Jacksonville group wants fewer arrests for nonviolent crimes

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Members of Jacksonville’s faith community rallied together Monday afternoon, calling on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to create a civil citation program that will reduce the number of arrests made for nonviolent offenses.

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The Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation & Empowerment (ICARE) said they have been trying to reach Sheriff Williams since August and shared that they were promised the program would be created months ago.

Geneva Pittman, with St. Paul A.M.E. Church, said ICARE supports JSO’s Group Violence Intervention and the work they are doing to tackle violence but believes changes need to be made in other areas of policing.

“We are glad that the number of homicides and shootings has gone down recently,” Pittman said. “JSO’s efforts to build trust in the community and reduce violence are being undermined by arresting people for minor offenses. When we arrest thousands of people for minor offenses, it breaks down trust between the community and police.”

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Rev. Tan Moss with Greater Grant Memorial A.M.E. spoke at Monday’s event. He said he felt disappointed that ICARE was unable to meet with Sheriff Williams Monday after showing up in person to request the meeting.

“Disappointment for the thousands of people that continue to be arrested for minor offenses like a driving license being expired [and] then having a criminal record for the rest of their lives complicates their lives so unnecessarily without making our community safer,” Moss said. “Most of these people don’t have a criminal record. We will continue to press for a meeting.”

ICARE leaders say creating a civil citation program can hold adults accountable without leaving a lifelong record.

“We listen to our membership,” Pittman said. “We listen to the community, and then we move. We do our research. We take care of everything that we need to do in order to bring the solution to the elected or appointed official that we will be leading with.”

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Community members from more than 38 congregations across Jacksonville wrote letters expressing their concerns and frustrations. Those letters were presented to a JSO officer Monday afternoon, requesting they be given to Sheriff Williams.

“I know this civil citation program works,” Moss said. “It works for youth. It will work for adults.”

Pittman said the program would result in JSO focusing on tackling violent crimes, instead of the current domino effect ICARE leaders say often takes place.

“The person loses their job,” Pittman said. “Then they lose their home, maybe their car and, in some cases, their whole family.”

ICARE leaders say they will continue pushing for the civil citation program as they wait for Sheriff William to join them in a meeting.

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