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JSO survey reveals gun violence is still an issue for residents

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new survey by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office asks residents if they feel safe in Jacksonville? The majority say they do but there are still concerns of public safety. The main issue is gun violence.

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“Last week or something I think I heard like 10 gunshots outside of my window, so I was like yeah I have to get out of here,” Herring said.

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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was looking for the top three categories that make residents feel unsafe.

“I think JSO has a very tough job ahead of them,” Spencer said.

Their 2022 community survey found the #1 public safety issue in Jacksonville is gun violence -- 42% of people in Jacksonville who took the survey say it worries them.

JSO surveyed all six of Jacksonville’s Police Patrol zones for this information. Tramir Herring lives in zone one, Downtown Jacksonville. That’s after moving from zone four, Jacksonville’s West Side.

Read: Sheriff TK Waters announces additional work hours to address violent crime after murder of teen

“I didn’t know that I was moving to the hood,” Herring said.

After gun violence, 20% of people say their main public safety issue is homelessness while 14% say it’s mental health.

Lauren Spencer is one of them, she lives in zone three on the southside.

“I would say a mixture of homelessness and mental health. It seems to me, and I’m no professional, but a lot of the individuals who experience homelessness also have mental health issues. You can tell this when the individuals are speaking to people who aren’t there,” Spencer said.

JSO says the results of this survey have decreased since the initial biennial report in 2016. The survey began the same time Sheriff T.K. Waters took office. That’s the same time he pledged to be proactive with investigations. Therefore, Sheriff Waters says he recognizes these are still issues that need improvement.

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The survey also revealed that 54% of residents say JSO is doing a good job with their investigations. While only 38% think JSO has enough officers to meet the city’s needs. You can look more into JSO survey by clicking here.