CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Fleming Island residents got the chance to hear directly from Sheriff Michelle Cook during a town hall tonight.

Cook joined community leaders and residents as she laid out the progress her department has made and addressed concerns from the public.

The discussion also covered recent worries, such as the teen ‘pop-up party’ that resulted in a significant law enforcement presence at Orange Park over the weekend.

Fleming Island residents were all ears at Cook’s town hall Thursday night.

Cook highlighting a big milestone with crime in the county at a 10-year historic low

“That includes both property and violent crimes. Clay County remains a very, very safe community, and we’re committed to maintaining it that way,” Cook stated.

Thursday night, the sheriff also addressed the July 5 Orange Park mall incident where deputies responded to a disturbance caused by hundreds of teens.

A ‘pop up party’ the sheriff’s office knew about.

It’s a situation the Cook says was handled and shouldn’t deter residents from enjoying the mall. “On occasion once or twice a year we have teenagers that show up and cause a ruckus. Now doesn’t that mean the mall is unsafe, and it’s a very safe mall.”

Cook says there’s already extra deputies at the mall during the summertime, but parents need to make sure they know where their kids are. 

“If I saw my child acting like some of those children there’d be heck to pay, so what I’d tell parents is to have a conversation with your child before they go out into the public and tell them ‘you represent the family and you need to make sure you’re handling yourself appropriately,’” Cook said.

Judith Chapple came to Thursday’s town hall with her teen granddaughter and shares similar sentiments as the sheriff.

“Dropping a teen off at a mall and leaving them unaccompanied is something that’s very dangerous. I will always tell parents it’s not something I would do,” Chapple said. 

With Saturday’s incident handled swiftly, Cook praised the community for being the eyes and ears that keeps the county safer.

“We have the best community. They call us when they see something suspicious they show up to the community meetings and share their concerns and that community and sheriffs office partnership is the key that makes Clay County so safe. 

The sheriff also gave an update on the department’s body worn camera program, a $1.4 million annual investment aimed at transparency and accountability.

The next sheriff town hall will be on July 24 at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Keystone Heights.