JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters is set to hold the first of six town halls where people in the community are invited to share their concerns directly with the agency.
This first town hall will be held on Tuesday for District 6, which includes the city’s Northside, San Mateo, and Oceanway neighborhoods. It is JSO’s largest district.
Similar town halls were held last summer and served as the department’s guide for this year. This time around will be about building on the success of last year, seeing what worked for people, and what didn’t.
People who attend the town hall will get to hear right from the sheriff and the District 6 zone commander, Mike Silcox. He is expected to give district updates.
News4JAX spoke with Waters, who said concerns about crime can vary from district to district. The most common concern he is hearing is traffic issues.
So far in 2025, around 50 homicides have been reported. That’s very similar to where the city was last year at this time.
“Overall, crime is down over 16%. That number -- I don’t ever want people to think that I think about people’s lives as numbers. It’s much more than that -- it’s a standard of measurement for us that we utilize to see where we are. I’m happy to say we are down and we are staying that way,” Waters said. “Hopefully, this is long and sustainable for our city, and our city deserves it.”
Waters said he wants to know if neighbors feel safe.
“What do we need to do to improve to make sure you feel safe that you can park your car inside the driveway and no one breaks into it?” Waters said.
Waters also said he is prepared to answer some tougher questions during these meetings. He expects the in-custody death of Charles Faggart to come up at some point.
The State Attorney’s Office is still conducting its investigation, and the sheriff said the process is ongoing.
“It’s long, it’s tedious. I’m not as patient as I should be sometimes, and I want it to be quicker. But I want it to be accurate, so I’m going to take as long as it takes to get the answers. So, when I do deliver the information to the public, some may agree, some may disagree, but at least I’m giving them accurate information,” Waters said.
District 6 resident Yolanda Johnson said she wants to see JSO focus on youth during the summer because she’s seen for herself what summer boredom can lead to.
“I saw a couple of kids leaving out of the Wingstop. They ran out in the middle and lit a firecracker, one of the sparkling firecrackers, under somebody’s car,” Johnson said. “With them having less things to do with their minds, they are finding more destructive ways to do things.”
Johnson runs the nonprofit Carrington Expedition Youth Foundation, which helps at-risk youth by taking them on team-building trips and activities.
“JSO should advertise their youth programs that they have, so they could get these kids off the street,” Johnson said. “If they advertise it more, more kids will be able to use their minds creatively instead of using it destructively.”
The town hall is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Church of Eleven22-North Jax Campus on Starratt Road.
Full schedule for planned town hall meetings:
- District 6 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 6 p.m., at The Church of Eleven22 - North Jax Campus located at 418 Starratt Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218 | Directions
- District 5 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 6 p.m., at Trinity Baptist Church, 800 Hammond Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32221 | Directions
- District 4 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 6 p.m., First Coast Baptist Church, 7587 Blanding Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32244 | Directions
- District 3 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 6 p.m., University Christian School, 5520 University Boulevard W., Jacksonville, FL 32216 | Directions
- District 2 Town Hall Meeting - Friday, August 8, 2025, 6 p.m., The Church of Eleven22 - Arlington Campus, 651 Commerce Center Drive, #100, Jacksonville, FL 32225 | Directions
- District 1 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 6 p.m., First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, 125 W. Ashley Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 | Directions