Jacksonville city council members exchange insults on social media

City Council President Aaron Bowman and Councilman Garrett Dennis got into a heated Twitter exchange about the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and crime.

Council President Bowman tells Action News Jax he doesn’t regret his comments on Twitter, which included calling Councilman Dennis ‘Mr. Irrelevant.’

Dennis admitted the discussion escalated to the point of insults, but says he and Bowman are both passionate about finding an answer to the violence.

The back and forth began when Garrett Dennis tweeted asking the president of the Fraternal Order of Police: "How many JSO officers in Duval County have been shot and killed in the line of duty in the past 25 years?"

To which Council President Aaron Bowman responded in part, "I will denounce! Pathetic and sad. Bless our people that serve us."

Dennis then responded saying, "holding my nose until his failed Presidency ends."

Later Bowman tweeted, “Looks like Mr. Irrelevant is lonely tonight and needs to once again attack JSO.” To which Dennis responded, “Easy for you to tweet at your ‘Safe House’ behind the gate.”

In one of the final exchanges, Bowman tweeted “Are you lonely at night Mr. Irrelevant? Seems you couldn’t answer what you have done for crime reduction. I guess you really didn’t want me to block you because you have nothing except 1-18 legislation. Well done.”

Dennis tweeted in response, “If I’m Mr. Irrelevant, your low life keep @-ing me. Failed CP go to bed.”

Many found the exchange disheartening, as violence plagues Jacksonville. Latasha Hobbs’ son was shot and killed in Jacksonville in 2017.

“For our city leaders to find the time to go back and forth at each other on social media when we have children being murdered in Jacksonville, FL,” said Hobbs. “Where is the leadership? Because I haven’t seen it. I haven’t seen anything but conversations, disrespect and a lot of bickering.”

Council President Bowman and Council Member Dennis spoke to Action News Jax in phone interviews answering whether the council is united in their aim to cure violence, and why the exchange became public.

“The council’s very strong. We’ve got one that’s not participating in anything, but is insulting people and acting like a child, but that’s one out of 19,” said Aaron Bowman.

Dennis agreed the council is united in their desire to find an answer to the violence, but says he doesn’t agree with the way they’re going about it.

“I live it, it’s in my community. Whereas his viewpoint is more so from an ivory tower but he doesn’t live it every day,” said Garrett Dennis.

Bowman pointed to the city’s recently launched crime task force as a move in the right direction on crime.

Dennis says he’s not sure it’s the answer.

Cox Media Group