The SAO 4th Judicial Circuit requested technical assistance to enhance its prosecutorial wellness policies and practices, revise case adjudication policies, and form a community advisory board. The Prosecutor’s Center for Excellence (PCE) was selected to fulfil this request and delivered a final report with recommendations in September 2021.
The State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s 4th Judicial (SAO) serves Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties and is responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases for the entire circuit. Jacksonville is the largest city in the continental United States by land area, and the city of Jacksonville is synonymous with Duval County due to city-county consolidation.
Although overall crime rates have been decreasing, homicides, aggravated assaults, and other instances of violence persist in Jacksonville. This high level of violence is often attributable to a small group of young adults and gang affiliates. The majority of violent crimes are committed with guns, and many of the trigger-pullers are prohibited persons. Drive-by shootings and shootings aimed at rival gang members are an obstinate and ongoing problem. Targeting, prosecuting, and incapacitating these violent offenders is a top priority of the SAO. As part of the strategy to target these violent offenders, the SAO also seeks to engage our community to build trust and transparency and further community partnerships.
The SAO issued its initial officer involved shooting policy in 2017. At that time, very few body-worn cameras (BWC) were in use within the circuit, and they were not addressed in the policy. Since then, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office — the largest law enforcement agency in the circuit — outfitted its patrol officers with BWC. As the implementation of BWC becomes more prevalent, so does the video capture of incidents where law enforcement officers have used deadly force. It is clear there is a need for a uniform approach to the public disclosure of BWC footage in officer involved shootings (OIS).
These policies and initiatives will be used internally for prosecutors and staff and will also be used externally for the office’s engagement with community members, law enforcement partners, service providers, and faith-based leadership. All written policies will be published on the office’s website for external use.
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