The people who look back at 2011 in terms of their business and describe it as “a very good year” are few and far between.
So are people who wear a gun on their hip at work, but one person who does both spoke Friday at the meeting of the Downtown Council of JAX Chamber.
Sheriff John Rutherford pointed to the latest crime statistics for Duval County, particularly the fact that Jacksonville is no longer “The Murder Capital of Florida.”
Rutherford said that dubious distinction now belongs to Escambia County in the panhandle.
Rutherford said Jacksonville suffered the fewest number of murders last year since 1971, when states were mandated by the federal government to uniformly record crimes.
In 1971, Jacksonville’s population was 546,000 and there were 86 murders.
“The good news is that in 2011 we had 72 murders with a population of more than 900,000 people,” Rutherford said.
“We’re happy about these numbers, but we’re not happy with these numbers. If you or your family was touched by one of these murders, crime didn’t go down for you,” he said.
One of the reasons Rutherford credited was the gun buy-back program. The program provides a $1,000 bounty to people who helped police apprehend criminals who used guns to commit crimes. He credited chamber President Wally Lee and Haskell President and CEO Steve Halverson with raising $200,000 in six days to fund the program.
“We took 200 bad guys and their guns off the street because of the chamber,” said Rutherford.
He said the Jacksonville Journey and the Police Athletic League’s prevention and intervention programs also have contributed to the reduction in crime.
“We have to raise young men and young women not to grow up and commit violent crimes,” said Rutherford.
Another factor that is contributing to the decline in murder and other serious crimes is aggressive prosecution, he said.
“The State Attorney’s Office is prosecuting like never before. Recidivism is down 20 percent because we don’t have to arrest criminals again. The revolving door has been slammed shut by (State Attorney) Angela Corey and her team,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford commented on the issue of homeless people Downtown. He said while much attention has been focused on Hemming Plaza, the situation is actually universal and it’s not a problem the police can solve.
“You can find people living in the woods all over the county,” Rutherford said.
“There’s no deterrence in arrest,” he said. “They don’t care about going to jail. Some of them like it.”
The Downtown Council’s next meeting is 7:30 a.m. Jan. 20 at The University Club. The scheduled speaker is political consultant Bruce Barcelo.
356-2466