JSO releases After-Action report following last year’s violent protests in downtown Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Fla. — Following the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd last May, peaceful marches were held across the U.S. protesting against law enforcement abuses of force and calling for reforms in the law enforcement and criminal justice systems.

Jacksonville was one of them.

But as last year’s demonstrators mobilized coast-to-coast, violence in some of America’s cities began to make headlines.

Over Memorial Day 2020, protests in Jacksonville turned from peaceful to civil unrest. In just two days, 83 people were arrested (69 of whom were Duval County residents), seven officers reported minor injuries, and one required emergency treatment after being stabbed in the neck, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).

Now, nearly a year later, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has released its After-Action plan following the protests. In their report, they address what went right, what went wrong, and how tactical response can be enhanced in the case of future events.

JSO says their agency will continue to enforce all applicable Florida State Statutes and Municipal Ordinances with regards to unlawful acts at lawful and and will continue to support the right of citizens to peacefully protest.

Action News Jax has attached the full comprehensive report below.

It should be noted that in the more than 10,600 demonstrations recorded across the country between May 24 and August 22, most were peaceful.

In a report from The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), roughly 93% of racial justice protests in the U.S. since the death of George Floyd have been peaceful and nondestructive.

In Los Angeles, field reports for LAPD commanders indicated that between 6% and 7% of protests resulted in violence, destruction, or use of force by police.

Since Floyd’s death in late May, there have been about 450 pieces of policing reform proposals introduced in 31 states, according to a count by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

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