JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly two years after her younger sister was gunned down in her own driveway, a local woman says more officers on the street is a must.
Robin Lezcano's sister, Amber Bass, 22, was shot and killed nearly two years ago during a robbery outside of her Westside home.
Bass' murder was one of hundreds to occur in the years after more than 100 officers were laid off from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
"I feel as though if more officers had been available, even in my sister's case, it may not have happened or there may have been a quicker response," Lezcano said.
A new budget plan submitted by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is calling for 40 new police officers and 40 community service officers to be hired by next year.
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Lezcano believes with 80 new officers it absolutely could make a difference. She understands firsthand how violent crime can affect a family. She said she misses her sister every minute of every day, and she does not want any other family to go through what hers did.
"Not a day goes by that I don't think about her or think about that night," she said.
That night changed Lezcano's life forever and it's very much a part of her. Bass was robbed, shot and killed just yards away from her front door. Just seconds later, Bass' killer vanished into the night, presumably in the car he used to follow her, never to be seen again.
"It's wrong, she was somebody to us -- a daughter, a sister, an aunt," Lezcano said. "And, it's not easy."
Every day, Lezcano wonders if something could have been different had there been more police in the area. It's a question that is always on her mind.
"Maybe that person who was following her home may have seen an officer, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to jump her or use violence to get what he wanted," said Lezcano.
A $7.4 million budget proposal submitted by JSO calls for 80 officers -- half of those sworn policemen and women and the other half community service officers. Their presence would allow sworn police officers more time to handle high priority cases. That's something Lezcano hopes people at home will see the value in.
"If there were more officers to lighten the load on our detective team, maybe they could solve my sister's case a little faster," she said.
As Lezcano and the rest of Bass' loved ones wait for answers, their hope is that the public will hear their message and support the idea of more good guys out on the street.
"I wish more people would care before it happened to their family. It seems to me that's the only time people step up," Lezcano said.
Other items requested under the budget plan include new cars, computers and weapons for the new officers.