JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County School Board will meet Thursday to discuss a grand jury’s bombshell report accusing the former district police chief of failing to report thousands of crimes on school campuses.
The report was issued last year, but its findings were unsealed just last week. A spokesperson released a statement this week, which stated that the district has self-reported the errors and corrections have been made.
The district has not indicated what, if any, further actions might be taken.
The board will discuss the report during a workshop, and it gives the board an opportunity to ask questions.
Former Duval County School District Police Chief Micheal Edwards resigned last year, but he is still the center focus of the scathing grand jury report.
The report outlines an institutional system of officers being told not to report crime on campuses and to essentially “un-arrest” students during Edwards’ tenure as department chief.
Of the more than 2,600 “incident” reports, the grand jury said more than 520 should have been labeled as “offenses” and reported to state police.
Those included:
150 instances of battery on a school employee
21 instances of battery of a law enforcement officer
94 instances of child abuse
157 lewd/lascivious acts
23 instances of child pornography
13 instances of aggravated assault
39 instances of burglary
6 instances of robbery
13 instances of bomb threats
4 instances of arson
8 instances of gang-related activity
The report concluded that Edwards should be charged with solicitation of official misconduct and official misconduct, both felonies, and falsifying records, a misdemeanor.
While the report focuses on Edwards, it briefly mentions Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene. It says Greene told the grand jury that she would defer to law enforcement for law enforcement-related decisions. The grand jury report indicated it was concerned about her lack of awareness over the allegations.
The panel said:
Full statement from DCPS:
David Barksdale, an attorney who is representing Edwards, released the following statement to News4JAX:
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