Duval County Schools safety assistant arrested for pawning service weapon, DCPS says

An employee of the district's police department was arrested Wednesday afternoon for allegedly pawning his department- issued weapon on two separate occasions, according to Duval County Public Schools.

James Johnson, who was a district school safety assistant is charged with "false verification of ownership to a secondhand dealer and receiving goods under $300."

DCPS said Johnson reported the pawning incident to his supervisor and confessed to the charges during an interview with a Duval County School Police investigator.

“It is always difficult arresting one of your own, but we have the highest standards for the conduct of everyone affiliated with our police department,” said Micheal Edwards of Duval County School Police.

Johnson is married to Niketah Johnson, the principal of John E. Love Elementary. DCPS said there is currently no evidence that she was involved.

“While I am disappointed by this incident, the community needs to know that I will not tolerate the misuse of the district’s resources,” said Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene. “This incident and the individual’s circumstances do not shake my confidence in the vetting process for our school safety assistants. This is an isolated incident that should not reflect on the process or on the people who serve in our schools.”

The school board is not naming the school Johnson worked at for security purposes.

Cox Media Group