JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford went into City Hall on Tuesday warning the city leaders he needs more officers on the streets or else crime rates would skyrocket.

"We are on the road to be the next Detroit. I don't want to go down that road," Rutherford said.

Jacksonville City Council approved 40 new officers for the city after grilling the sheriff on how the additional police would be used to fight crime.

At Tuesday's meeting, Councilman Johnny Gaffney peppered the sheriff with questions about where the $10 million worth of officers will end up.

"I'm just a little upset because we're sitting up here and we have to be good stewards of taxpayers' dollars. I have to be responsible to my constituents," said Gaffney.

"I can tell you most will be in your district area," Rutherford replied.

Where the new officers would be placed was a key point for a few council members. One concern was that the most violent areas of Jacksonville would be the only areas to get the extra police even though other parts of town have been hurting too.

"We had well over 6,000 property crimes. So, for every person whose life is touched by a violent crime, there are hundreds of people whose lives are touched by a property crime," said Councilman Ray Holt.

Rutherford said he has a staffing plan and that he places officers based on crime rates and manpower.

"It's the best way to do it. It's not political. It's scientific, and that's the way we're going to continue do it," Rutherford said.

Forty more officers will be added again next year, bringing the total number of new officer to 80, but the sheriff said to solve Jacksonville's crime problem will take more than 200 new officers.

However, funding for 200 new officers is not currently available.

"My goal is either to put (criminals) all in jail or run them out of town, and I don't care which it is," Rutherford said.

The funding for 80 officers is expected to come through 2009.