four Crime Analyst and other units, as needed, for a more comprehensive approach.
These meetings are held to develop and coordinate crime reduction strategies in our
neighborhoods and business centers. This collaborative effort has proven to be effective
in quickly apprehending suspects, and increasing actionable intelligence information for
field deployments.
The Zone Four Traffic Unit aids in the partnership
between the public and the Sheriff’s Office by
addressing citizen generated traffic complaints.
Listening to the “motoring public” and directing
efforts where they are needed, assists in fostering a
cooperative dialogue with the residents of Zone
Four. The Zone Four Traffic Unit investigates traffic
crashes, and utilizes data from the Crime Analysis
Unit to direct enforcement efforts to the high frequency crash corridors and high volume
traffic corridors where speed and other driving violations result in automobile crashes.
46
In 2014, the Zone Four Traffic Unit took appropriate enforcement action to address
traffic violations considered to be potential causes of vehicular crashes. The key is to
direct enforcement efforts to where they will be the most effective. The Traffic Unit also
assisted the J.S.O. D.U.I. Unit, the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of
Transportation, and surrounding law enforcement agencies in traffic fatality reduction
strategies.
Zone Four Traffic Unit Initiatives and Assisting Operations for 2014
Gator Bowl Weekend
January
2014
Gator Bowl Parade
January
2014
Martin Luther King Parade
January
2014
Monster Truck
February
2014
Train Safety Awareness Week
April
2014
National Work Zone Awareness
April
2014
Police Memorial Day Service
May
2014
Bike to Work Week
May
2014
Fourth of July at the Landing
July
2014
Fourth of July Impaired Driving Wave
July
2014
Over the Limit Under Arrest
August
2014
Hands Across the Border
September 2014
Child Passenger Safety Week
September 2014
Light the Night Ride
October
2014
Walk To School Day
October
2014
National School Bus Safety Week
October
2014
Florida/Georgia Weekend
November
2014
Veteran’s Day Parade
November
2014
Xmas Tree Lighting
November
2014
Boat Parade
November
2014
Over the Limit Under Arrest
December
2014
F.O.P Christmas Party Escorts
December
2014
47
N.A.S. Jacksonville Safety Deployments
Four Deployments
N.A.S. Fallen Hero Escorts
One Escort
Traffic Saturation Deployments/Wolfpack
Five Deployments
Click it or Ticket Enforcement
Three Waves
Motor Unit Challenge
Four Waves
Jags Games
9 Home Games
Country Music Fest
2 Days, Jun 2014
During this past year, one of Zone 4’s officers (Kim Thomas) realized the need for
nationwide backgrounds checks to be implemented for all civilian ride long’s. One of
the many duties and responsibilities that Officer Thomas handles on a daily basis while
working the zone-4 substation front counter is the JSO observer program.
While
performing this task of scheduling personnel that are interested in participating in the
program (“Ride-Along”), she discovered that the process that had been followed for
years was in need of modifications that would not only protect the liableness to the City
of Jacksonville, but would also protect the agency as a whole and the individual officers
who are exposed to individuals who would be riding in a police car with an officer
responding to calls for service.
The change will mandate not only a local criminal
background check on all applicants, but to also require a nationwide criminal
background check. This change added another layer of security so a person with a
criminal history in another state could not slip through the system and ride with an
officer possibly jeopardizing the safety of the officer and the community.
Zone Four experienced a great deal of progress and success in 2014. This included
preparations for the first Safety Fair hosted by Zone Four and its partners slated to take
place in January 2015. Much of the success in the zone can be attributed to community
partnerships which have continued to grow and strengthen.
Continuing dedicated
participation in ShAdCo, Neighborhood Watch Programs, community walks, and
48
problem oriented policing enhanced our 2014 goal achievements.
The team effort
between Zone Four personnel and the citizen residents of Zone Four continues to be an
essential ingredient in the achievement of shared goals.
ZONE FIVE
Patrol Zone Five comprises of the northwestern region of Duval County. Zone Five is
the third largest of the patrol zones with its 136.4 square miles. According to the 2010
United States Census, 92,258 citizens reside in Zone Five which is 11.2% of the
citywide population. Zone Five is differentiated from the other patrol zones by its
physical perimeter which can be traced along Interstate 95, beginning at the Trout River
bridge, south to and along Interstate 10 west to the Nassau County line. It then extends
northeast to the CSX rail line and back along the tracks southeast to Garden Street and
from there to the east bisecting the Trout River until it reaches the starting point at the
Interstate 95 Bridge.
Zone Five has been partitioned into
three sectors labeled as Mike (M),
November (N) and Oscar (O).
Each of those is further subdivided
into three sub-sectors with an
alpha-numeric identifier.
These
sectors split the zone based mainly
on
population
essentially
follow
density
the
and
city’s
planning districts.
The “Mike” sector can be found in the most southeastern portion of the Zone and
extends from Interstate 10 north to New Kings Road and Interstate 95 west to
Edgewood Avenue. The M-Sector represents a number of the residential communities
and local businesses, along with a number of manufacturing facilities. The “November”
sector covers virtually the entire northern third of Zone Five, extending from Martin
49
Luther King Parkway (US1) north to the Trout River and Interstate 95 west to Old Kings
Road. The N-Sector contains many residential neighborhoods, multi-family apartment
complexes and offers the most shopping locales in the zone. The largest of the sectors
is “Oscar” which extends Edgewood Avenue to the county line with Nassau County and
Interstate 10 north to Old Kings Road. The O-Sector, due to its primarily natural setting,
incorporates nearly seventy-five percent of Zone Five’s total area and has large
expanses of undeveloped, forested acreage and most of the county’s agricultural
industry. Oscar also has several wildlife management and recreational areas, including
the Camp Milton Historic Preserve and the Baldwin Rail Trail. Due to its available
undeveloped areas, Oscar has continued to experience more growth than the other
sectors and has the potential for greater development in the future. Furthermore, in
Oscar, the Township of Baldwin in Duval County is provided professional police service
by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant Chief Tony Davis serves in the appointed position as the Zone Commander
for Zone Five and bears the overall responsibility of carrying out the mission and goals
of the Sheriff’s Office. Furthermore, the Zone Commander is responsible for the
leadership and direct management of the patrol and traffic resources of the Zone,
totaling 180 sworn and civilian employees who are always striving to be Worthy of Trust.
The primary staffing of Zone Five is composed of its six patrol watches. Officers
assigned to those patrol watches follow the Blue/Gold work schedule and their reporting
times are designated to ensure adequate manpower is available for calls for service.
Each of these watches is under the leadership of a Police Lieutenant who is responsible
for the operational management of their patrol squads.
The Patrol Watches are the primary units that provide the police services to the Zone
Five area. Each Watch, consisting of one or more squads, conducts the various patrol
and special operations, i.e. Zone 5 Community Problem Response Team (CPR), Auto
Burglary Task Force (ABTF), Edward Waters College (EWC) Officers and the New
Town Success Zone, necessary to protect and service the citizens of the community.
They provide daily continuous overlapping coverage by staggering personnel over six
established 11.42 hour shifts during the twenty-four hour period.
50
A Clerical Support
Aide III serves as the Zone Five Administrative Assistant and also provides assistance
to the public on the telephone and at the sub-station. All Zone Five employees practice
our core values of Respect for Each Other, Always Improving, Worthy of Trust and
Community Focused.
The Zone Five Community Problem
Response (CPR) Team was created in
August of 2014. The Zone Five CPR
Team utilizes a multi-faceted approach to
addressing
crime.
The
CPR
Team
applies the tenants of Intelligence Led
Policing (ILP), Problem Oriented Policing
(POP),
Targeted
Saturation
Patrols,
Community Policing and other common Problem Solving methods through the
education, Intervention, or incarceration of prolific offenders, education of prolific victims
and altering environmental factors that contribute to the root causes of crime through
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). Officers within the unit focus
on areas experiencing a disproportionate increase in crime commonly referred to as
“HotSpots”. Working in conjunction with other units within the Sheriff’s Office, various
outside agencies, and community stakeholders, the CPR Team fosters a community
empowerment approach to fighting crime in an effort to help ensure long term success.
The Auto Burglary Task Force West (ABTF) for Patrol Division West continues to make
a positive impact in Property Crimes in 2014. The unit is responsible for investigating all
auto burglaries in Patrol West and is comprised of Officers from Zones 4, 5 and 6.
These officers conducted 4,471 auto burglaries investigations during this fiscal year
leading to the recovering of thousands of dollars of victim’s property and numerous
felony arrests. The unit works closely with Patrol, Crime Analysis Unit, Auto Burglary
Task Force (East) and many other specialized units both within the agency and outside
the agency to ensure these cases are properly followed up and any pertinent
information is disseminated to entities with a vested interest. The ABTF specialize in
“Felony Lane” groups that operate within the city and state-wide. “Felony Lane” is a
51
term used to describe criminal groups that commit thefts primarily of financial
information/credit cards and then commit fraud using the outer drive-thru lane of a
financial institution. They target places such as shopping centers, malls, gyms, etc., with
the purposes of committing crimes such as auto burglaries and thefts. The intent is to
steal credit/debit cards or negotiable instruments and then recruit drug addicts,
prostitutes, transients, etc., to commit the acts of fraud and pay them a certain amount a
day.
Officers assigned to Edward Waters College (EWC) and the New Town Success Zone
were merged during this fiscal year with the dissolution of the Operation Safe Street
(OSS) project. The goal was to provide an enhanced police presence at Edward Waters
College and the New Town Success Zone. Having highly visible and proactive police
officers patrolling EWC and the New Town Success Zone promotes a safe environment
for the students, faculty and residents who are living, working and/or studying in this
area.
The Moncrief/Myrtle Avenue Business District Liaison Officer works closely with
business owners and civic leaders to ensure the safety of both businesses and patrons.
The Liaison Officer provides timely information on crime trends and prevention
techniques to businesses as well as acquires resources such as additional officers
during scheduled events and crime education material.
Additionally, the business
districts have benefited by having the dedicated police presence which helps to
encourage patronage of the shops and businesses in the district.
The goal is to
increase stabilization and the promotion of growth for the neighborhood through the
reduction of crime, deterrence of gang activity and a focus on quality-of-life concerns.
The mission of the Edward Waters College (EWC) Officers, the New Town Success
Zone, and the Moncrief/Myrtle Avenue Business District Liaison Officer is a true
reflection of our agency’s professional dedication to the core values of “Community
Focused,” “Always Improving,” “Worthy of Trust,” and “Respect for Others.”
52
The Zone Five Sub Station is located at 1767
Kings Road on the campus of Edward
Waters College. Edward Waters College is
one of the oldest Historical Black Colleges in
the nation. The Sub Station is the central
location for all police personnel assigned to
Zone Five. Edward Waters College also
uses a portion of the facility to administer
criminal justice courses. This arrangement allows criminal justice students the
opportunity to interact with police officers assigned to Zone Five.
As a service to the community, the Zone Five substation provides many of the same
walk-in services that in the past would have required our citizens to make a trip to the
main police building located Downtown. Services provided to citizens include copies of
reports, alarm permits, file reports, fingerprint service and criminal background checks.
In addition, it permits the public more access to the police officials that are responsible
for patrolling their specific community and gives a greater opportunity for local
involvement. The officers and members assigned to the Zone Five Sub Station
continued to provide professional service while striving to build a stronger partnership
with the community and the college by promoting our core value of Always Improving.
Stop Stations
Although the Zone Five Sub Station serves as
the primary hub for police operations, eight
police “stop-stations” are operated throughout
the Zone where police officers patrolling those
neighborhoods can have access to necessary
amenities. Each stop-station is sponsored by a
business that provides office space where the
sector officers have 24-hour access. Not only
do the host businesses have the benefit of an officer at the location, but allows citizens
53
a means to make contact with officers in a less formal setting. A stop-station can be
found in each of the Zone Five sub-sectors which permit the officers to remain in their
patrol area without driving to the sub-station or Police Memorial Building to access
comparable facilities. Two of the larger and most frequently used stop-stations are
found at the Farmer’s Market (M-1) at 1780 West Beaver Street and the Ben Durham
Business Center (N-1) at 3002 Myrtle Avenue. These stop-stations are often used to
accommodate meetings between officers and their supervisors. The Ben Durham StopStation also provides office space for an officer who is assigned to the walking beat for
the nearby business districts. The Stop-Station Program truly supports the Jacksonville
Sheriff’s Office commitment to foster a stronger relationship with its business partners
and the community while adhering to our core value of Community Focused.
Industry
Several governmental services, private businesses and manufacturing industries are
located in Zone Five. Some of the notable employers are Jacksonville’s two main U.S.
Postal Service facilities, The Main Post Office, at 1100 Kings Road, Bulk Mail Center, at
7415 Commonwealth Avenue, and Jacksonville Transportation (JTA) main terminal. In
addition, large national and international private businesses are also located in Zone
Five, such as, Volvo Parts North America, Georgia Pacific, Samsung Electronics, Winn
Dixie and Publix Warehouses and Kraft Foods to name a few. As Jacksonville looks
forward to becoming “America’s Logistic Center”, many commercial transportation
operations are also based in the Zone Five area, including: CSX Railroad, NorfolkSouthern Railroad, Amtrak, and large freight hauling companies, such as, Centurion
Auto Logistics Inc., NFI Transportation and Logistics Transportation Corporation. Zone
Five would like to recognize Load King Industries as a corporate sponsor for their
gracious support in providing a venue for the Zone 5 Appreciation Day.
54
Tracking Report
ZONE FIVE - END OF YEAR TRACKING REPORT
INCIDENT CATEGORY
2013
2014
CHANGES
PRIORITY
INCIDENTS
VIOLENT
1,173
1,214
+3 %
PRIORITY
INCIDENTS
PROPERTY
5,370
5,170
-4%
INCIDENT
6,543
6,384
-2%
PRIORITY
TOTALS
In 2014, Zone Five handled 76,809 citizen generated calls-for-service (16.0% of
citywide) and 50,646 officer initiated calls (13.1% of citywide). Zone Five experienced a
3% increase in priority violent incidents and a reduction of 4% in priority property
incidents with an overall decrease of 2% in priority incidents in 2014, compared to an
increase of 2% in 2013. To combat the increase in violent incidents, Zone Five focused
on three initiatives, Operation Ceasefire, Summer Night Lights (SNL) and Summertime
Crime Initiative. These programs were designed to bring police resources to areas
impacted by violent crimes. Furthermore, a crucial component of Zone Five’s efforts to
fight crime and enhance the quality-of-life for its citizens has been its dedication to
community outreach. Some examples of the community events Zone Five officers
participate in on a regular basis include neighborhood parades, civic meetings, church
events, charity fundraisers, children’s parties, sporting events and any of a number of
other occasions where services are needed and can further the positive image among
our citizens.
Initiatives
Operation Ceasefire was created to mitigate the sharp increase in violent crime
incidents during March and April 2014 in portions of Zone 5 and Zone 1. The
concentration of this activity occurred within the areas that would later become the
boundaries for Operation Ceasefire. In order to cease this violence and to assist with
55
investigations of prior criminal incidents, the plan for Operation Ceasefire was
formulated. Operation Ceasefire made use of the OSS Units, DUI Units, Zone 1 and 5
Bike Units, and assisting support personnel from the Incident Management Assistance
Teams.
Operation Ceasefire was coordinated and commanded using the Incident Command
System. The operational periods for the operation were established to correspond with
the Blue/Gold work calendar. The management team working during a particular
operational period would both execute the current Incident Action Plan and would also
develop the Incident Action Plan for the opposite color squad units to execute upon their
return to work.
Several key aspects of Operation Ceasefire included the requirement for strong
communication and coordination between members working opposite schedules, the
two way sharing of information and intelligence with investigative and narcotics
divisions, and constant flow of information to officers executing the plan on the street in
order to ensure that all officers stay focused on operational goals and objectives.
One of the primary goals of Operation Ceasefire was
to have officers build community relationships by
knocking on every single residential door within the
established boundary area. The purpose was for
officers
to
share
information
with
the
citizens
concerning crime prevention initiatives and to gain
information about criminal activity from the citizens.
With the assistance of the Crime Analysis Unit, the
boundary area was divided into 99 grids. Each grid
was then assigned to be canvassed and the results
recorded. During the operation, officers were able to knock on 13,932 doors.
In
addition to the valuable information and contacts made, Operation Ceasefire was
extremely effective in reducing the number of violent gun crimes in its 45-day
operational period of May 3, 2014 to June 17, 2014, compared to the previous 45-day
period of March 18, 2014 to May 2, 2014.
56
ZONE FIVE – OPERATION CEASEFIRE TRACKING REPORT 2014
INCIDENT CATEGORY
3/18-5/2
5/3-6/17
CHANGES
HOMICIDES
3
1
-66.7%
INDIVIDUALS SHOT
11
4
-63.6%
AGG BATTARY W/FIREARM
DISCHARGED
33
14
-57.6%
Following the canvassing of residences, officers continued to build their relationships
with the community by contacting businesses and contacting citizens on the street. This
speaks volumes to the professionalism of the officers involved.
On
May
15,
local
Pastors,
community leaders, citizens, and
Law Enforcement joined together
for a Prayer Gathering to pray for
the violent crime in the North
Jacksonville area. Assistant Chief
Davis spoke to the congregation.
On May 28th during the Preventing Crime in the Black Community Conference,
conference attendees participated in a community walk with MADDADS in the area of
Operation Cease Fire. The community walk was conducted in the Durkeeville area.
Summertime Crime Initiative was a nine week program of directed patrol activities to
address violent crime that has typically occurred during the summer months when
schools are out of session. This Summertime Crime Initiative followed closely after the
conclusion of Operation Ceasefire and was also intended to help maintain the
momentum achieved during that operation. The Summertime Crime Initiative employed
a number of officers drawn from the various patrol watches of Zone Five primarily on
57
Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
The directive was to concentrate dedicated
resources in specifically identified problem
areas within the Zone. The criteria for the
areas selected to receive enhanced attention
was based on an examination of crime
analysis data for the months leading up to the
operation, while taking into account the
impact of the violent crime areas that had
been the focus of Operation Ceasefire. Although the Summertime Crime Initiative also
addressed some daytime property crime issues, specifically residential burglaries, the
primary focus was placed on violent crime concerns. The general strategy involved
saturating each of the hotspot areas with several police officers, conducting high
visibility patrols, investigating suspicious activities and taking enforcement action when
violations of the law were observed. The officers spent sufficient amounts of time at
each location to establish a strong police presence, before moving on to the next area in
a rotating fashion. In order to provide optimal impact, certain parameters were used
relating to the specific days of the week and times of days that the crimes were likely to
occur in each area. The initiative was determined to be successful in achieving its goals
of reducing violent crimes in the Operation Ceasefire areas.
The Summer Night Lights (SNL) is a youth summer program sponsored by the City of
Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Division that is designed to give teenagers the
opportunity to join with their peers in supervised activities at one of several park
community centers, three of which are in the Zone Five area. These centers were
Clanzell Brown Park, The Mitchell Center and Emmett Reed Park. The Jacksonville
Sheriff's Office partnered with the Parks and Recreation Division to provide teenagers in
neighborhoods vulnerable to crime with a positive outlet to occupy their weekend
evening when they might otherwise be involved in unwanted activity. Since the majority
of the SNL locations were located in Zone Five, officers were assigned to attend these
events to provide a secure environment and an opportunity for teens to have positive
and non-enforcement interactions with police. During the course of the eight weekends
58
of the 2014 SNL program, over nine-thousand young people attended the various
events with only a few reported incidents requiring police involvement. Please note that
in 2014 the number of sites was reduced from four in 2013 to three in 2014 in Zone
Five; therefore, the attendance level decreased.
SUMMER NIGHT LIGHTS (SNL) ATTENDANCE
ZONE FIVE LOCATIONS
TOTAL ATTENDANCE*
2013
2014
CHANGE
13,138
9,307
-3,831
*Estimated
Community Partners
A factor in the success of Zone Five lies in the relationships that have been formed with
community organizations, churches, neighborhood groups, and civic leaders with the
common goal of open communication and cooperation between the JSO and the public.
A few notable alliances within the Zone Five community are various Sheriff’s Advisory
Councils (ShAdCos) the Neighborhood Watch groups, the New Town Success Zone,
the Edward Waters College faculty and students.
In prior years, one of the cornerstones of the Zone Five community relationship program
has been the Sheriff’s Advisory Council (ShAdCo). The ShAdCo’s have continued to
play a pivotal role in establishing a line of two-way communication between the Sheriff’s
Office and the community by giving a forum for exchanging information and ideas, thus
cultivating an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. The ShAdCo partnership
continues to serve as a model for similar programs around the nation and remains an
important achievement in Zone Five’s tremendously successful community policing
efforts. Through the ShAdCo process, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been able to
keep an open dialogue with the community it serves by fostering a cooperative
commitment in reducing crime and improving the quality-of-life for our citizens. Each of
Zone Five’s three patrol sectors (M, N, and O) has its own ShAdCo which provides
59
representation at monthly meetings. There are two additional ShAdCo’s, one for the
citizens of Baldwin and the other for the Edward Waters College (EWC) Campus. The
ShAdCo’s enrollment increased from 412 members in 2013 to 456 in 2014 mainly with
the addition of EWC ShAdCo and these members help give a voice to their
neighborhoods in helping to reduce crime and improving the quality-of-life.
SHERIFF’S ADVISORY COUNCIL (ShAdCo)
ZONE FIVE
2013
2014
MEMBERSHIP TOTALS
412
456
CHANGE
+10%
Traffic
Along with Patrol, the Zone Five Traffic Unit is responsible for handling traffic crashes
and general traffic enforcement for Zone Five. In 2014, the Traffic Unit effectively
coordinated with Florida Highway Patrol, State of Florida Agencies such as FDOT Road
Rangers and other local assets to ensure the majority of traffic-related calls were
handled with minimum disruption of traffic flow. Traffic Unit officers relieve regular subsector patrol units from handling most of the traffic enforcement activities in Zone Five
and thus allowed them to attend to crucial crime–related police services. The primary
goal of the Traffic Unit is to reduce traffic crashes/fatalities by education, engineering
and enforcement efforts as these incidents have a negative impact on the entire
community. Traffic enforcement through public education and deterrence by citing traffic
law violators are vital parts of keeping our citizens safe.
Zone Five had 8 traffic fatalities in 2014, a significant decrease from 18 in 2013 and
3,167 traffic crashes in 2014 compared to 3,466 in 2013. The Zone Five Traffic Unit
continues to work towards reducing incidences of crashes by focusing on the locations
that have the highest crash frequencies and the traffic infractions that appear to be most
conducive to causing crashes. Working in conjunction with area patrol officers, the
Traffic Unit is responsible for crash responses, traffic safety education, and much of the
60
zone’s traffic law enforcement efforts. Its primary objective is to promote driver and
pedestrian safety through various methods, including issuing citations, warning,
educational and engineering campaigns. During the past year, the Traffic Unit
participated in a number of safety programs; some were sponsored by JSO, while
others were a cooperative effort with other agencies. All of these programs were aimed
at creating safety awareness for the motoring public and included the Railroad Crossing
Safety programs and Click-it-or-Ticket seatbelt enforcement campaigns. The Zone Five
Traffic Unit is often tasked with traffic related duties for city-wide special events such as
Jaguars football games, neighborhood events, parades and public school events.
As part of Zone Five’s traffic education and
enforcement efforts during 2014, there were literally
thousands of traffic stops and other traffic-related
incidents that involved Zone Five patrol and traffic
officers. As a result, over thirteen-thousand traffic
citations were issued for a multitude of violations. As
significant as that number may be there were far
more encounters in which the officer gave a written
warning citation, a verbal warning or used a
combination of actions. Warning in many instances, especially for minor violations, are
sufficient to remedy a violation by bringing it to the motorists’ attention and achieving the
goal of safety education.
61
ZONE FIVE - TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT
CATEGORY
2013
2014
CHANGE
UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATIONS
12,683
13,623
7.41%
TRAFFIC CRASH INVESTIGATIONS
3,466
3,167
‐8.63%
CRASHES WITH FATALITIES
18
8
-56%
MOVING TRAFFIC WARNING
CITATIONS
476
640
34.45%
Conclusion
In 2014 Zone Five experienced an overall -2% decrease in crime for the year, in
comparison to the 2% increase in 2013. In order to achieve this goal initiatives to
combat violent and property crime was implemented which included partnering with
Operation Safe Streets (OSS), Investigations and Homeland Security, and the Crime
Analysis Unit. The initiatives were primarily focused in areas that experienced significant
increases in violent crime. The command staff and officers met with citizens during
community meetings and neighborhood walks to listen to their concerns, and solicit their
input regarding solutions to these issues. In addition to a 2% decrease in overall crime
in 2014 Zone 5 also achieved -56% reduction in traffic fatalities. The traffic unit
conducted a series of deployments to address motorist speeding and violating traffic
control devices.
We will continue using best practices to achieve reductions in crime, traffic fatalities,
and improve relationships in the community with residents, leaders of faith based
organizations, business and civic leaders.
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ZONE SIX
Zone Six encompasses the northern section of Duval County. The Trout River and the
northern arm of the St. Johns River act as the southern boundary, and the
Duval/Nassau County line as the northern boundary. The zone is divided into two
subsectors, P and Q, each having three subsectors within them. Zone Six encompasses
a land area of 189.54 square miles, making it the largest of the six patrol zones. Zone
six has continued to experience tremendous residential and business growth and now
has a population that exceeds 73,000 per the latest Census Data.
The Zone Six Substation is located in the Highlands Square Shopping Center at 936
Dunn Avenue and is open for business Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 5:00
P.M. The substation offers a full range of police services to the citizens of Jacksonville,
ranging from fingerprints and background checks, to reporting incidents.
At the conclusion of the calendar year 2014, Zone Six personnel included one Assistant
Division Chief, five Lieutenants, ten Sergeants, Eighty-One Officers, and one Clerical
Support Aide III.
There are six Stop Stations located in Zone Six.
These Stop Stations, which are
located in each sub-sector were established in partnership with area businesses and
provide office space for officers to conduct follow-up investigations, and interact with the
community.
63
P1- Williams Scotsman Trailer 325 Clark Road.
P2-Walmart 12100 Lem Turner Road.
P3-Courtyard Marriott 14668 Duval Road.
Q1-Trend Offset Printing 10301 Busch Drive. N.
Q2-Holiday Inn Express 10148 New Berlin Road.
Q3-River City Garage 13000 City Station Drive.
Sheriff’s Advisory Council
There are two Sheriff’s Advisory Councils (ShAdCo) active in Zone Six. Sector “P”
ShAdCo represents citizens that reside west of I-95. Sector “Q” ShAdCo represents
citizens who reside east of I-95. In 2013, ShAdCo Membership in Sector P totaled 118
and Sector Q totaled 103 by year end, for a membership total of 221. In 2014 the total
Zone 6 ShAdCo membership climbed to 237.
Total ShAdCo Membership
2013
2014
221
237
One of the many ways ShAdCo gives back to the community is by visiting a nursing
home each year. In 2014 the ShAdCo members brought a little holiday cheer to some of
the residents at Jacksonville Nursing and Rehab Center located at 4134 Dunn Ave. The
members provided food and small gifts to the residents of the nursing home. The
residents were overwhelmed by the effort.
Annual Children’s Christmas Party
The Zone Six Children’s Christmas Party was held on
December 6th at the Police Academy. ShAdCo
members paid for gifts to be provided to 37 children
ranging from 6 months to 12 years of age. The names
of the children were provided by Northside area
64
elementary. Zone 6 officers distributed the bags of toys as the children sat on Santa’s
lap and had a photo made.
Everyone enjoyed the sound of Christmas music as
ShAdCo members served hot dogs, chips, cake and cookies. Thanks to our ShAdCo
Volunteers, the project was a tremendous success once again.
The laughter and
smiles on the children’s faces as they were greeted by Santa Claus was priceless.
Seniors versus Crimes
This program is administered through the Attorney General’s Office for the State of
Florida. They work jointly with our agency to prevent crimes perpetrated against the
elderly. They also file criminal cases with our agency. We have several volunteers who
come to the Zone 6 substation once a week to provide support for the Seniors versus
Crimes initiative.
Zone 6 Christmas Eve Parade
This year marked the sixth anniversary of this now annual event and it is a shining
example of positive interaction between police officers and the community they serve.
With Officer Herrington at the reins again, groups of officer organized a Christmas
Parade with marked police vehicles. As a testament to understanding the real meaning
of Christmas, several officers’ own children made the decision to become repeat
participants in the parade.
The husband and wife team of officers T.W. and
T.J. Herrington, wearing their own professional
costumes, played the parts of Santa and Mrs.
Claus perfectly. With children dressed as Elves,
the group certainly dressed the part. The caravan
of police vehicles, with Santa Claus and uniformed
officers, slowly made its way through several local
neighborhoods passing out toys to the children and did not stop until all of the toys were
handed out.
The parade route included the neighborhoods of San Mateo and
65
Oceanway.
Donations from both area citizens and local businesses are at the heart of making this
parade such a great success and a staple of Zone 6. The North Jax Monthly Newsletter
assisted again this year in setting up toy collection sites at several local businesses,
including AA Bottle Gas Company, Oceanway Hardware, Juniors Seafood, Cleo’s
Sandwich Shop, Toys for Tots, and Ancient City Romance Authors. The area citizens
flooded the sites and donated over 3,000 new toys. Eason Enterprises provided a
sleigh for Santa and his merry crew. In addition, Officer Herrington was able to present
four families that were experiencing very
difficult times a Christmas dinner provided by
Junior’s Seafood.
Many
children
and
adults
exited
their
residences to see the excitement and to meet
Santa and Mrs. Claus. This also allowed the
Herrington’s the opportunity to get down from
the sleigh and interact with the crowd. The laughter and smiles from the children as
they were greeted by Santa Claus were amazing. The positive reaction from a special
needs adult when she hugged Santa was truly something to behold. The parade has
become an annual favorite for all the officers involved. The actions of these officers
clearly demonstrate the Sheriff’s Office Core Value of Community Focused.
Annual Safety Fair
Our
Annual
Safety
Fair
was
organized and held on May 17, 2014
at River City Marketplace located at
13141 City Station Dr. We had
representatives from the Canine Unit,
Marine Unit, Jacksonville Aviation
66
Authority, Seniors vs. Crimes, ShAdCo, and the First Coast Crime Stoppers. Further
assistance at the Safety Fair was provided by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida
Wildlife Commission and CSX Transportation. CSX gave some great tips on railroad
safety. One of the busiest vendors was the FBIJCAAA (FBI Jacksonville Citizens
Academy Alumni Association) who provide Child Safety Fingerprinting Kits. We had a
few new vendors this year such as; the Skeeterhawk Experiment, Tobacco Prevention
Program of FL., Traffic Reporter 511, the Jacksonville Zoo and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Zone Six Officers and ShAdCo members
joined the Sheriff on his walk through the
Sheffield Oaks neighborhood in April 22,
2014. There were a large number of area
residents who also participated in the walk
with the Sheriff. The neighborhood citizens
contacted
during
the
walk
voiced
their
concerns. Sheriff Rutherford and the Zone Six
leadership group addressed the neighborhood problems and put in play a plan of action
to follow-up on the issues needing a more thorough solution.
Patrol
The most visible element of Zone Six is Patrol. Patrol Officers are assigned to a two
color squad format. This format provides for a multiple days off period. Their assigned
reporting times are closely aligned to the demand of calls for service. Officers that are
assigned to the Patrol Unit are directly responsible for the protection of life and property,
prevention of criminal activity, preliminary investigation of offenses reported by the
public, apprehension of criminal offenders, investigation of traffic accidents, and
continuous preventative patrol of the community. Officers respond to a variety of calls
for service and pro-actively patrol the zone in response to current crime trends. They
maintain constant contact with various Sheriff’s Office divisions, in order to develop the
most effective strategies possible to combat crime.
67
River City Mall Officers
Two officers, one for blue and one for gold, were assigned to patrol the River City Mall
and adjoining areas. This is a rapidly growing dining, shopping, and entertainment area
serving Jacksonville and South Georgia. The holiday season normally causes an
increase in violent and property crimes due to numerous reasons. During the month of
December, Walmart hired off-duty officers, which was beneficial in keeping the crime
down in the mall during the holidays.
Lieutenant Eason implemented a plan that
improved the flow of traffic by efficiently eliminating the intersections susceptible to
blockage, which in turn allowed the traffic to flow and exit the mall without any major
traffic backup. He also worked closely with mall management convincing them of the
need for secondary employment officers to do traffic control.
Zone Six Four-Wheel Drive Unit
Four-Wheel Drive Officers are currently assigned to Huguenot Park during the peak
season, which runs from April through early September. During the off-season, they are
assigned to special deployments in the zone. They have been very useful in addressing
traffic problems, auto burglaries, and augmenting mall patrol during the holiday season.
Community Problem Response Team
During the months of November and December
the team participated in the Patrol West
Initiative.
During this time,
efforts were
concentrated on violent crime in Patrol West.
Several felony arrests were made that included
firearms and stolen vehicles. Contact was also
made with citizens. The citizens appreciated the Sheriff’s Office having dialogue with
them. They thanked us for being present in areas where several shootings had taken
place and appreciated our efforts in keeping the community safe.
68
Zone Six Traffic Unit
The Traffic Unit’s primary focus is to ensure compliance of traffic laws, and investigate
traffic crashes. The unit also addresses citizen and departmental generated traffic
complaints to reduce traffic fatalities. This was accomplished by conducting two traffic
saturation deployments per month. Our traffic officers handle numerous traffic crashes
and utilize their free time to engage in pro-active deployments addressing high
frequency crash locations; as well as targeting locations where we had multiple
fatalities. The Traffic Unit utilized the Smart Trailer as an education and intervention
measure. The electronic message board was used to pass pertinent traffic information
to drivers. The unit utilizes Radar, Laser, as well as three Covert Traffic Vehicles. These
vehicles allow Officers to observe and engage aggressive drivers without being
detected.
Zone 6 Traffic Enforcement
2014
Total Crash Handled
1,296
Total Fatalities
18
Total # HQ Calls
3,200
Citations
Uniform Traffic Citations
7,176
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Sponsored by the Northside Business Leaders, the following officers were chosen as
Officer of the Quarter for 2014;
1st Quarter
Officer M. Turner
2nd Quarter
Officer C. Reagor
3rd Quarter
Officer S. Gresham
4th Quarter
Officer C. Plaugher
Congratulations to the Zone 6 Officer and Supervisor of the Year. The process of this
award involved each of the five lieutenants submitting nominations. Each lieutenant
had an opportunity to convince the others as to why their nominee should receive this
award. The lieutenants decided that the Officer of Year and Supervisor of the Year for
2014 would be:
Supervisor of the Year
Sergeant Michael Pfenning
Officer of the Year
Officer Jay L. Taylor, Jr.
There is no mission more important than the lives and safety of the citizens of
Jacksonville Florida. The officers and personnel assigned to Zone Six as well as the
entire Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office are committed to safe guarding the lives of each
individual. We consider it a privilege to serve this community and will continue to do so
with the utmost professionalism, courtesy and zeal.
70
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION
The Community Affairs Division has the primary responsibility of cultivating the
partnership between the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the community. We
continuously strive to increase the level of cooperation between the citizens we serve
and our efforts to depress crime throughout our communities. Having the public align
with us to jointly battle crime is effective in reducing incidents and increasing the safety
and quality of life the community deserves.
Within our division we have officers assigned to both crime prevention and enforcement
tasks. The goal of our personnel is to reduce crime through effective strategies and
equipping the community with knowledge to prevent victimization. Additionally, we have
the responsibility of planning and implementing major special events including the
FL/GA Game, the Gator Bowl Game and the One Spark festival. These events garner
national attention and the proper delivery of police services positively reflects on the
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the City of Jacksonville. For more information about our
division and a full listing of programs and resources, please visit our website at
www.jaxsheriff.org.
71
Community Affairs Division Organizational Chart
72
Community Affairs Division Staffing Comparison
Personnel
2013
2014
2013-2014 Comparison
Chief
1
1
-
Assistant Chiefs
2
2
-
Lieutenants
4
4
-
Sergeants
9
9
-
Safety Education Unit Officers
3
4
+1
Police Athletic League Officers
6
6
-
Parks Officer
1
1
-
JHA Unit Officers
5
4
-1
International Affairs Unit Officers
2
2
-
Crime Prevention Unit Officers
2
3
+1
Offender Tracking Unit Officers
-
14
+14
Crime Free Muti-Housing
13
-
-13
Secondary Employment Unit Officers
1
2
+1
Vehicle Storage Officers
2
2
-
Marine Unit Officers
2
2
-
Special Events Unit Officers
1
1
-
Tele-Serve Unit Officers
20
18
-2
JSO Community Affairs Specialist
1
1
-
Civilian Personnel
10
11
+1
Crossing Guards
295
265
-30
TOTAL
380
352
-28
73
Sheriff’s Advisory Council (ShAdCo)
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Advisory Council (ShAdCo) is a group of concerned
community members with diverse viewpoints that share a common goal. These citizens
volunteer their time to improving the quality of life within their community. ShAdCo
members attend meetings where information is exchanged with department staff
members in each zone. The shared information, gained knowledge and the ongoing
relationship created by ShAdCo truly benefits our community and strengthens our
agency’s crime fighting work.
Over the past years, ShAdCo membership has consistently increased its size from just
six hundred (600) in 2003. Last year we suffered a decrease of memberships due to
members moving out of the county. I’m pleased to announce that in 2014, council
membership increased from two thousand eight hundred and eighty nine (2889)
members to three thousand forty one (3041).
3200
2013
3000
2014
2800
ShAdCo Memberships
74
Crime Prevention Unit
The Crime Prevention Unit (C.P.U.) is staffed
by one (1) sergeant, three (3) crime prevention
officers, and one (1) civilian crime prevention
coordinator. The Crime Prevention Officers
serve to educate the community directly,
through various safety education seminars,
and indirectly with the assistance of media
outlets and social media forums. The Crime
Prevention Unit acts as a communication link between the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
and the community citywide. The Crime Prevention Unit utilizes many resources to
achieve its goal, from classes in various forms of personal and property safety to onsite
security surveys of businesses and residences. The Crime Prevention Unit also
maintains a liaison with community oriented groups, like Neighborhood Watch and
Business Watch, and helps to facilitate and host meetings targeting criminal trends,
patterns, and overall personal and property safety concerns. Any private citizen or civic
association is encouraged to contact the Crime Prevention Unit to learn more about
protecting themselves and their community.
The Crime Prevention Unit achieves its goals through a series of programs and services
including, but not limited to:

Neighborhood Watch and Business Watch;

Sheriff’s Advisory Council (ShAdCo);

A variety of safety lectures for local citizen, business, community, religious and
education groups as well as other government agencies;

Child safety presentations such as “Officer Friendly”, Anti-Bullying, and “Stranger
Danger” to local youth groups and education organizations;

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED);
75

Home and business security surveys;

Annual ShAdCo, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator’s and National Night Out
events;

Identity Theft prevention presentations;

Auto Theft and Auto Burglary prevention presentations;

Burglary and Robbery prevention presentations;

Civilian Firearm Familiarization classes;
During 2014, the Crime Prevention Unit organized and presented five hundred forty-six
(546) safety/crime prevention programs and thirty-three (33) home/business security
surveys to various sources and venues throughout Jacksonville.
2013
2014
+/Difference
Annual Functions
(ShAdCo, N.W., Nat’l Night Out)
28
30
+2
Business Watch
22
24
+2
Children’s Christmas Party
1
1
0
Civilian Firearm Familiarization
2
2
0
Commercial Security Surveys
21
31
+ 10
Common Sense Self-Defense
26
20
-6
Community Meetings (parks)
18
11
-7
Community Posse Meetings
9
9
0
CPTEDs
2
1
-1
Home Security Surveys
2
2
0
I.D. Theft Seminars
0
12
+ 12
Neighborhood Watch (new and revitalized)
27
34
+7
Officer Friendly
49
73
+ 24
Personal Safety
77
106
+ 29
Crime Prevention Program Type
76
Personal Safety (non-English)
32
87
+ 55
Police Memorial Building Tours
9
9
0
Robbery Presentations
1
0
-1
Senior Safety
10
24
+ 14
ShAdCo
35
34
-1
Sheriff’s Walks
12
5
-7
Shop with a Cop
2
1
-1
Stranger Danger
35
63
+ 28
TOTAL
420
579
+ 159
77
Neighborhood Watch/Business Watch Program
Neighborhood Watch is a safety initiative involving the collective efforts of the
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the neighborhoods of Jacksonville. The program was
developed to create a sense of unity amongst neighbors with a common goal to keep
each other safe through a philosophy of “observe and report.” The focus of
Neighborhood Watch is to teach neighbors how to heighten their awareness beyond
their own yards and into their community.
The program teaches members of a
neighborhood about personal and property security, reporting suspicious activity, and
developing a neighborhood awareness program where neighbors are able to help watch
each other’s property. In 2013, nine (9) new neighborhood watches were implemented
and eighteen (18) were revitalized. In 2014, nine (9) new neighborhood watches were
implemented and fifteen (15) were revitalized. The city now has a total of one-thousand
and thirty-six (1036) neighborhood watch programs, compared to one-thousand and
thirty-eight (1038) in 2013. Note: In 2014, several watches were reclassified from
“active” to “pending” due to the changing of coordinators, and “pending” watches are not
included in the total neighborhood watch count.
Business Watch is a partnership program between local businesses and the
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. In the tradition of Neighborhood Watch, the Business
Watch program is used to encourage and teach businesses how to implement better
safety and security practices while keeping neighboring businesses informed of local
problems and issues. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office keeps members informed of
criminal trends and patterns in their area and offers solutions to deter unwanted activity.
In 2014, twenty-four (24) new Business Watches were implemented, bringing a citywide total of nine-hundred and eight (946) members of Business Watch.
78
Citizens Self Defense And Awareness Program
This program is designed to teach situational awareness and basic combat defense
skills for community members. Citizens are taught ways to avoid potentially dangerous
situations as well as a means to resolve situations when confrontation cannot be
avoided. The course also focuses on avoiding unnecessary distraction, even while
multitasking. In 2014, the Crime Prevention Unit held twenty (20) classes throughout the
city.
Firearms Safety
The Crime Prevention Unit organizes two classes each year dedicated to teaching
private citizens how to safely handle firearms and understand
the laws on when to appropriately discharge them. The
classes are hosted and taught by certified firearms instructors
of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Training Academy. The
course is designed to instill confidence in its attendees while
teaching
them
to
respect
and
conduct
themselves
appropriately while in possession of a firearm. Two classes
were held in 2014, one in April and the other in October. A
total of twenty-eight (28) private citizens were instructed on
safe firearm handling, storage and use of force.
Safe Parks
The Safe Parks Unit was established in 2005 in partnership with the Department of
Parks and Recreation. The need for security to oversee nearly 125 square miles of
parks and preservation properties led to the creation of the Safe Parks Unit. Municipal
Ordinance code 28.103(d) was enacted in 2007 to require a minimum of one police
officer, under control of the Sheriff, to be assigned to the Unit at all times. The officer is
committed to providing the highest quality service possible to make our parks better and
safer places to visit. Community partnerships involving proactive crime prevention
measures and problem solving strategies aid in supporting the mission of the
79
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to protect the
lives
and
property
of
our
community
members.
The Parks Unit actively patrols numerous
locations through the use of marked and
unmarked patrol units, four-wheel drive and
all-terrain vehicles, watercrafts and on foot. It
utilizes various programs and prevention strategies to achieve its mission to safeguard
lives and property in our parks:

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), which is a multidisciplinary strategy that uses the environment itself to influence offender
decisions that precede criminal acts;

Police officers are “hired” to live on park grounds to provide security and to
create a law enforcement presence during and after park hours of operation. A
total of forty-four (44) park sites in Jacksonville have live-on security;

Community meetings are held at various park locations throughout the year to
discuss personal safety and park rules with community members. Eleven (11)
community and park safety meetings were organized and completed by the
Parks Unit in 2014;

Surveillance systems are installed in various park locations to aid in identifying
crime trends, patterns and offenders;

Youth outreach programs, like Summer Night Lights, work to give youths a place
to spend Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings supervised after hours at
twelve (12) park locations in Jacksonville.
The Parks Unit maintains a liaison with many surrounding agencies, including the Parks
and Recreation Division, Florida Fish and Wildlife, Florida East Coast Railroad Police,
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, Department of Environmental Protection, Jacksonville
Electric Authority, and Jacksonville Water Taxi, to name a few.
80
In 2011, the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA)
recognized the Department of Parks and Recreation for excellence in operation and
service. The Department of Parks and Recreation has maintained its accreditation
through 2014. The CAPRA Accreditation award is only held by 24 agencies in Florida,
and 140 in the nation.
International Affairs Unit
For the past eight years, the IAU (International Affairs Unit) has made significant
progress in educating and gaining the
trust
of
the
non-English
community in Jacksonville.
speaking
Since its
inception, the unit has taken measures
to ensure that our agency bridges the
gap
with
all
non-English
speaking
residents.
The IAU makes a concerted effort to
educate the non-English speaking community about crime prevention. By immersing
ourselves into areas that are heavily populated by non-English speakers, we have
fostered an environment of trust that promotes an increased probability of intervention.
Additionally, we have partnered with the local Hispanic and Haitian media outlets in
order to reach an increased number of the non-English speaking population.
The IAU continues to collaborate with organizations that receive new arrivals of
immigrants from around the world. Various organizations in the local area such as
World Relief, Lutheran Social Services, and Catholic Charities, maintain monthly JSO
orientation and safety classes to familiarize new arrivals and instruct them on the use of
911 and other emergency services. This year, the IAU partnered with The Center for
Language and Culture at Kings Trail Elementary and established a weekly radio show
to reach the Hispanic Community and provide them an opportunity to call in and ask
questions.
81
Continuous outreach efforts of the IAU have significantly strengthened the level of trust
of multiple nationalities in their local law enforcement. The impact of this increased trust
is definitively demonstrated by an elevated number of crimes being reported within this
segment of our population.
The IAU holds monthly and quarterly meetings with various community organizations
and agencies in its endeavor to increase exposure of the unit’s function and
effectiveness in the community. An outreach effort at Kings Trail Elementary School
attracted over 500 non-English speaking residents and their children. Participants in
this back- to-school event received a wealth of information regarding various resources
available in their community. The large turnout for this event clearly demonstrates an
increased awareness of the IAU and the positive impact it is having in Jacksonville.
2013
2014
+/- Difference
Calls Received
365
387
+ 22
Citizens Contacted and Educated with Crime
Prevention
742
1240
+ 498
Businesses Visited
35
24
- 11
Hispanic Citizens Assisted at the P.M.B
70
70
0
U-Visas Processed
87
96
+9
Aided in Detective Cases
147
136
- 11
TOTAL
1446
1953
+ 507
International Affairs Service Type
82
The following report provides a brief summary of notable activities completed in 2014.
•
Partnered with the Department of Health and St. Vincent’s to conduct Health and
Safety Fairs for the children of Duval County.
•
Participated in the Children’s Commission Panel for Refugee and Immigrants and
Multicultural Issues as a panelist.
•
Conducted live interviews on the local FM and AM Hispanic radio station (“Latina
Hits and La Raza”). Educated the public on various topics that have affected or
can affect the Hispanic Community as well as announcements of various
campaigns and initiatives for the City of Jacksonville on a weekly basis. Citizens
had the opportunity to call and ask questions on the air.
•
Officer Archbold was recognized and received an award from the Duval County
Public School ESOL program for excellence in the non-English speaking
community.
•
Officer Peña was recognized as JSO’s Officer of the Month for April, 2014. He
assisted the Homicide unit in 4 cases which resulted in 3 of the 4 cases being
solved with the 4th case still being investigated.
The International Affairs Unit also had a key role in providing translation assistance to
the other Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office detective units as well as outside agencies. Other
agencies requesting the IAU assistance this year included: The State Attorney’s Office
4th Judicial Circuit, fraud investigators for the
State of Florida, Crime Stoppers, and the
Atlantic
Beach
Police
Department.
Additionally, the unit provided auxiliary support
to the surrounding counties.
In addition to providing assistance to various
units within the agency, the unit also met with
the following groups to stay knowledgeable of the various issues and circumstances
that affect the non-English speaking population:
•
Contributor to the monthly Multi-Agency Gang Unit meetings
•
Northeast Florida Hate Crimes Workgroup
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•
Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Task Force
•
Jacksonville Area Refugee Task Force
•
Duval County Hispanic Advisory Council
•
Contributor to the Florida Minority Task Force Occupant Protection Team
•
UCIS Jacksonville (United Stated Customs and Immigration Services)
•
Duval County Traffic Safety Team (Department of Transportation)
The International Affairs Unit supported the Community Affairs Division’s 2014 goals
and objectives. The IAU also participated in the following events: Preventing Crime in
the Black Community Conference, the Annual ShAdCo meeting, National Night Out,
FOP Shop with a Cop, Sulzbacher Children’s Christmas Party, and Jacksonville
Children’s Christmas Party.
In May 2014, the IAU organized and coordinated a two week venture with various
vendors to promote the importance of dental and health care as well as child safety.
This year the services offered included:
•
School physicals
•
Dental exams and cleanings
•
Nutritionist from Duval County Health Department onsite
•
Free haircuts
•
Free onsite HIV testing
•
Free car seat safety checks
In addition to the services provided, representatives from the Duval County School
Board E.S.O.L. program (English for Speakers of Other Languages), Hubbard House,
The Department of Homeland Security Immigration Division, and the Center for
Language and Culture were present for the event. This event focused primarily on the
non-English speaking community. This year, over 500 children and families from other
nationalities in Jacksonville benefited from this program conducted by professional
health care doctors and vendors in a pro-bono capacity. Due to the diligence and
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proactive efforts of the International Affairs Unit, participation in this event is increasing
annually.
School Safety Education Unit
Safety Education Officers (SEO’s) are sworn police officers who are usually the first line
of law enforcement that come into contact with youth ages 3-11 in our city. The Safety
Education Officers (SEO’s) work closely with the Duval County Public School System
(DCPS), which includes 106 elementary schools. The DCPS allows the Safety
Education Officers to come into the elementary schools to present the following
programs to their students: Officer Friendly, Stranger Danger, Anti-Bullying, and Bicycle
Safety. These programs create a positive interaction between the students and police
officers.
In addition to partnering with the Duval County
Public School System the Safety Education
Officers supervise two hundred ninety six (296)
School Crossing Guards. They are also tasked
with
recruiting,
selecting,
training,
and
assigning the School Crossing Guards to the
various
elementary
schools
within
Duval
County. The purpose of the School Crossing Guards is to help ensure the safety of
elementary school age students walking to and from the various schools.
The Safety Education Officers meet monthly with representatives from the State of
Florida Department of Transportation, Duval County School Safety, Duval County
School Bus Transportation, and the City of Jacksonville Traffic Operations Division.
These meetings focus on the evaluation and assessment of the current school safety
zone locations, the evolving need for new school safety zones and the placement of
School Crossing Guards.
Safety Education Officers spend time with student School Safety Patrol members and
their individual teacher sponsors.
These officers provide training and classroom
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discussion to familiarize safety patrol members with their respective duties for their
schools.
During the spring of each year, the Safety Education Officers along with the partnership
of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6922 host a School Safety Patrol Appreciation
Play Day for the School Safety Patrol members as a reward for their hard work and
dedication throughout the school year. This year, on May 8 2014, the School Safety
Patrol members gathered at the Monument Police Athletic League to participate in
competitive sports activities, a picnic, and the awarding of trophies and prizes.
The annual Washington D.C. School Safety Patrol Trips are coordinated and planned
by the Safety Education Officers. During the month of June 2014, eight hundred and
thirty- nine (839) students and four hundred and sixty-five (465) chaperones totaling
thirteen hundred and four (1,304) people from seventy seven (77) public and private
schools participated in this year’s trips to Washington D.C. They were escorted by
thirty-six (36) Jacksonville Police Officers, three (3) Police Sergeants and eight (8)
Jacksonville Fire/Rescue Department paramedics on thirty (30) buses to the nation’s
capital.
This educational trip is rewarding for these youth as they learn about our
founding fathers and our government. These trips promote a stronger relationship
between our city’s youth and the officers that escort them on this educational discovery.
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The following represents the number of programs and activities presented during 2014:
Program Type
2013
2014
+/- Difference
Officer Friendly
90
93
+3
Stranger Danger
101
98
-3
D.C. Trip Meetings
14
20
+6
Safety Patrol Training
24
24
0
Explorer Training and Events
28
15
- 13
Police and Youth
4
9
+5
School Crossing Guard Training
4
4
0
Traffic Safety Meeting
11
11
0
Substance Abuse
0
6
+6
Shop with Sulzbacher Children
1
1
0
Bullying and Sexting
4
9
+5
ShAdCo Events
1
1
0
Girl Scouts
1
1
0
Shop with a Cop
2
1
-1
TOTAL
285
293
+8
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Police Explorer Program
The Law Enforcement Explorer Program provides in-depth education about police
operations to young persons that have shown an interest in the Law Enforcement
Profession.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Police Explorer Program also fosters
communication and involvement between Explorers across the State of Florida.
Explorers share innovative ideas, training ideas in
law enforcement tactics and learn to become
positive innovative leaders in their communities.
The Explorers also support their community
through community service projects.
There are currently two Explorer Posts (Post 948
and Post 949), in Jacksonville. They have been
assigned to the Community Affairs Division since
June of 1997. Presently there are thirty (30)
Police Explorers.
The Law Enforcement Explorer Post Advisor’s role is a mentor as they educate these
young community members about the positive contribution that law enforcement has on
our society. The Advisors must complete training from the Learning for Life organization
in mentoring youth.
The Explorers served our community in 2014 by providing assistance during the
following community events: Annual ShAdCo meeting, P.A.L. Volunteer Dinner, T.P.C.
Golf Tournament, Guns N Hoses, Champions for Justice Awards Dinner, Safety Patrol
Play Day, Zone 2 and Zone 3 Safety Fair, Explorer State Conference, F.O.P. Easter
Party, Halloween Party, Christmas toy giveaway, and local high school events.
Interested youth between the ages of fifteen (15) and twenty-one (21) can apply by
summiting an application to the Community Affairs Division. The applicant must also
have parental permission, a general liability release and a minimum of a 2.0 grade point
average. All new cadets must attend sixty-four (64) hours of training in various police
related functions, held on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings for eight (8) weeks. The
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Police Explorer Post graduated a class of 18 cadets into the Explorer Program in
November 18, 2014. Applications are currently being processed for Class # 01-2015.
Tele-Serv Unit
The Tele-Serv Unit supplements the Patrol Division with writing various reports
including minor crimes and informational reports where the presence of a police officer
at the scene is not required. This diversion of calls for service from the patrol zones
allows patrol officers more time to conduct patrol level investigations and to become
more involved in crime prevention within the community. In addition to writing reports,
the Tele-Serv Unit assists walk-in complainants and also handles informational type
phone calls where citizens may have a question regarding a civil or criminal matter.
The Citizens On-line Reporting System is an option for the citizens to report minor
incidents on the JSO webpage. This system augments the Tele-Serv Unit by allowing
citizens to complete minor theft or criminal mischief reports at their convenience. Dark
Reports (also known as property watches) are completed by the Tele-Serv unit and
disseminated to the appropriate geographical patrol zone for periodic security checks.
2013
2014
+/Difference
Calls Handled
24,807
28,789
+ 3982
Walk-Ins
3,857
4,107
+ 250
General Offense and Supplement Reports
13,905
17,208
+ 3303
Field Investigative Reports
136
176
+ 40
Dark Reports
199
356
+ 157
On-Line Reports
710
946
+ 236
43,614
51,582
+ 7968
Tele-Serv Service Type
TOTAL
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Managed Criminal Investigation Unit (MCI)
The Managed Criminal Investigation Unit (MCI) is staffed by one (1) officer who is
tasked with
the
completion of
supplemental reports to update
cases that
victims/complainants have decided to directly file with the State Attorney’s Office.
Additionally, both the Civil Citation Database and the Curfew Violation Notice to Appear
Citation Log are also maintained by this officer.
During 2014, approximately one thousand nine hundred (1,900) MCI Supplemental
Reports were written and fifty one (51) Curfew Violation Notices were issued.
In
comparison to the previous year in 2013, there were two thousand two hundred thirty
(2,230) MCI Supplemental Reports written and fifty seven (57) Curfew Violation Notices
issued.
The over-all goal of issuing Juvenile Civil Citations is to route first time misdemeanor
juvenile offenders from a physical arrest to a diversion program. The program
encompasses risk assessments as well as civil sanctions.
If the juvenile offender
completes the imposed requirements of the program, the otherwise consequences of a
criminal record will be avoided. In 2014, there were a total of one hundred eighty four
(184) Juvenile Civil Citations issued and two hundred fifteen (215) in 2013.
MCI UNIT
2013
2014
+/- Differnce
MCI Supplement Reports Written
2,230
1,900
- 330
Curfew Violation Notices
57
51
-6
Juvenile Civil Citations Issued
215
184
- 31
Total
2502
2135
- 367
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Jacksonville Housing Authority Police Liaison Unit
The Jacksonville Housing Authority (J.H.A.) Police Liaison
Unit is comprised of one (1) lieutenant, one (1) sergeant
and four (4) officers. The unit is responsible for
investigating criminal activity that is unique within the
J.H.A. communities. Using an array of law enforcement
techniques such as intelligence led policing strategies
coupled with improving upon community relations; the unit
has seen a successful year. The unit was reduced by one
(1) officer during the 2014 year, but has maintained the
same level of service to the tenants and staff members of
the J.H.A.
Throughout 2014, the Jacksonville Housing Authority Police Liaison Unit has directed its
efforts to better connect with the children in and around the J.H.A. communities. The
Teen Talk program is held in each community on a monthly basis. This program offers a
wide variety of instruction concerning safety, anti-drug education, and conflict resolution.
An open dialogue approach between the police and the children has helped make this
program excel.
In addition to the normal duties and responsibilities of the J.H.A. Unit, the officers
participated in the following special events: Work Place Violence Prevention seminars to
J.H.A. staff, Clara White Mission Feed the Homeless, Clara White Miracle on Ashley
Street, Safety Patrol Trip to Washington, Summer Safety Rally at Victory Point, Back to
School Rallies, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, July 4th Jacksonville Landing security
assignment, Florida Georgia Football R. V. City security, Jacksonville Jaguar Football
Games, Annual Sheriff’s Advisory Council (ShAdCo) meeting, Jacksonville Children’s
Christmas Party at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, Special Needs Christmas
Party, and the F.O.P. Cops and Kids.
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Unit Activity
2013
2014
+/- Difference
Felony Arrests
18
8
- 10
Misdemeanor Arrests
27
15
- 12
Notice To Appear
17
30
+ 13
Field Investigation Reports
58
35
- 23
Traffic Citations Issued
6
6
0
Total Arrests
45
53
+8
Offender Tracking Unit
The Patrol and Enforcement Department realigned several units within three Divisions
and as a result the Offender Tracking Unit was moved under the command of the
Community Affairs Division.
Within Duval County, there are approximately 2115 sexual predators and offenders.
Additionally, there are 210 career criminals that reside within our jurisdiction. It is the
responsibility of the Offender Tracking Unit (O.T.U.) to track these individuals and
ensure they are in compliance with all state and local laws. When a sexual predator or
offender is not in compliance with the mandatory State of Florida registration laws
(F.S.S. 775 and 943.0435), O.T.U. works with the Florida Department of Law
Enforcement (F.D.L.E.), the U.S. Marshal’s Office and other law enforcement agencies
inside and outside the State of Florida to locate, apprehend and arrest any suspect that
is not in compliance with Florida State Statues. If a sexual predator or offender is
unable to be located, an arrest warrant is obtained.
The Offender Tracking Unit is comprised of one lieutenant, two sergeants, 13 detectives
and one clerical support aide.
Over the last several years, the number of tracked
individuals within Duval County has climbed to 1844 (an increase of 16% from 2012).
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This number includes 260 sexual predators that are contacted monthly (as of
December, 2014).
In July 2014, the unit was expanded to its current size to ensure a
high quality of service. The safety of the citizens of Jacksonville is foremost on minds of
each of these highly trained and professional detectives.
During 2014, O.T.U. detectives contacted and verified an average of two hundred and
fifty seven (257) sexual predators on a monthly basis. This is an increase of 6% from
2013’s average of two hundred and forty one (241) verified predators. Additionally,
O.T.U. detectives verified thirteen hundred and twenty one (1321) registered sexual
offenders in 2014, as compared to one thousand two hundred twenty-four (1,224) in
2013 (a 9% increase) and nine hundred and sixty-six (966) in 2009 representing a 37%
increase in the last five years. Recent changes of Florida State Statues expanding the
definition of a sexual offender / sexual predator to include additional crimes coupled with
an influx of sexual offenders / predators from other states have contributed to the above
listed increases.
The safety of the citizens of Jacksonville, in particular the children of our community is
the driving force of the O.T.U. With this as our goal, the O.T.U. conducted a city wide
deployment on October 31st to verify that all Duval County sexual offenders / predators
were in compliance with Jacksonville Municipal Ordinance 685.104.
Working with
additional officers from throughout the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, detectives verified
that each offender was in compliance with the ordinance. For six hours, detectives
travelled throughout the city and visually checked each offender / predator residence.
One thousand, four hundred and sixty three (1463) sexual offenders were checked with
only six (6) found to be in violation (less than one half of one percent). Violations
included decorations and exterior lighting that could invite children to knock on the
sexual offender / predator’s door. None of the two hundred and fifty seven (257) sexual
predators were found to be in violation of the municipal ordinance.
Currently, the O.T.U. utilizes the F.D.L.E. sexual offender / predator database in
conjunction with the “Offender Watch” database to track and document active offenders
93
and predators. This links us with the sixty seven (67) Florida counties and thirty six (36)
other states for the purpose of tracking sexual offenders / predators. Both of these
systems have been vital in the unit’s efforts to effectively trace the movements of
offenders / predators if they attempt to abscond. These lines of communication have
allowed enforcement action to be taken against an offender as far away as Washington
State.
Special Events Unit
The Special Events Unit plans major sporting, entertainment and community events in
Jacksonville. The unit has developed partnerships with the City of Jacksonville Special
Events Division, SMG, and other entities, to provide citizens and visitors with a safe and
entertaining experience. Assigned to the unit are one (1) lieutenant, one (1) sergeant,
and one (1) police officer.
In 2014, the Jaguars hosted seven (7) home games and two (2) were pre-season
games. The Special Events Unit was responsible for providing efficient traffic flow of
pedestrians and vehicles around EverBank Field. The unit also maintained the safety of
the fans throughout the season for the Jaguar home games. Also, the Special Events
Unit assisted in the success of the two major college football games played at EverBank
Field (Florida vs. Georgia and the Taxslayer Bowl). The Special Events Unit received
praise from city officials for the success of the games. The participating universities and
media also paid compliments to the unit regarding their professionalism that was
demonstrated during these events.
On February 22, 2014, Jacksonville played host to the Monster Truck Jam, located at
EverBank Field. There were 70,000 fans in attendance for this large annual event. The
Special Events Unit diligently handled the many challenges that the Monster Truck Jam
presented. The officers working traffic positions provided the necessary guidance to
alleviate traffic congestion. The fans in attendance at this event were frequently updated
via social media, such as Twitter and Facebook. The use of social media tools along
with the implementation of a well-developed plan made for a safe and successful event.
94
The Special Events Unit not only manages football events for the Jaguars,
Florida/Georgia, and Taxslayer Bowl games, but they also coordinate parades and
holiday festivities. There are also many other events which draw a larger number of
visitors to the city and are coordinated by this unit. These events include but are not
limited to the Gate River Run, Lighted Boat Parade and the July 4 th fireworks
celebration. The public and private partnerships facilitated by the unit ensure fund
raising for many non-profit organizations in our city and overall community involvement.
In 2014, the Special Events Unit was involved in the planning and delivery of:

The 26.2 with Donna - Featuring two and a half miles of running along the sands
of Jacksonville’s beaches and an opportunity to support one of the running
world’s most significant charitable fundraising efforts, the 26.2 With Donna
National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer marks its 7th annual running in the
winter of 2014. More than 5,000 runners participated in this National Marathon
for the fight against Breast Cancer. The Special Events Unit worked collectively
with agencies from St Johns County, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and
Atlantic Beach to make this a successful event.

1* One Spark - Creators from all over the world set
up to showcase their ideas and projects for a chance
at a $250,000 crowd fund, $3.25 million in capital
investments, and direct contributions. Also known as
the world’s crowd funding festival.
1* One Spark
attracted exhibitors displaying 632 projects in the
fields of art, music, and technology. An estimated
150,000 people attended the 5-day festival in
downtown Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Jazz Festival - Thousands of spectators converged on
downtown Jacksonville each day during this event. The Jacksonville Jazz
Festival has been recognized as one of the largest jazz festivals in the United
States.
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
Country Music Festival – Jacksonville hosted the first Florida Country Superfest
which was a phenomenal event at Everbank Field where over 76,000 country
music fans from all over the United States attended the two day concert.
The events highlighted showcase the collaboration of citizens and community leaders
coming together as partners to enhance the quality of life for our city.
Vehicle Storage and Recovery Unit
The Vehicle Storage and Recovery Unit of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is
responsible for enforcing all State Laws and municipal ordinances as it applies to
towing.
The unit also regulates the towing and impounding of vehicles and the
inspection of all Top Of The List (TOL) wrecker companies used by the Jacksonville
Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, complaints received on improper or illegal activities of all
private towing companies in the county are investigated by members of the unit. In
2014, 7033 vehicles were towed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This is an increase
from 6,931 vehicles towed in 2013. Auctions conducted by registered wrecker firms
located within Duval County are monitored by the officers assigned to this unit, ensuring
compliance with Florida State Statutes and Municipal Ordinances.
Secondary Employment Unit
The Secondary Employment Unit is staffed by one (1) lieutenant, one (1) sergeant, one
(1) officer, and one (1) civilian clerk. The duties and responsibilities of assigning and
staffing officers at city venues, approving secondary employment requests, ensuring
compliance with departmental guidelines, managing the website and investigating
complaints against officers working secondary employment fall under the purview of this
unit. Also, data to the City Tax Collectors office and General Accounting staff to collect
administrative fees related to secondary employment is supplied by the unit.
A website is maintained by the unit for the purpose of proper oversight and verification
that agency policy is being followed. The website is a tool that assists in the verification
process that secondary employment performed by police officers is within agency
policy.
Commanding officers and supervisors are able to review off-duty work
96
performed by their officers through the use of this site. For 2014, a total of 479,439
secondary employment hours were billed. This is a decrease in comparison to 490,089
hours billed in 2013. The 2014 hours created revenue in the amount of over two (2)
million. Secondary Employment not only augment the staffing and security of every day
police services, but a meaningful portion of the fees collected (over three (3) million)
was donated to the Police Athletic League by municipal ordinance to enhance the youth
of our community through enriching after school programs.
Marine Unit
The Marine Unit is responsible for maritime safety by patrolling the many waterways in
our community and enforcing applicable laws in Duval County. The unit is also tasked
with an important role of protecting the seasonal manatee population of Jacksonville.
The unit is assigned to Special Events and the staff consists of the following: one (1)
lieutenant, one (1) sergeant, and two (2) officers.
The unit also participates in the derelict vessel program. They identify derelict vessels
that are junked and/or abandoned. They tag the vessels and arrange for them to be
removed from our waterways. They have removed several vessels over the last few
years.
The Unit’s new Marine Facility has proved to be a great asset. The facility is located in
a central location of the river which allows the officers to respond to calls with
reasonable response times. The Marine Facility’s dock is now shared with FFWC and
CBP, which has strengthened the ties between
our
agency
and
these
law
enforcement
partners.
There are numerous large scale events that the
unit
provides
include:
waterway
Greater
Tournament,
protection
Jacksonville
Times-Union
Red
for
to
Kingfish
Fish
Tournament, Lighted Boat Parade, Poker Run, Blessing of the Fleet, Jaguar Games
Taxslayer Bowl, New Year’s Eve and 4th of July fireworks.
97
The unit also responds to search/recoveries and has saved multiple lives over the
years.
The Marine Unit’s activity is listed below:
Activity Type
HQ Calls
Misdemeanor Arrests
Felony Arrests
Boating Safety Inspections
Traffic Citations
Speed Zone Violations
Boaters Assisted
Assisted Dive Team
Assisted Other Agencies
Property Checks
Deployments
Boating Citations
Special Events
Search and Rescue Calls
Boating Safety Classes
TOTAL
2013
40
6
1
429
1
493
357
6
91
4,323
126
58
28
36
16
6,011
2014
87
13
7
596
1
468
373
8
141
4,588
129
39
47
46
23
6,566
+/- Difference
+ 47
+7
+6
+ 167
0
- 25
+ 16
+2
+ 50
+ 265
+3
- 19
+ 19
+ 10
+7
+ 555
Police Athletic League
The Police Athletic League (PAL) began serving children in 1972 when JSO Officer
Norm Demers recognized the children of Jacksonville needed structure when they were
out of school. Officer Demers started with sports programs and later added education
programs. His compassion for Jacksonville’s children resulted in the creation of the nonprofit organization, the Jacksonville PAL. Currently, the PAL has six locations
throughout the city of Jacksonville with more than 2,200 children being impacted by
their many programs. Through its educational, sports and vocational programs, the PAL
is truly committed to their slogan of “PAL Today…Leader for Life.”
MISSION STATEMENT
The Police Athletic League of Jacksonville enriches the lives of children by creating
positive relationships between law enforcement officers and the youth of our community
through educational, athletic and leadership programs.
98
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
PAL is widely supported throughout the community. It has partnered with several
organizations to include the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, The Players Red Coats,
The Jacksonville Bail Agents Association, and ADT Security, the Delores Barr Weaver
Fund at the Community Foundation of N.E. Florida, The Jim Moran Foundation,
Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Arlington Lions Club, Deerwood Rotary, F.O.P.
Foundation, Bank of America, and the Lucy Gooding Charitable Foundation. As a result
of these great organizations, PAL has improved its infrastructure, created new sports
ventures, and provided opportunities to PAL families that would not be available
elsewhere.
In 2014, the Deerwood Rotary and the Lucy Gooding Charitable Foundation came
together and financed a three (3) classroom expansion project at the Mallison PAL
location. These classrooms are much needed, as this is the smallest of the PAL
programs. In addition, both organizations pledged support for repairs at the 33rd Street
PAL teen center and repairs to the 33rd Street PAL gymnasium roof.
The largest PAL project was financed by the Lucy Gooding Charitable Foundation. They
built a stand-alone restroom facility for the football fields at the Monument PAL,
purchased three (3) twenty-five passenger buses to transport children to PAL programs,
provided bleachers and exterior lighting for the Monument football field, upgraded the
fire suppression system at the Monument location and purchased a new phone system
for all PAL locations.
The Arlington Lions Club purchased a new football scoreboard and dedicated $5,000 to
a PAL scholarship fund. The Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation donated funds to cover
tackle football registration fees which allowed two (2) teams to be created at the
Eastside PAL.
In a surprise gift, THE PLAYERS Volunteer Leadership---Red Coats---awarded PAL
with a $10,000 grant to purchase furniture for the Mallison PAL classroom expansion.
They also purchased a fifteen (15) passenger van to add to the PAL fleet. The Red
99
Coats presented these gifts when they hosted an ice cream social and food giveaway
near the Thanksgiving Holidays.
SPECIAL EVENTS HOSTED BY PAL
The Police Athletic League was able to host numerous special events in 2014. The
majority of these events occurred in
conjunction with the after school education
program. Students were able to attend
several family literacy events, health and
nutrition
seminars,
and
fun
holiday
programs.
The children of PAL were the benefactors
of the Jacksonville Bail Bonds Association
annual Christmas event, ADT book bag/school supply giveaway, The PLAYERS Red
Coats turkey and food giveaway, ADT Winter Wonderland Christmas Party, and the
annual F.O.P. Christmas Shop with a Cop event.
Since Jacksonville is the home of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, PAL families were the
recipient of several ticket donations to include those by the Jaguars Foundation Honor
Row Programs, and tickets provided by Wells Fargo Bank. In addition, the city of
Jacksonville hosted a pre-season NBA basketball game and fifty (50) tickets were
donated to PAL families.
AFTER SCHOOL EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Police Athletic League hosts six (6) after school education programs. These
programs take in children from kindergarten to 8th grade. Most children are picked up at
their primary school and transported to a PAL facility. They receive homework
assistance, academic instruction, interactive enrichment activities, life skills training, and
they are fed a hot meal daily.
The PAL after school programs are rated a Five Star quality program by the
Jacksonville Children’s Commission (JCC). PAL students had a 96 percent promotion
100
rate to their next grade level if they were enrolled for more than 60 days in PAL
programs.
In 2104, Jax PAL hosted 569 students in their afterschool programs. The education staff
hosted its first ever spring break camp, created a Fishing Club with the help of JSO,
partnered with Hubbard House by implementing the WAVE program, participated in the
Shannon Miller 26k mile run program, received Jaguar football game tickets for honor
row programs, and encouraged physical fitness by being a part of the Play-60 program.
During the school year, PAL students received homework assistance, academic
instruction, interactive enrichment activities, and social skills training. These learned
competencies help guide participants into leading positive and productive lives. All six
locations met all program goals designated by the Jacksonville Children’s Commission,
a partial funder of the after school program for over ten years. The after school program
produced many positive outcomes as a result of staff commitment to educational
achievement and the interaction of police officers providing crime prevention training,
safety education, and mentoring services. All of these ingredients contribute to building
leaders for life.
SUMMER CAMP 2014
The PAL Education Program hosted a six week interactive S.T.E.A.M. (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Summer Camp at R. L. Brown Elementary;
Westside; Northside; Eastside and Monument locations. The summer camp hosted 426
campers. They received activities/lessons on robotics, arts and crafts, culinary arts,
physical fitness, health and nutrition, and reading techniques. Campers were taken on
field trips to enhance their summer experience. These trips included participation in surf
camp, swim lessons, zoo visits, bowling excursions, and cooking lessons. In addition,
campers were provided health physicals, dental information, and asthma training.
WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT AND JAXEX
The PAL Work Force Development program is designed for youth ages 15-19 to help
link them to job skills readiness, personal life skills, and leadership training. Students
101
receive individual or group mentoring/coaching and exposure to career paths matching
their talents and interests. The program includes five key components: job skills
development, college preparation, mentoring, leadership development, and community
service opportunities. Program graduates are given the opportunity to gain perspective
and core skills needed for employment and success. Eleven (11)
PAL students
completed an eight-week training program designed to develop core competencies and
prepare them for the workplace. Participants were awarded a certificate of completion
and an electronic tablet.
In 2014, PAL entered into a new partnership with JaxEx. This new program introduced
PAL children to the aviation industry. The JaxEx High Achievers Program provided
sixteen (16) students the opportunity to explore a career in aviation. Once per month,
PAL students visited JaxEx for a two-hour education program hosted by multiple JaxEx
tenants and partners. Students learned about career opportunities in aviation and
participated in hands-on demonstrations and workshops. The five-month-long JaxEx
High Achievers program exposed the students to aviation-related degrees, skills and
careers including piloting an aircraft, aerial photography, and airport operations and
administration.
An official commencement ceremony was held in May 2014. Students were formally
recognized as the first graduates from the JAXEX High Achievers program. Students
received a certificate of completion, a hand shake from the Sheriff and mingled with
leadership from JAA, JaxEx, PAL, and other involved professional partners.
YOUTH DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL (YDC)
The Jax PAL Youth Director’s Council (YDC) is a youth organization governed by the
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office staff in conjunction with employees of PAL. The YDC
mission is to assist participants with the development of confidence and skillsets
through hard work and enrichment opportunities. The YDC program instills the need for
a higher education, community service, and prepares each member to become a future
leader.
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YDC students participated in two college tours (EWC and USF) and attended work
source training taught by PAL staff. This specialized training focused on interview skills,
resume writing, communication skills, business etiquette, dress for success, customer
service, professionalism, human resource and work place safety.
In addition, all
students received financial literacy training from Vystar Credit Union.
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
PAL athletic programs are an important part of the organization and offer an enriching
and positive experience to the hundreds of children who participate. PAL is diligent to
fulfill their main purpose; to help student athletes develop the life skills that will help
them become productive citizens. PAL provides services and support through various
athletic programs that include: basketball, flag and tackle football, cheerleading, track
and field, boxing, and karate.
PAL strongly emphasizes the importance of academics for a healthy future. Academic
assistance programs are available to PAL participants at no cost and are mandatory for
those whose grades fall below a 2.0 GPA. However, this assistance is suggested
throughout all of the sports programs and is open to any student who would like
additional help.
JAX PAL, through Educational, Sports and Workforce Development Programs, is
continually growing to meet the needs of our community’s youth. The achievements are
often measured years after the youth leave the programs to become productive
members of our community.
BASKETBALL
The basketball program is the largest youth
program that the PAL operates. Basketball and
Jr Basketball was offered to all boys and girls
ages 5-18 during the summer and winter. The
league is run by JSO police and corrections
officers, civilian employees, and over one
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hundred (100) volunteer coaches who help make it successful. There were more than
eleven hundred (1100) participants in 2014. Basketball is played at two PAL gyms and a
third gym located at the North Florida Education Institute.
At the end of the winter season, six (6) PAL all-star teams were selected. These teams
participated in the State of Florida Association of Police Athletic/Activities League, in
New Smyrna Beach. Jax PAL won four (4) 1st place trophies and two (2) 3rd place
trophies.
Jr. Basketball was formed in 2014 to teach the fundamentals of basketball to the
youngest players. The program enrolled 150 children ages 5-7. The program was
conducted in the spring and summer. The program was a huge success and far
exceeded the expectations of all involved.
BOXING
The PAL boxing program is based out of its
Northside location. It is a year round program that is
facilitated by two (2) trained coaches. Boxing is open
to children ages 8-18. The young boxers are being
taught discipline, strength conditioning, and social
involvement. The program has twenty-three (23)
registered participants in which nine (9) of those are advanced and participate in
statewide tournaments. The youth in this program have traveled to numerous locations
within Florida and South Georgia to compete in USA Amateur Boxing Events and the
State of Florida Pal Boxing Competition held in Fort Pierce, Florida. Jacksonville PAL
student athlete, Darion Williams (8 years-old), brought home the championship belt for
the 2014 State Tournament. Throughout the year, the participants have won seven (7)
championship belts and six (6) 2nd place trophies.
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TRACK AND FIELD
The Jax PAL Track and Field program underwent a transition in 2014. The program saw
a change in the program coordinator position which resulted in lower overall
membership. The program had thirteen (13) participants that still trained and competed
like previous teams. The athletes participated in multiple events at AAU and USA Track
and Field meets. Five (5) of the athletes qualified to compete in the 2014 National AAU
Track and Field meet in Iowa. PAL arranged for these athletes to have a once in a
lifetime experience. The team traveled to Iowa and proudly represented Jax PAL.
FOOTBALL
The Police Athletic League expanded their
tackle football program in 2014 by adding
teams at the Eastside PAL location. This gave
PAL a total of six (6) tackle football teams that
participated in the St. Johns River Youth
Football
governed
Conference.
by
the
This
United
conference
Youth
is
Football
League. Two of the teams made it into the
UYFL playoffs but unfortunately were all eliminated by the second round.
Flag football continued its success in the spring at the PAL Monument location. The
program accepts children between the ages of 6-18. In 2014, the flag football program
had 247 participants on 21 teams.
Overall, the PAL football program underwent a makeover. The Monument PAL location
constructed a new outside restroom. The football field itself received new lights and a
new electronic scoreboard. PAL also purchased two sets of bleachers to provide
seating for up to 84 spectators.
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CHEERLEADING
The cheerleading program is located at the Monument and
Eastside PAL locations. They support the tackle football
program at both sites. At the peak in 2014, cheerleading
enrolled 15 at both Monument and Eastside PAL. They
practiced hard and participated in the St. Johns River Youth Cheerleading Conference
as an exhibition team. Their hard work paid off as they were awarded first place honors
in the 11 and under category.
KARATE
The PAL Karate program is taught by Sensei Gerry Pinto, a
current Jacksonville University Professor.
Sensei Pinto
focuses on self-defense, mind and body control and he
emphasizes the importance of obtaining an education to all of
his students.
The karate program is based out of the Monument PAL
location. Children between the ages of 8-18 are able to enroll.
In 2104, nineteen (19) students participated in this quality
program. They were instructed on basic karate fundamentals and advanced fighting
techniques involving joa staffs (short wooden sticks) and nun-chucks. The students
have an opportunity to obtain one of 9 belt ratings. Each June and December, Sensei
Pinto hosts a ceremony where students are promoted to the next level in their training.
The karate program was able to upgrade its meeting place this past year. PAL was able
to purchase new mirrors and equipment for the program.
COPS AND KIDS
Partnering Police Officers with our youth is the core mission at PAL. Officers are
assigned to PAL throughout the year to run programs, mentor youth, foster relationships
within the community, and facilitate lessons in the after school programs and summer
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camp. This fellowship gives the youth an opportunity to interact with Law Enforcement
to develop a sense of trust and a healthy long lasting relationship.
In 2014, PAL Officers entered the classrooms every week to facilitate school lessons to
the hundreds of PAL youth enrolled in the after school program. Topics that officers
discussed with youth served at PAL include role of a police officer in society, stranger
danger, bullying, Halloween safety, drug awareness, bicycle safety, and cyber safety.
PAL officers hosted the annual Kids Christmas Party for the youth of the I.M.
Sulzbacher Center, Gateway Center and PAL kids on December 20th. Nearly one
hundred (100) JSO, JFRD, and DCSBPD Officers met the youth at the Wal-Mart
Supercenter on 103rd Street. Each child was given a gift card and shopped with a
police officer or firefighter by their side.
JSO officers not assigned to the program created a fishing club at the Monument PAL
location for the after school program. Approximately 8 officers volunteer their time to
teach approximately 25 students the basics of fishing. The students are instructed on
how to properly use fishing equipment and then are taken to several locations to
practice. This unique program is very popular with the children.
PAL continues to be a resource for all children in the community. The primary mission of
connecting police officers with kids has never been lost in the forty years of existence of
this organization. PAL will continue to share their slogan; “PAL today…Leader for Life.”
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