by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
An expert in criminology and criminal justice presented an argument for creating a metropolitan police department in Jacksonville to complement the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at Thursday’s Charter Revision Commission meeting.
“Constitutional Officers” was the theme of Thursday’s meeting and University of North Florida (UNF) Criminology and Criminal Justice Professor Michael Hallett suggested that the Commission request that the City investigate creating a metropolitan police department separate from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
“Given the evidence, my view is that the Charter Review Commission should recommend impaneling a feasibility committee on the establishment of a metropolitan police department with an appointed police chief,” said Hallett, who is also chair of UNF’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. “How else are you going to get control of public safety in Jacksonville in the near future?”
Hallett also presented another option if the Commission felt the first was too bold.
“Short of this, I believe restrictions on the ability of the elected sheriff to independently lobby for budget resources should be put in place to match the strong mayor model of government outlined for Jacksonville by the framers of consolidation,” Hallett added.
This argument was presented to the Commission because its function is to review the rules by which the City is governed, its Charter, and make suggestions on how they might be improved in a report that will be submitted to the City Council in February. The Council will then debate whether or not to pursue suggestions presented by the Commission.
The “evidence” Hallett referred to in his presentation was pulled from the recent JCCI study “Our Money, Our City: Financing Jacksonville’s Future,” Matrix Consulting Group’s Operations Audit of the Sheriff’s Office and testimony that was given to the Commission by Sheriff John Rutherford.
“The sheriff was very direct in explaining to you that it was his political independence that empowered him to take measures beyond the mayor’s office,” said Hallett. “The supposed chief executive of the city, but political independence does not represent consolidation. In the original draft charter, the sheriff was appointed as a director of public safety.”
Commissioners were given the opportunity to ask Hallett questions regarding his idea after the presentation.
“Would the creation of a metropolitan police department create a need for a new collective bargaining unit and a new contract between the city and the new officers,” said Wyman Duggan, chair of the Charter Revision Commission. “Which would allow reexamining those pension obligations going forward?”
Pointing to examples from the cities of Indianapolis and Charlotte, Hallett confirmed that a new collective bargaining agreement and contract would have to be in place for the new department.
“Yes, it would require a new contract,” said Hallett.
But copying an example of an agreement or contract from another city would difficult.
“No two jurisdictions are the same,” said Hallett. “Every jurisdiction has its own history, its own culture and sets of politics.”
Duggan mentioned that the sheriff explained to the Commission that Las Vegas had a similar structure in its police department. In Hallett’s assessment there were more differences than similarities, including the funding of the police department, which was broken down into contributions from the city, county and a “More Cops” half cent sales tax approved by the voters.
“In short JSO has unprecedented power,” said Hallett. “Sources of this power are an independently elected sheriff who has his own political constituency, his own budget, his own employee union and wants his own lawyer. This was unanticipated at the Charter’s founding.”
The Commission will review this suggestion and others as it begins regular weekly meetings leading up to filing its report to Council in February. Its next meeting is 9 a.m. Thursday in the Lynwood Roberts Room in City Hall.
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