JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office kicks off its summer town hall series, one Northside resident is urging the department to focus more on young people, especially during the summer months.
Yolanda Johnson reflected on a quiet Sunday afternoon when she saw a group of young people run out of a Wingstop and toss a lit sparkler under a parked car.
She said that moment was a clear sign that more needs to be done to engage youth who have too much free time and not enough direction.
“With them having less to do, they’re finding creative ways to act out—but it ends up being dangerous for others,” Johnson said.
Johnson holds the youth close to her heart. Through her nonprofit, the Carrington Expedition Youth Foundation, she helps at-risk children by taking them on team-building trips and activities to help keep them on a positive path.
She said seeing youth struggle hits close to home for her because before being adopted, she was once in their shoes.
News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson met her on the Northside—JSO’s largest district, where the department’s first in a series of town halls will be held on Tuesday.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said these meetings are all about one goal: building a safer community.
The sheriff told News4JAX that while crime concerns vary by area, the No. 1 issue he’s hearing about across the board is traffic.
When it comes to crime stats, so far in 2025, JSO has reported around 50 homicides — about the same as this time last year. That’s notable, considering Jacksonville saw a historic drop in its murder rate in 2024.
Tuesday’s town hall is happening in District 6, which covers parts of the Northside, Oceanway, and San Mateo.
Waters said the goal is simple: listen to residents, hear their concerns, and improve safety.
“We want to hear what people are seeing, whether they feel safe—and if not, why,” Waters said. “What can we do to make that better?”
While topics like crime, traffic, and recent deaths in jail custody are expected to come up, Johnson said she hopes youth programs won’t be overlooked.
“JSO needs to promote the programs they already have,” she said. “If more kids knew about them, they could use their energy in positive ways instead of destructive ones.”
She added that if parents paid more attention to what their children are doing, JSO might not be needed in many situations.
Waters said he is all ears when it comes to feedback from the community.
“We will continue to listen to our public and do what they ask us to do because, like I said, I’m their employee and we’re their employees. So we want to make sure we listen and shape everything based on that,” Waters said.
Tuesday’s meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Church of Eleven22 on the city’s Northside.
The schedule for the upcoming meetings:
- District 6 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 6 p.m., at The Church of Eleven22 - North Jax Campus located at 418 Starratt Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218 | Directions
- District 5 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 6 p.m., at Trinity Baptist Church, 800 Hammond Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32221 | Directions
- District 4 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 6 p.m., First Coast Baptist Church, 7587 Blanding Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32244 | Directions
- District 3 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 6 p.m., University Christian School, 5520 University Boulevard W., Jacksonville, FL 32216 | Directions
- District 2 Town Hall Meeting - Friday, August 8, 2025, 6 p.m., The Church of Eleven22 - Arlington Campus, 651 Commerce Center Drive, #100, Jacksonville, FL 32225 | Directions
- District 1 Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 6 p.m., First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, 125 W. Ashley Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 | Directions
