A recent surge in gang violence has Jacksonville city officials scrambling for solutions. The mayor and sheriff are pushing separate initiatives to attack the problem.
Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown made his announcement Wednesday at a Northwest Jacksonville community center surrounded by clergymen.
“Enough is enough. We are not going to tolerate the violence in our city,” Brown said.
Then, Brown gave a strong warning:
“What’s happening in Baltimore can happen in Jacksonville if we don’t do what we need to do.”
Brown is asking the U.S. Department of Justice for technical assistance to fight gang violence. He’s also asking national associations of mayors and cities for their most effective strategies.
Brown says he’ll step up measures to keep kids out of gangs that he’s rolled out over the last four years. They include reopening community centers, creating new summer park programs, placing kids in summer jobs and expanding teen court to keep kids out of jail.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford has reinstituted “Operation Ceasefire,” a program that puts more officers and patrols in high-crime neighborhoods.
You can follow Peter Haden @HadenMedia.
