Twenty-four hours before, four mayoral candidates stood on the same Jacksonville University stage, taking swipes at one another.
Thursday was different.
While there were a couple of last-minute veiled digs at front-runners, it paled in comparison to the night before. The seven sheriff’s candidates didn’t interrupt each other, use sarcasm or rile up the audience like the show the four mayoral candidates put on.
Instead, the men let their stances on crime-related issues make their case for a race that most assuredly won’t be decided until May.
To make it that far, they’ve got to be in the final two Tuesday.
Topics ranged from drugs and gangs to violent crime and community outreach, with each candidate politely taking their turn to cram as much information as possible in the one minute they were allowed to answer.
Many of their responses were similar.
Their experience, more than 20-plus years each was an asset.
More cops are needed on the streets, but some reorganization could help that.
Gangs are a problem and there’s a need to reach out to young people and the community as a whole.
A University of North Florida poll two weeks ago had Democrat Ken Jefferson and Republican Mike Williams leading the way with 24 percent and 16 percent of the vote, respectively.
Jefferson, a former sheriff’s office public information officer, repeatedly telling voters he’d reduce violent crime, drug crime and gang activity by 25 percent his first year. That reaching out to children ages 9-12 was imperative to prevent another “lost generation.”
“As your sheriff, your children will be my children,” he said in his closing statements.
Williams, the former patrol director, touched on leading more than 1,000 officers and managing a budget of $100 million. Putting cops back into neighborhoods and building relationships with the community are a must, he said, which will help tackle the drug trade and violent crime.
Just behind them in the poll was Jimmy Holderfield, the former corrections department director. He hammered home his tagline of “connect, protect and serve” repeatedly — enough that the audience let out a stifled laugh, one of the only signs of life for the evening.
The two Republicans also have some high-profile endorsements — Williams is backed by term-limited Sheriff John Rutherford, while Holderfield has pledges from the local police union — but neither was brought up.
Except by Rob Schoonover, most recently a lieutenant patrol officer, who said in closing statements that if voters wanted hand-picked or labor-endorsed candidates —then “I’m not your guy.” Two of his main positions were bringing back a beat system in high-risk areas and reinstituting the D.A.R.E. program in schools.
Jay Farhat, a homicide sergeant, advocated for a business-minded approach to the office and partnering with nonprofits, faith-based organizations and others to create a “generational solution” in stopping crime. He’s the only one still working for the department.
Tony Cummings’ career with the organization included multiple units. His ideas include boosting civil citations for young offenders, involving the public through an accountability board and reforming inefficiencies within the department while officers do more with limited resources.
And Lonnie McDonald, a 31-year veteran, referenced his time in Afghanistan when he was a civilian contractor supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He also pushed for easier access to the department by military, the need for community buy-in for the department and his goal of auditing the entire agency.
It was the only opportunity for the group to be in front of voters as a whole, as the debate was the only televised event for the race before Tuesday. For five of them, a last chance to make an impression based on the issues — not fireworks.
@writerchapman
(904) 356-2466