JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it’s bumper-to-bumper along Girvin Road -- the homes are all plugged-in to the season, drawing carloads of people from all over to impressive light displays.
But Michael Bielamowicz, a resident, said something different happened Saturday night around 10:30 p.m.
“Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office pulled up on Girvin Road, started, apparently, directing traffic. But it was more like diverting,” Bielamowicz said.
The longtime resident of the neighborhood says when people comes into their neighborhood, they can access both sides of the community.
“And when JSO came they sort of blocked them off, diverted them to go down on either Girvin Road north or south, he said. “If they wanted to come back and see the other half of the lights, they were probably waiting 2 to 3 hours, possibly.”
Bielamowicz says someone called police to keep the intersection outside the neighborhood from clogging. But he says the officers are doing more harm than good.
“I think there’s a lot more of us that are unhappy than are happy with the patrolman being out here,” he said.
Casey Jones, also a resident, said he got his city councilman involved to try and sort it out.
“I actually started a GoFundMe page to pay for, possibly, off-duty police officers for next year,” he said.
While it might be a hassle for some residents, Jones and Bielamowicz said seeing people smile makes it all worthwhile.
Jones said the patrol officers will be out for at least the next two weeks. The neighborhood keeps the lights up through New Year’s and possibly through the first week of January.