JACKSONVILLE, Florida – The U.S. Department of Justice presented the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office with a check for more than $73 million Friday afternoon. Jacksonville is one of just four cities named recipients of the Model Cities Initiative.
The money arrives over three years. The Sheriff’s Office said it will pay to expand programs that have already worked, add officers to the streets and develop new ways to serve residents.
JSO named two programs it plans to grow: Drone as First Responder and the Real Time Crime Center. The agency has already expanded its drone program to speed emergency response.
The Sheriff’s Office called the award a “generational investment” in public safety. It said the money recognizes work officers already do every day.
The agency also pointed to the city’s change in reputation. Jacksonville, it said, has shed the nickname “Murder Capital of Florida,” and JSO says it works every day to make the city safer.
The Sheriff’s Office said its members are grateful for the opportunity from the Justice Department. The source did not say how the money will be divided among the programs or how many officers it will add.
JSO announced on October 30 that Jacksonville had been selected as one of four cities nationwide for the program. Earlier coverage of the selection is available.