GPD Gives Third 2025 Quarterly Update
At the Gainesville City Commission meeting Thursday, the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) presented commissioners with a quarterly update for July-September 2025.
Major Jamie Kurnick spoke on behalf of Chief Moya, stating he is “very ill,” and unable to attend the meeting.
Kurnick introduced two new members of GPD command staff, Captain Marquitta Brown and Captain Tim Durst. Kurnick also said that Captain Summer Hallett is now in charge of criminal investigations, and Captain Paris Owens now heads the administrative services bureau.
Kurnick shared statistics showing that from July 1 through September 30 there had been 171 cases of aggravated assault, 34 rapes, 33 robberies and zero homicides.
Kurnick shared year-to-date statistics, showing there have been a total of three homicides in total through 2025.
Kurnick added that there were zero shots fired calls in September, stating it’s something she’s never experienced in her career.
Kurnick shared more gun-related statistics and emphasized that many firearms are stolen out of vehicles, reminding drivers to lock their cars and secure their guns.
Kurnick shared statistics showing that throughout the past two years, they have arrested 12 minors who were in possession of a firearm after previously receiving an adjudication in juvenile court, in addition to 56 convicted felons who unlawfully possessed a gun.
Kurnick showed a map detailing the locations of shots fired incidents around the city.
Kurnick shares map of shots fired locations (City of Gainesville)
Kurnick introduced Hallett again to share updates on criminal investigations.
Hallett said she has “big shoes to fill,” as she is replacing Owens, who served as the criminal investigations captain before her transfer to administration.
Hallett shared statistics showing that from July 2024 through September 2025, the GPD Gun Violence Unit has conducted 575 traffic stops and arrested or pressed charges against 149 individuals.
Hallett shared the status of cases that were opened or closed in the past quarter. The statistics show GPD was assigned 148 cases of internet crimes against children in just three months, well over an average of one per day. The statistics also show a high volume of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual violence; however, they are all grouped together in the same category.
Brown, the new captain of operations, gave a summary on their interactions with the homeless Gainesville residents.
“We addressed several encampments… The manner in which these areas were addressed included a holistic approach and a collaborative effort between several city entities, to include GPD, Code Enforcement, Public Works, business owners, citizens, and many of the community partners…
The areas focused on included Grace Marketplace. GPD conducted a lot of patrols. Public Works assisted regularly, just attending to the old Dignity Village area, and just by keeping up the maintenance there—whether it's keeping grass cut or making sure nothing overgrows—they communicated with GPD when they observed individuals in the area. That way, we can keep it to where no one would be gathering in those areas again.
Most importantly, the safety boundary around Grace was maintained. Along the outer perimeter of Grace, there were complaints about the right-of-way being blocked. Once again, the communication between GPD and Public Works was great. Public Works went out there and put up some ‘No Blocking’ signs.
A referral in reference to narcotics sales was provided to GPD. Right outside of Grace, there was like a raised cement area and a tree where subjects were selling narcotics. GPD patrol officers enforced that area quite a bit, and Public Works actually came out, removed the tree, and removed the cemented area. I will tell you, the narcotics sales ceased immediately because of the actions that were taken.
The 900 Northeast 31st Avenue area, which is, which are those pictures that you see—the before and after—that is actually where one of our sergeants was actually bit by a dog. He is okay. The area was addressed and remains an area for increased patrols.
The downtown area is actually one of the areas that's specifically under me. I'm very pleased and thankful for their efforts in the downtown area that I've seen thus far. But just for the previous quarter, the daytime detail that GPD has been putting on goes from [6:00 am] to [12:00 pm] with two officers, and from [12:00 pm] to [6:00 pm], seven days a week. So that area is pretty impacted and monitored daily. The impact from it has been focusing on the Rosa Parks Bus Station, the Sun Center, the [Civic Media Center (CMC)], the Thomas Center, and Roper Park... Each of these areas had its own complaints. Sun Center was dealing with individuals needing to be trespassed by the business owners. The CMC had some trash dumping, but mostly were just trying to maintain the area. The Rosa Parks Bus Station complaints were overnight encampments, or the workers not being able to get in the doors once they come in to work early morning. The Thomas Center was dealing with houseless subjects.
The officers in that area, I would like to say, instead of being in your vehicle, this gives us a chance to actually be out on foot and conduct foot patrols, which allows us to engage a lot more in these areas. So far, this has also increased our response times for calls for service in the area, made by the citizens and business owners. The presence of the officers in these areas has allowed for a deterrence in criminal activity. The officers are proactively observing activity that needs to be attended to and also answering to referrals, and making referrals to the appropriate city entities. They are using My GNV. The officers are able to identify resources needed for individuals, providing additional support and dealing with trespass complaints and more.
The downtown night shift unit also is included in this, equally making an impact just providing safety for patrons that visit the downtown area in the nighttime, for, you know, for those activities at night, whether it's restaurants or several other clubs. And we have received great feedback from the business owners. We've been attending and trying to grow the downtown business owners' meeting, so that's been good. We'll just continue these efforts to engage and be present in the community.”
Following Brown, Kurnick spoke again and said that in the past quarter they answered 23,546 calls for service.
Kurnick said that in the past quarter GPD has attended 79 engagements, 27 community meetings, hosted 18 events and attended 26 events that they did not host. She highlighted an event in the Porters Quarters neighborhood where Moya spoke. Kurnick said GPD is “committed to getting out in the community, listening to our neighbors and attending as many events” as possible. Kurnick added that their way to “build trust with the community is just to be there and meet them where they are—never hosting an event at the PD but always going into the community.”
Kurnick shared data on the Co-Responders Unit, where an officer and clinician respond to calls involving mental health problems.
Mayor Harvey Ward said the Co-Responders Unit is a category where he wants to see the numbers rise, and Kurnick agreed.
“We wanna see the positive increase for the most part,” Ward said. “I wanna see more calls for service for the Co-Responders Unit instead of just dispatching whoever is available. That means we're applying the right services to the right call. I feel really good about the direction of this.” Ward asked about the staffing, and Kurnick said they have four officers signed but one vacancy on the clinician side after one left GPD.
Lieutenant Mike West presented statistics on traffic fatalities and said they were at ten for 2025 at the end of the quarter but are now at 14.
Owens spoke following West and introduced the new lieutenant of GPD Personnel Services, Joy Robinson. Owens said they previously worked together on the drug task force.
Owens said that in the past quarter there were 105 police officer applications and four individuals were hired. She said they’re on track to hire six more officers by the end of the year.
Unlike in previous quarterly updates, no recipients of the GPD Officer of the Month award were announced.
