JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday it is expanding its Gang Investigations Unit which is in charge of investigating, tracking and coordinating the response to gang-related incidents.
JSO said the unit helps other investigative units within the sheriff’s office, along with other local, state and federal agencies with cases related to gang violence.
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According to JSO, the unit is currently comprised of one squad with one sergeant and eight detectives. With this expansion, the unit will add a sergeant and four detectives. Therefore, the agency will be comprised of two sergeants and 12 detectives.
The new breakdown will be two squads, each with a supervisor and six detectives.
“With this upgrade and change in manpower allocation, Sheriff Waters and his administration feel the already great work that has been accomplished by the unit will increase,” JSO wrote.
JSO added the second squad will allow for more area to be covered simultaneously, and in turn, will give detectives the ability to better identify, monitor and arrest violent offenders.
Back in April, community groups held a rally at City Hall to call on JSO to get rid of the department’s gang unit following the arrest of one of the unit’s former members, Josue Garriga, who is accused of unlawful sex acts involving a teenager.
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Jamil Davis, an organizing manager for Black Voters Matter and member of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, was among the community activists who called for the unit to be disbanded.
“The gang unit has been violently targeting Black and marginalized individuals within the city of Jacksonville,” Davis said in April.
Davis said his group is not against police since they know public safety is still needed. But he said they want more funds diverted away from police and more to the people.
JSO said the unit plays an important role in a long statement sent to News4JAX in April:
“The Gang Unit was started in 2007 to directly respond to group and/or gang violence and the criminal enterprises associated therein. This unit has the responsibility of addressing crimes perpetrated by those having ties to a myriad of documented gangs and other organized groups in our City. The detectives assigned to this unit are specialized in recognizing gang and group activity and proactively work to mitigate instances of violence before they occur. The unit also functions to assist JSO’s Patrol Division along with other investigative units to supplement manpower during complex and long-term criminal group investigations, to include Homicides, Robberies and Aggravated Batteries.”