JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office addressed crime concerns from Northwest Jacksonville residents at Thursday’s District 5 town hall meeting.
Residents who live in the 32254 Zip code said theft and illegal drug activity run rampant through their neighborhoods.
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“I’ve lived there for 13 years, and I’ve seen my neighborhood do rollercoasters. Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s bad but now, it’s out of control,” Scott Rice said.
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Over 500 crimes were recorded in the 32254 Zip code between Jan. 1 and Aug. 29, according to JSO crime data.
- 199 Illegal Drugs & Narcotics Cases
- 143 Aggravated Assaults
- 137 Burglaries
- 2 Murders Cases
- 20 Robbery
- 390 Thefts
- 67 Stolen Vehicles
- 86 Vehicle that were Burglarized
- 240 Vandalism Cases
“With drugs comes other crimes like theft, assaults, and all of that,” Heather Vreeland said.
Tina Davis spoke at the meeting and said she would like to see more patrol officers in the area, especially when she’s out shopping.
During the meeting at the Paxon Revival Center, a JSO officer responded to a grocery store after a suspicious man was making customers feel uncomfortable.
“When I come out to the stores, like I said, I just left an area where there was a lot of people, it doesn’t feel safe, especially being a woman. It didn’t feel safe,” Davis said. “This is in the daytime. I was with my daughter.”
Sheriff T.K. Waters talked about what officers are doing to curb crime and violence. But one resident said, despite the sheriff’s office’s efforts, he still doesn’t fully trust them to keep him safe.
“I don’t feel like I’m protected by the law. I’m African American. I don’t have to worry about the crime as far as the people on the street. I may have to worry about the police as well. I don’t feel safe either way,” Joshua Hampton said.
The last town hall meeting is Thursday, Sept. 5, at the North Jax Baptist Church on 8531 N. Main Street. It starts at 6 p.m.