JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Lenny Curry will release more information Friday about the success of a pilot program implemented in June to help reduce violence in Jacksonville.
The mayor joined us Wednesday on The Morning Show, as he does periodically, to answer questions you submitted to us about concerns in your neighborhood.
Among the topics we discussed was crime.
Curry said he has worked to improve public safety since taking office. He told us about the Kids Hope Alliance, which he started several years ago. He said it creates after-school programs for young people, in addition to summer and year-round job programs so they stay out of trouble.
He also told us he has given Sheriff Mike Williams the resources he needs to hire 180 more police officers and invested in ShotSpotter and other technologies that identify crimes when they happen.
Curry said he is concerned about the number of shootings and murders that have occurred in our city since the beginning of the year. By our count, there have been 140 homicides, of which 115 were murders.
“It’s terrible,” he said.
There have been 357 shootings since Jan. 1 of this year, with 40 occurring last month.
Curry said he works closely with Williams and State Attorney Melissa Nelson to help them fight crime.
“We’re collaborating on this," he said. "We’re all feeling this. We’re all in this together, and I am going to continue to take their expertise to provide them with the resources they need.”
The mayor said this Friday “violence interrupters” from the Cure Violence pilot program will release information about the impact they have had on reducing crime since the program started in Jacksonville in June.
We also discussed the possible sale of JEA and downtown development. For more from the interview, click the play button at the top of this article.