Lists more goals to help fight crime
By Mary Kelli Palka, The Times-Union

Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton wants members of his recently appointed anti-crime panel to look for ways in the next four months to improve the criminal justice system - from arrests to prosecutions to sentencing.

While he believes Sheriff John Rutherford and State Attorney Harry Shorstein are doing a good job fighting violent crime in the city, more needs to be done, Peyton said.

"The results are unacceptable," Peyton said.

Last week, Peyton tapped a group of prominent community members to study the ways everyone, including his administration, can make the city safer. Part of that review will focus on law enforcement.

Jacksonville has the highest homicide rate in Florida. As of Thursday, there were 145 reported homicides in the city, compared with 138 during all of last year.

And although Peyton said he has no evidence that arrests aren't solid, prosecutions are too weak or sentences are too light, he said everything needs to be examined to find ways to reduce crime.

Peyton asked that Shorstein and Rutherford meet with him at least twice a year to discuss progress and possible solutions.

While he gets his "The Jacksonville Journey, Take a Step" initiative off the ground to examine how to reduce crime, Peyton said at a news conference Thursday that he wants to take immediate action. So he said he'll ask the City Council to use an emergency reserve fund to pay $3 million in police overtime to help immediately reduce crime…

Also on Thursday, Peyton spelled out his other goals for The Jacksonville Journey's law enforcement and deterrence subcommittee, which is headed by former U.S. Attorney Paul Perez, from the Middle District of Florida.

The goals included:

- Increase police presence: Peyton asked the subcommittee to review recent findings in an external audit of the Sheriff's Office to determine how many more police officers the city needs. Rutherford has asked for about $30 million and 430 more positions.

- Get guns off the street: Peyton said he will host the Florida Conference of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

- Make schools safe havens for children: Peyton said he wanted to make sure the toughest penalties allowed are sought when someone assaults a school official. And he called for aggressive prosecution of people carrying weapons on campuses.

Peyton said his office will create a Web site to track results from programs started under The Jacksonville Journey.

Last modified 12/21/2007 - 6:31 am
Originally created 122107