‘Safer Together’ committee will not meet again, council president says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Council President Sam Newby sent a note to council members on Thursday. It said the work of the “Safer Together Committee” is complete.

That message was met with disappointment.

The “Safer Together” Committee was organized last year by Tommy Hazouri as a way to bridge the gap of trust between the Black community and law enforcement.

At a meeting last Friday, public comments focused on criticism of the mayor and sheriff for not participating.

The demand for a Citizens Review Board led the committee vice-chair to resign.

“This is another one of those situations in which a committee is formed to study a subject and a report is created and then they put that report back on the bookshelf to collect dust and we take that is not a palatable solution for the city of Jacksonville,” said Michael Sampson, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee.

Sampson said the Black community hopes council leadership will “play a proactive part” in police reform.