CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Addison Davis, the Clay County school superintendent, asked Wednesday for a formal meeting with Sheriff Darryl Daniels, who on Monday said his deputies would no longer be investigating crimes that occur on school properties outside of school hours.
Daniels said he has not formally spoken with Davis since making his announcement and only received a text message from the superintendent. He said his staff had a meeting with the school police chief Wednesday morning.
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"They met and pretty much exposed a lot of the weaknesses that they hadn’t considered. The very things that I’ve been talking about." Daniels said. "Now they have a better understanding on the things that they need to address."
In a communication to News4Jax, Davis disputed Daniels' take on that conversation between staff.
He said he sent a formal email request to the sheriff just before 2 p.m. Wednesday to have a meeting "to meet and discuss our professional future partnership." The letter from Davis to Daniels read in part:
Sheriff Daniels,
I have tried to reach you multiple times by phone via text and phone calls regarding the safety and security of our schools. To say that I am disappointed to hear your comments on the news Monday evening is an understatement. ... I am sending you this formal email as a request for a time and location to meet.
SEE IT: Davis' request to meet with Daniels
In a response to the request for a formal meeting, Daniels' email to Davis read:
My staff members met with Chief Wagner today (Wendesday). I understand that the meeting went very well. I will be happy to meet with you. A good number to reach me is (904) 213-6001, which is my assistant’s number. Topics that our organizations need to discuss are:
1. The BCC has not been paid by the District for rendered SRO services by the CCSO (you’re overdue two months, I’m told by my CFO),
2. The CCSBPD’s submission of a draft memoranda of understanding (MOU) for my review, if services outside of the SRO agreement are needed from the CCSO,
3. CCSO satisfying the remaining months of our current SRO agreement with the District, and
4. The District and CCSO executing a Guardian Agreement.
In a second email string, Daniels responded to Davis saying:
Addie, let’s work together. I will do anything I can in my powers to make things work. Let’s get together next week; I have to leave town in the morning. You have my word that we will not abandon the District. The Chief just needs to formalize his needs. Fair enough?
“I’m basically saying let's work together and that I’d do anything in my powers to make things work," Daniels said. "I gave him (Davis) my word that we as a Sheriff's Office weren’t abandoning them, but the chief just needs to formalize his needs and present them to us so we can get on one page.”
Daniels said his No. 1 priority is making sure the students and staff are safe.
News4Jax attempted to speak with Davis during a rezoning meeting Wednesday night. He did not wish to comment.
Later, he communicated with News4Jax, saying that Daniels responded to his request for a meeting, but not until after the formal letter was sent Wednesday. The two are planning to meet one-on-one sometime next week.
In a letter Wednesday to teachers and school leaders, Davis said the sheriff's decision to limit policing won't impact 911 responses to emergency services. He said it will impact any incident that occurs before or after school hours such as tutoring, sponsored events and extracurricular activities.