JACKSONVILLE, Fla — A coalition of city council members wants to formally thank the men and women of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for their work to help reduce the number of murders last year to historically low levels.
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The resolution was announced Wednesday morning in a ceremony featuring local and state lawmakers, along with Sheriff TK Waters and State Attorney Melissa Nelson.
Jacksonville achieved a nearly three-decade low in murders last year, with 59 recorded for all of 2024.
“Sheriff, we gather here to acknowledge the incredible achievement, and that is a stunning 56 percent reduction in murders since you took office,” said Councilmember Terrance Freeman (R-Group 1 At-Large).
Council members Freeman and Nick Howland (R-Group 3 At-Large) announced they’d be filing a new resolution officially thanking the men and women of JSO for their work in the community.
Freeman called 2024 a “turning point” for the city.
“Government’s top priority is to keep its citizens safe and sheriff, you have done an amazing job,” said Freeman.
Florida Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow) also issued a statement thanking the agency for its work.
“Sheriff Waters and his team have done a phenomenal job for Duval County. Across the country families and businesses are fleeing communities where crime goes unchecked because law enforcement does not have the tools or support to keep people safe. Not here,” said Albritton.
Sheriff Waters vowed to keep safety his number one priority moving into the new year.
He attributed the success he had in 2024 to growing public trust along with federal, state, and local funding.
“There’s funding that takes place for technology, for body cams, all these things that are necessary for continuing our job and build trust, transparency, which is another big thing for me,” said Waters.
Just under 60 percent of the murder cases from 2024 have been cleared so far.
Since the start of the new year, there’s been one murder in the Bold City.
That case remains open.
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