JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — UPDATE: DCPS says it’s had no contact with Texas group promising to send uniformed security to Duval schools
A national nonprofit organization said it is sending some volunteers to Jacksonville to address gang activity in the areas of some city schools. One In Five Foundation For Kids, formerly known as the Uvalde Foundation For Kids, said its uniformed volunteers will patrol the perimeter of four Duval County schools.
The group was formed in 2022 following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas where 19 students and two teachers were killed.
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“In response to recent gang related confrontations between students at several Duval County School District schools and several reports presented on the increasing and ongoing violence at the school, the National nonprofit ... announced that it is deploying specially trained STOPNOW citizen school patrol teams for the school community,” the organization stated in a news release sent to local and statewide media outlets Wednesday.
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After the news release was sent, Action News Jax reached out to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Duval County Public Schools to see if they were aware of the planned patrols and if they welcome the volunteers. Action News Jax is awaiting their responses.
In recent weeks, Action News Jax has reported on gang-related fights at Mandarin High School involving students from Ed White High School.
“Initial patrols will focus on Mandarin HS & Ed White High School and will surround the campus community on a regular rotation although will not go on district properties, unless invited by school officials as a part of an on campus collaboration, yet to be determined,” the Texas organization’s news release states.
“These patrols are not law enforcement nor assume law enforcement duties,” the news release states.
A portion of the news release states:
This in an effort to address the seemingly rising gang activity and to increase student safety throughout campus district neighborhood & provide additional community support for students, faculty, parents & school. Foundation officials say that it believes gang conflicts amongst several students of at least 4 separate district schools, including Ed White HS, are increasing off Campuses and spilling into campus conflicts and must be addressed immediately.
The organization says its STOPNOW Patrols are modeled after the “Guardian Angels,” anti crime volunteer in New York City in the 1980’s. The patrols they’re sending to Jacksonville will “patrol school perimeters to minimize & prevent safety incidents from reaching school campuses; while also providing extra encouragement and support for students and neighborhoods during traumatic times,” the news release states.
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