Don’t know who to vote for as Jacksonville’s sheriff? Read this

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — It’s been a tumultuous road in the race for Jacksonville’s sheriff, but it ends Tuesday… Then begins again in March.

Jacksonville Sheriff Candidates Democrat Lakesha Burton, a retired JSO assistant chief, and Republican T.K. Waters, JSO’s chief of investigations, are running to finish former Sheriff Mike Williams’s term. Williams announced his retirement in June, days after a controversy over whether he violated the city charter by moving out of Duval County.

The election in March will choose Jacksonville’s sheriff for the next term.

Burton and Waters made a final push for their campaigns Monday evening when they were hosted and questioned by a group of religious congregations called ICARE.

A main question they were asked was if they are in favor of developing an adult civil citation program. State law allows law enforcement agencies with this kind of program to issue citations instead of making arrests for certain misdemeanor offenses. Instead of going to court or having the misdemeanor on their record, the person would pay a fine, complete a program and do community service.

Waters answered he is not in favor of developing an adult civil citation program. Burton said she is.

“I am a firm believer that adults have a responsibility that juveniles do not,” Waters answered. “I am in favor of juveniles having civil citations.”

“I am in favor of adult civil citations for first time offenders for nonviolent, victimless crimes,” said Burton.

Lowering the crime rate is a main concern for voters as the number of homicides in the city is reportedly up from last year. So far this year there have been at least four more homicides than last year, more than 130 homicides total, according to numbers from the Florida Times Union.

First Coast News asked the candidates what they’ll do to get crime rates down.

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“Too many of these signs are popping up all over our city and that has been the trend in Duval County for decades,” said Burton, referencing a First Coast Crimestoppers sign where a crime took place. “Violent crime has been rising and I can tell you it’s time for new leadership at the sheriff’s office.”

“It’s very important that we grow our numbers to proactively patrol because that helps tremendously in a couple different ways,” said Waters. “It helps restore trust, team building with our community and it helps us to be in places where we can’t be at this point because we are running thin.”

Some say the race got nasty and in October a group of faith leaders held a news conference to discuss their frustration.

Waters accused Burton of failing to pay property taxes. First Coast News spoke with Duval County Property Appraiser Jerry Holland, who clarified a mortgage company made a mistake and in 2015 Burton’s account showed a past due balance. Holland says it was an error by the mortgage company, not Burton, and the issue was resolved.

Waters also brought up Burton’s past arrest history, something she has addressed publicly. She says she was sexually abused from the ages of 11 to 14 and that she experienced drugs, alcohol, homelessness and hopelessness.

In October current Jacksonville Sheriff Pat Ivey told Burton to stop wearing a JSO uniform in campaign ads. Ivey sent Burton a letter claiming ‘unauthorized use of JSO uniform and insignia.’

Sheriff Ivey references sections 601.202 and 601.203 in the Jacksonville Municipal Code which prohibit wearing JSO insignia or uniforms without written permission from the sheriff.

Burton retired from the JSO on March 21, 2022, shortly before she officially filed to join the race for sheriff. Before that, she worked in law enforcement for over 24 years, according to her campaign website.

“When I got in the race Mike Williams was sheriff and I went through the proper protocol of getting permission and I’ve been exercising that right for the past 18 months,” Burton said, “After serving 24 years and as part of the staff I would have thought I’d at least gotten a phone call instead of a letter.”

Early voting is down almost 14 percent compared to the 2018 midterms. See the First Coast News election guide for your county here.