JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has released a breakdown of the areas with the most panhandling calls so far this year.
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It has been two months since the ordinance went into effect. As a result, panhandlers can face fines and jail time under the law.
JSO said that for the first three infractions, violators will be hit with citations and fines. On the fourth offense, people could be put in jail for up to 10 days.
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According to JSO, dispatch has seen over calls for service related to panhandling so far this year. However, not all of these calls have been on the streets.
JSO said it has seen 43 calls for service related to panhandling at various Walmarts, 21 at Publix stores and then another 16 at Wawas.
Overall, JSO has seen 650 panhandling calls since the law went into action on March 17 compared to 465 in the 3.5 months prior. That is roughly a 40% increase.
Action News Jax will continue to dig into the data and bring you updates later today.
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