Sheriff Waters says 13% police salary increase 'absolutely necessary' after police union and city reach preliminary agreement

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters hosted a crime prevention walk in his neighborhood Saturday morning, where he had the opportunity to engage with the Beacon Hills and Harbor communities and share his reaction to the he preliminary agreement reached between the police union and the city of Jacksonville that increases starting pay for officers.

For more than a year and a half, Waters and JSO have been organizing crime prevention walks in their neighborhood. The latest took place at Fort Caroline Road.

“People are really grateful for the opportunity to talk to us and see the real commitment that we have,” Waters said.

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Latasha Hobbs took as many of these walks as she could. She lost her son, Maurice, in 2017, two days after his 18th birthday.

No arrests have been made in his case.

“There’s definitely an impact. I can get my son’s flyer into the hands of community members I’ve never met before,” Hobbs said. “Now they’re saying Reese’s name more. They’re taking pictures of him and his flyers and sharing them on their social media. It means everything. It’s all about awareness. It’s all about the community and the world saying his name.”

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As JSO patrols the streets, more officers could soon be hitting the streets, after the Fraternal Order of Police and the city reached a tentative agreement earlier this week that significantly increases starting pay for police and corrections officers.

“This is my 33rd year with the agency and we have never seen an increase like this and it is much needed,” Waters said. “We were losing to the agencies around us and in many major cities in the state of Florida…I think the mayor recognized that and I commend the mayor's office and her team. I congratulate FOP. »

If this deal ultimately goes through as is, the starting salary for a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office officer would increase from $52,000 a year to more than $65,000 a year.

For corrections officers, that rate would increase from $48,000 to $60,000 a year.

The deal, which is expected to be formally approved next month, also includes civil service protections and a comprehensive pension system.

Waters said more people are wearing the badge in Jacksonville because the agency has about 300 vacancies right now.

“With these competitive salaries, it's going to allow us to grow, be more responsive and get there faster,” Waters said.

READ | Jacksonville police union and city reach preliminary agreement to raise police salaries by 13%

A monumental deal – as the sheriff says – that can possibly attract more people to JSO.

“The police are very important. It’s by working together that we’re able to solve my son’s unsolved homicide case. That’s how we’re able to reduce crime,” Hobbs said.