Community leaders aim to cut down on crime in Jacksonville

So far this year, there's been 20 homicides in city

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Community leaders came to together Thursday afternoon in an effort to cut down on crime in Jacksonville.

So far this year, there have been 20 homicides in Jacksonville, according to News4Jax records.

Pastors, police officers, prosecutors and public defenders sat down face-to-face at a small chapel downtown in hopes of stopping the violence and making a difference.

The meeting was held less than 24 hours after a man was shot and killed on the Westside. 

 "We have got to bring some closure to this. We've all got to work together as a team," said Bishop Lorenzo Hall, of El-Bath-El Divine Holiness Church. 

It's nothing new. Hall has been hosting events like Thursday's at the church for years now. He said it is not just for community leaders -- he welcomes everyone to bring their input about how they think they can make Jacksonville better. 

"It's poverty. It's the cycle of violence within the homes. A lot of things have to be attacked. And I think if we keep working on it, we will see a long time reduction," Judge Charlie Cofer said.

Charlie Guy said he has never given up on finding 16-year-old Tiphne Hollis' killer -- nearly seven years after she was shot.

"I look at Tiphne as being a sister to me. I look at her mom as being a mother to me. I'm very close to the family," Guy said.

He said he attended the meeting to keep her case from going cold, while trying to make Jacksonville safer. 

"The parents have got to do better. The church leaders, the leaders in the community, the role models need to step up and do their part in the community," Guy said. 

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Asst. Chief T.K. Waters said it's not possible for police officers to curb crime alone. 

"This whole thing is a community-wide effort. It is not just a Sheriff's Office effort," Waters said. 

But change is possible, if you ask the people who gathered together Thursday. 

"One day, there will be peace. One day, there will be less violence and less drama," Guy said. 


About the Author:

Lifetime Jacksonville resident anchors the 8 and 9 a.m. weekday newscasts and is part of the News4Jax I-Team.