JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s newly-elected mayor, Donna Deegan, said one of her top priorities in Duval County is reducing violent crime. In order to do so she said she will be bringing back a citywide initiative that was successful in the past.
Mayor-Elect Deegan plans to relaunch the Jacksonville Journey Program.
In the mid-2000′s when violent crime was skyrocketing in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Journey Program succeeded in addressing the roots of violent crime. But before Sheriff T.K. Waters and Deegan can get down to city business, the two city leaders must first clear the air.
″The plan is to ask her to make sure she takes care of the police in this city,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said.
″We will absolutely sit down; I have always worked well with the police department here,” Deegan said.
Mayor-Elect Deegan told News4JAX Wednesday morning that a sit-down meeting with Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters is in the works.
News4Jax Crime and Safety Expert Lakesha Burton — who has decades of experience as a police officer — hopes Waters and Deegan will first have a heart-to-heart conversation after her opponent Daniel Davis put out negative campaign attacks.
″I think what they really need to do is have a one-on-one conversation, a lot of people can just chalk it up to politics, but it was more than politics,” Burton said. “People’s character, reputation, and families were hurt, I think there needs to be a one-on-one conversation, to clear the air so they can start a good solid relationship.”
One of Mayor-Elect Deegan’s crime initiatives is reviving the Jacksonville Journey Program. The program was a city-wide initiative that was launched by Mayor John Peyton, which included outreach programs for at-risk children and addressed the root cause of violent crime.
Under Sheriff Waters’ leadership this year gun violence is trending down. Burton said programs like the Jacksonville Journey can keep the momentum moving in the right direction.
“I think the Jacksonville journey was a great model on how to prevent and reduce crime, I think it was the sheriff’s office’s largest crime prevention tool,” Burton said.
Deegan has also suggested that putting more officers on the streets of Jacksonville will benefit the city, as well as putting more money in the city’s budget into prevention and intervention efforts.