JACKSONVILLE, Fl. – On Monday at 2 p.m., Jacksonville’s City Council Rules Committee will discuss a bill that would require approval from the sheriff for future settlements in police shooting lawsuits.
This legislation would potentially give Sheriff T.K. Waters the power to resolve lawsuits that involve his officers. All seven members of the rules committee will discuss the bill, but all 19 city council members will have a vote on whether it gets approved.
Under current legislation, the city settles non-personal injury, non-accident, and other non-tort-related claims for monetary damages in one of four ways, depending on the amount of the settlement.
Claims that are $5,000 or less may be settled by the appropriate department head in consultation with the Office of General Counsel.
Claims that are over $5,000 but less than $10,000 may be settled by the Office of General Counsel and the appropriate department head.
Claims from $10,000 to $50,000 may be settled by the mayor upon recommendation of the Office of General Counsel along with the Director of Finance and Administration or the Chair of the City Council Finance Committee.
Claims $50,000 or greater can only be settled by action of the City Council.
This new legislation wants to amend this process by extending this authority to the sheriff, the clerk of court, the property appraiser, the tax collector, or the supervisor of elections.
This means the sheriff and the other elected officials would have the ability to veto lawsuits that involve their own office.
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