Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters Announces New Transparency Policy for the First Time in Department’s History
JACKSONVILLE (FLV) – Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters announced a new Agency Transparency Policy for the first time in the history of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) that requires transparency from members of the department.
The new policy is to create “trust” between Jacksonville residents and JSO. It will provide information to the public related to JSO’s open data transparency website, officer’s body-worn cameras involving shooting incidents, criminal investigations of JSO members and public relation materials.
“Without members of our community reporting crimes and providing the information to solve those crimes we cannot make Jacksonville a safer place for our citizens,” Waters said. “Trust is an essential element of creating an environment in which all Jacksonville citizens can thrive. Trust, it is earned and retained through openness and honesty and I promise this community that our agency will be forward facing and transparent as permissible under the law. Today, I am proud to announce for the first time in the history of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, transparency is a part of our operational orders.”
Waters said that under operational order 505, the Agency Transparency Policy will “ensure” the agency provides information to the public.
“Specifically, the Agency Transparency Policy speaks to how the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will provide information to the public pertaining to one, the JSO open data transparency website, our body-worn camera [….] involving shooting incidents, criminal investigations of JSO members [….] in-custody deaths and response to resistance and public relations materials,” said Waters.
Waters highlighted some of the obligations under the new operational order.
“Open data and transparency, the Agency Transparency Policy provides that the JSO open data and transparency website shall be maintained by the agency and provide statistical data and information on matters of public concern,” Waters explained.
The sheriff said that under the new policy, JSO members will be required to release body-worn camera footage within 21 days of an incident. Waters also explained that JSO will “commit” through the Agency Transparency Policy to release officer involved shootings and in-custody death data within 48 hours of an incident.
“Through this open data and transparency policy, JSO commits to proactively release appropriately redacted body worn camera footage within 21 days of an incident, provided that this release does not impact or impair an active investigation. Criminal investigations of JSO members, through this new Agency Transparency Policy, JSO pledges to proactively release information related to any [….] arrests of any officer or JSO member [….] JSO commits through this Agency Transparency Policy to proactively be releasing officer involved shooting and in-custody death data within 48 hours of the incident,” said Waters.
The sheriff vowed that JSO will be “open, honest and transparent” to make Jacksonville as safe and secure as possible.
“Finally, the Agency Transparency Policy details JSO’s commitment to share public relation material with the citizens we serve. Within the first month of this administration, agency transparency has been transformed from an aspirational goal to a policy requirement. I vow that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will be open, honest and transparent as the law allows. We do this out of respect for the people that we serve. We will earn their trust so that together we can build a foundation for safer and more secure Jacksonville for all,” said Waters.
