JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters is set to hold a series of six town halls over the next five weeks to answer questions from community members and get them up to speed on some of JSO’s priorities.
Action News Jax sat down with the Sheriff Monday ahead of his first meeting in District 6, which is slated to begin at 6 PM Tuesday night.
“I was able to get so much information last time and hear from the public so much. And it helps us guide the direction we need to go for the next year,” said Waters.
One of the big conversations coming up over the next few months will be the agency’s annual budget.
Most of the agency’s increased costs come as a result of the pay raises for officers negotiated by the city and police union.
But as far as the rest of the agency’s budget goes, Sheriff Waters said he’s not asking for any major increases.
“There’s slightly, just a minimal amount available for us for new technology and to upgrade equipment and stuff like that, but Jake, there’s no crazy spending going on. As a matter of fact we’ve been cutting some things,” said Waters.
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The Sheriff did note the agency was able to secure $730,000 in the state budget to expand its Real-Time Crime Center, and upgrade roughly 200 cameras throughout the city.
Waters argued that the success of that program has made a direct impact on crime statistics, including homicides, which are on pace to come in below 100 for the second year in a row.
“I think right now we’re about 16 percent down overall in crime and we’re about the same place we were last year when it comes to murders, which one is too many and I’ll always say that,” said Waters.
Find all the details about Tuesday’s town hall and the five others planned over the coming weeks at the link below:
