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JSO commander reports large drop in murders citywide, asks residents to keep sharing tips
Summary
Commander Chuck Ford briefed District 10 on crime trends, saying murders have fallen sharply year-over-year in his districts and citywide; he credited community tips, transparency and technology and urged residents to report problems to shape patrol deployments.
Commander Chuck Ford, who leads Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office District 6, told District 10 residents the city has seen significant reductions in homicide and other violent crime categories.
Ford said the city recorded a roughly 46% reduction in murders citywide in the period he cited, and gave district comparisons: 17 murders in District 5 in 2024 compared with 26 in 2023 (a 34% decrease), and 13 murders in District 6 in 2024 compared with 25 in 2023 for his area. He credited the drop to community engagement, transparency from leadership and new technology such as ShotSpotter and real-time camera monitoring used with targeted prosecution.
Ford urged residents to call district substations with addresses and specific information if they see drug activity, repeated quality-of-life problems or other issues; he said calls for service — not population alone — drive deployment decisions, and that commanders review calls-for-service maps regularly to shift personnel as needs change. He noted Jacksonville is actively recruiting to fill staffing gaps and is using community-service officers and partnerships with other agencies to triage non-police calls.
Ford also gave short statistics for other categories: an aggregated assault reduction of about 23%, burglaries down about 28% and modest declines in auto theft; he said theft from retail outlets has risen and advised residents to secure valuables and vehicles.
Ending: Ford said neighborhood participation — providing tips, hosting meetings and using sheriff resources — remains central to continued progress and invited residents to regular sheriff briefings and neighborhood watch interactions.
