Jax Daily

State Attorney candidate Angela Corey joined members of the public at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge on Beach Blvd on Monday for a community action forum. One of the major topics was crime, especially notable with the total number of homicides in Jacksonville at 141 as of December 5. The FOP endorsed Corey on both a local and statewide level early on, when it was clear that she would be running against Jay Plotkin, Shorstein’s assistant. The State Attorney’s office and Sheriff’s Office have denied the existence of a rift between the two, although Shorstein has recently declared his intention to not run again for his current position.  Corey had a few things to say at the event, including where the current discussion on the topic of crime in Jacksonville is going.

“We’ve been very encouraged by the community going online to blogs or the Times-Union to express there opinions on crime. But we’d rather have people come together and talk about solutions. At some point, we need an organized plan,” said Corey, a life-long Jacksonville resident.

Corey’s endorsement by the FOP and Plotkin’s de factor endorsement by Shorstein sets the stage for the upcoming 2008 State Attorney’s race, which will likely feature the murder issue and to a lesser extent, the problem of homelessness, as major factors.