JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is expanding its gang unit. They said there are approximately 32 documented gangs in Jacksonville and about 570 gang members and associates.
JSO Commander Michael Paul, who oversees the gang unit, said the unit's expansion will make neighborhoods safer. However, people who protested the gang unit earlier this year said they still believe it should be disbanded.
“I think the work the gang unit does along with other proactive units in the sheriff's office has brought that violence rate down, and that these units are here to protect the citizens,” said Paul.
Paul said the gang unit is involved in a strategy called group violence intervention, which JSO largely credits for dropping the murder rate in half so far this year, according to their numbers. But some people in the community, such as Michael Sampson II, who runs the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, would rather see the gang unit disbanded.
“We think their tactics are very hard-nosed," Sampson said. "They operate with impunity within the city of Jacksonville.”
Sampson led protests against the gang unit in recent years. Last year, JSO conducted an internal affairs investigation into a gang unit text thread and an officer’s Tweets, which were accused of being racist. The investigation concluded the most serious allegations were “unfounded” and that the officer who Tweeted violated JSO’s social media policy. This year a different gang unit officer was charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
“We feel as though it, the gang unit has been one of the major reasons you have this strong distrust between the community and law enforcement," said Sampson. "So this, if this is gonna expand then I think you're gonna see that mistrust between the community and law enforcement expand as well.”
Paul said the gang unit officers are highly vetted.
"You have to, you know, trust in our process," he said. "And that again, if there's an issue or we determine there's an issue or find a problem that the sheriff's office will, we'll deal with it internally or criminally if we have to.”
The gang unit is growing by about 50% and now has 14 members. Paul said the expanded unit started working Saturday.