1. Safer places: Mayor Brown’s strategy to reduce violence,
improve neighborhoods and empower the next generation
A safer Jacksonville is a stronger and more prosperous Jacksonville. Mayor Brown believes that every resident
deserves the absolute right to peace in our city. As the sheriff’s job is to enforce the law and allocate available
resources to be tough on crime, it is the mayor’s job to work with the community to be tough on the causes of
crime by creating partnerships, leveraging grant opportunities, growing jobs and working with schools to
ensure high quality education.
During Mayor Brown’s four years in office, overall crime has dropped by nearly 10 percent and is at a four-
decade low. New investments and partnerships were created to benefit youth and seniors, rejuvenate
neighborhoods, and strengthen the education system. The next four years will require continued attention,
innovative thinking and teamwork to ensure the continued success of prevention and intervention and
reduction in crime numbers citywide.
Focus on Youth
Violent crimes can happen in an instant, but violent criminals are made throughout lifetimes. A six-year study
by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shows that the majority of homicides are linked to drugs, domestic violence
and personal disputes. Nearly a quarter of 18 to 34 year olds are at high risk of violent crime, and the largest
numbers of homicide victims and perpetrators are in their 20s. A more recent investigation by the Florida
Times-Union found that the Jacksonville region from 2009 to 2013 was home to more than a quarter of the
state’s “direct files,” meaning adult-level charges for offenders under 18. Mayor Brown has launched a
comprehensive strategy involving faith leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses, parks, youth sports, law
enforcement and the juvenile justice system working together to help Jacksonville’s young people stay out of
trouble. Over the next four years, Mayor Brown is committed to the success of:
 Summer Night Lights: Educational and recreational activities past dusk to keep at-risk youth off the
streets
 Urban Parks Initiative: Supervised recreational activities for at-risk youth during summer break
 Summer Jobs: Youth employment to encourage personal responsibility with help of private sector
 Teen Court: Constructive alternatives, supervision and guidance for nonviolent offenders
 Neighborhood Accountability Boards: Restorative justice model managed in partnership with
community
 Evening Reporting Centers: Alternative to detention while providing needed services, supervision and
support
 Drug and Mental Health Counseling: Initial investment of $1.2 million state grant to get young lives
on track
 Safe Spaces: Started with reopening five city community centers for after school and summer
 Community Empowerment Days: Connecting families in high-crime areas with service providers
 Youth Sports Initiative: Will partner with sports organizations to promote accountability and
sportsmanship

2. Creating Safer Places Citywide
Growing focus on education: The Duval County graduation rate has grown by 11 percentage points over the
past four years. The Mayor’s Mentors program has placed hundreds of new mentors with students.
Learn2Earn is inspiring young people to be the first in their family to go to college. Mayor Brown is committed
to expanding these initiatives to inspire more kids to succeed.
Engaging the faith-based community: Mayor Brown is creating a process for church leaders to serve as faith-
based mentors, and as interveners at crime scenes to reduce retaliatory violence.
Continuing the Jacksonville Journey: Funding for this anti-crime strategy was cut nearly 60 percent before
Mayor Brown took office. Since day one of the Brown Administration, the mayor has been working to create
partnerships, secure grants and strategically realign programming for efficiency.
Prioritizing Victims: Mayor Brown is committed to working with law enforcement and victim advocacy
organizations such as the Justice Coalition and Families of Slain Children to enhance victim services in
Jacksonville.
Renewing distressed neighborhoods: Mayor Brown helped to launch $40 million worth of projects through
the Renew Jax partnership to create economic improvement in Northwest Jacksonville, the Eastside and
Arlington. The mayor supports continued focus on blight reduction, including expansion of the city’s popular
tire and sign buybacks. Reversing signs of urban decay is proven to build neighborhood self-esteem and reduce
crime.
Rejuvenating public places: Using the Hemming Park model as a guide to build vibrancy, the city will continue
to identify opportunities to proactively curb nuisance spots through smart space management.
Safer places for seniors: Mayor Brown pledges to build on the success of programs such as senior games, and
identifying new resources for upkeep and renovation of senior centers, just as he has in every proposed
budget.
Turning around lives of the homeless: After many years of discussion, Mayor Brown arranged the partnership
that brought the long-awaited Jacksonville Day Resource Center into reality. He also is working with the
Jaguars Foundation to expand the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Center. Mayor Brown is committed to
creating meaningful opportunities for the less fortunate to work their way out of homelessness.
Curbing domestic violence: Mayor Brown is committed to enhancing victim safety and offender accountability
in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. He led efforts to create a public-
private partnership in which The Women’s Center of Jacksonville now leads the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam
(SAFE) Program.
Stopping the revolving prison door: The City funds job training and employment programs for ex-offenders
through the Jacksonville Journey. Mayor Brown supports the expansion of proven initiatives to combat
recidivism by working with the private sector and expanding the City’s pursuit of grants.
Supporting Men and Women Who Protect and Serve
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office budget has grown by nearly $150 million over the past 10 years, and nearly
$48 million in the past four years alone. However, that money has not translated into more officers on the
streets. The mayor is committed to creating a unified strategy with the incoming sheriff that will:
o Resolve the City’s pension crisis to end uncertainty for public safety employees while also saving
taxpayer dollars.

3. o Create COJ-JSO partnerships in facilities, technology and fleet to generate resources for
personnel and training.
o Encourage issue-based dialogue with leadership and uniformed officers to help streamline
operations.
o Put more officers on the street. The Mayor’s proposed FY 2015 budget would have increased
ranks by 80.
o Expand use of federal grants, such as the recent $1.9 million COPS grant, to help secure new
personnel and continue evolving on 21st
Century challenges such as counterterrorism and cyber-
crime.
o Maintain a robust presence in Tallahassee to advocate for public safety and issues of concern to
officers.