We seek change by holding all elected officials and public employees accountable
About The Founder
I never saw myself as an activist. My entire life I have been a planner and a strategist. I was born in Haiti and migrated to the US to escape the political unrest in my country. I joined the US Army to prove my allegiance and belonging. While in the service I got my first AS degree in Computer Science. After my military tour of duty I moved to St. Petersburg, FL where I worked for the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs and got my BS degree in Management Information System at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. I worked as a Network Engineer and an IT Manager before obtaining a MBA from USF Tampa. I am now a retired military veteran. I founded this nonprofit movement as the BodyCams4StPetePD to finally have police accountability after I was profiled and abused in front on my kids on my front lawn. As usual my now ex-wife was inside on her phone busy texting when she heard the commotion and came to investigate. She used her phone to record the exchange and the officers‘ behavior changed. I realized video recording forced the officers to behave as they should.
The movement grew into a force and today it covers many areas of public trust, inequity, accountability, and injustice:
The JETA Project
Our Values
JETA stands for Justice, Equity, Trust, and Accountability.
These are our core values.
We can't have justice without equity, and we can't demand trust without accountability.
These values are all well and good, but if we are not engaged in the political process we can’t influence change. This is why the JETA Project has engaged in helping elected the right candidates for office. That effort does not consider political affiliation, but does consider the most qualified and better prepared candidate.
Our Plea
We did not get here overnight, but we know how we got here. Inadequate and unfair systems of the past were maintained and tweaked to protect the interest of the wealthy over time but did little to ensure prosperity of the common man in St. Petersburg.
As time passed the glaring socio-economic difference widened more and more. Our police, justice, and school systems divide us and make us both neighbors and enemies.
We don't have to dismantle these systems; we simply need to reform them with a sincere heart and a renewed sense of community that is focused on accountability for all public officials, elected or appointed.
Our Approach
We divide our approach into 4 categories:
BodyCams4StPetePD was an advocacy movement that focuses on just and equitable police policies.
Trust can only be achieved through adequate police accountability for all police officers.
BodyCams4PinellasCounty builds on the advocacy for justice, equity, trust, and accountability efforts planned
and developed 4 St. Petersburg PD, but apply to the Pinellas County Sheriff's office.
Accountability4PinellasSchools is an advocacy effort that seeks to first reduce, then eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline,
by supporting a thriving school board with thriving schools.
4TheCommunity is focused on building better communities by engaging local leaders from all 8 districts of our city.
The JETA Project seeks to hold a turkey drive and a back to school drive each year,
when there are no viable candidates running for office locally.
Our Co-Founder
At the time of the unfortunate event I was 8 year's old. I still remember it today and I often have nightmares about it. My dad's actions that night saved his life and I am relieved for that. The police officers were determined to hurt him and they did. I remember my dad asking, "Why are you here? Why are you doing this? This is my home! This is my property!" The officer kept pushing, shoving, and at times punching my dad in the back with his flashlight. When he called for back-up my mom sent me inside while my dad was exclaiming, "I am not resisting!" The next time I talked to my dad was over the phone. I remember him saying when these things happen, we just have to survive the day and have the court solve it. We are not a perfect country but we are a nation of laws and good people. We'll fix it in the justice system.
I wish I had been a lawyer that night.
It was my idea to say something publicly. I wanted to write the St. Petersburg Mayor and the Chief of police both to tell them of my fear and anxiety from a lack of police accountability. I had taken multiple pictures with the mayor and the Chief smiling away, when they could have been responsible for my father's death. Instead, I decided to join my dad when he started this nonprofit to advocate for police reform, which turned into the JETA Project. He turned my fear into passion and my anxiety into action. I plan on joining the military as a college graduate and intend to pursue a career as a lawyer and a diplomat.
We got real police reform, in part because of our effort. I watched my dad speak to, harass, court, and influence politicians. His efforts made them better politicians for the job. The JETA Project has shifted beyond policy reform to a better political landscape that serves both rich and poor, South Side and North Side. A system that is accountable to us.
About US
Backgorund
Our History
Just like many other minorities living in an environment where systemic racism rules, we were impacted.
I, Jean-Marie Leon, started the BodyCams4StPetePD back in 2019 after an encounter with members of the St. Petersburg Police Department on my front lawn.
This lived experience has forever changed my life. I almost lost my life in front of my kids because I was hungry after working on my master's degree paper all day and went to get something to eat. I exercised my right to remain silent and for a police officer this was a disrespect. The worst part that night was them taking me to an empty parking lot to question me. I was verbally abused, threatened with violence, grabbed by the throat and genitals. When I was still not willing to talk and held on to my 5th amendment right, this is when an officer threatened my daughter with unforeseen adverse actions since I would most likely be in jail and incapable of protecting her.
Of course, the Officers lied on their reports about my demeanor and the amount of anger that I displayed. Officer Enhoffer is now in prison for child pornography but the remaining racists and abusers on my case are still enforcing law and order.
Our movement put pressure on City Hall and the black leaders of St. Petersburg to finally force the Police Department to adopt Body Cams. To shut us up they adopted a bodycam system that only records if they pull their guns or tazers: a total farce that costs us $10 million. Still, no real police accountability.
Through our movement we learned of the resistance to body cams. In that category we have the Police Union, we had the Chief of police Holloway and deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin resisting because body cams would mean the end of favoritism to the elites in South St. Pete, and our then-Mayor Rick Kriseman, who refused to lead on the subject had turned it over to the chief because he is African American and as such, he should know what best to do for the benefits of the African American community. This elementary approach to policing changed my whole view of City Hall.
Now that the city adopted bodycams, the JETA Project believes that the type of body cams chosen for the job is inadequate and the policy supporting the use of body cams is very weak.
Seeing a need for energetic, nonprofit work in this area, we formed our organization to provide sensible solutions. We are focused using the ballots, petitions, targeted marketing, and the courts in order to bring about the necessary changes for all of us to live and thrive together.
After SPPD and the County Sheriff adopted a solid body cam solution, our effort paid off but the job was not finished.
We've evolved into The JETA Project. We sought to bring accountability at all levels of public office and government.
We’ve grown since then, Taking on multiple projects focussed on helping the voiceless and the least fortunates.
Whether it’s the lack of planning for our water treatment systems, the neglect of our sewer system,
or the lack of oversight on the city’s water billing department, we’ve been involved,
all thanks to the helping support of this amazing community.
Our Team
Jean-Marie and Jean-Bertrand are the sole advocates of the Leon Family to engage in this project. We are committed to bring accountability, updated police practices, and the prevention of institutionalized racism in the application of the law in our schools, communities, and workplaces. We take our convictions and turn them into action. We use our lived experiences as inspiration. We rely on each other for resiliency. We are not activists, but instead are “actionists”.
Think you would be a good fit?
Have you been the victim of unfair public government practices?
Are you tired of the way the controlling system is built?
Would you like to make a difference in your community?
Get in touch for an opportunity to organize for lasting change.
Mission
We focus on making the maximum positive effort for our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change. Using data driven models, we help find solutions to problems that make a long-lasting difference.
JETA in the community
Our Co-founder JB Leon spreading the idea of justice, equity, trust, and accountability.
The people that are making this world unpleasant rarely take a break, why should we?
When a force turns into a movement,
convictions turn into achievable goals and just like that the impossible become possible
-Jean Marie Leon