Vice Chair of GPD Police Advisory Council announces candidacy for Gainesville City Commission At-Large Seat

Press release from Fareed Johnson for City Commission At-Large

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Gainesville City Commission At-large Seat A! I am announcing today as a candidate for public office, and I am committed to proving myself worthy of your support to be a servant leader on the Gainesville City Commission.

I want to be upfront and honest about my past. I have made mistakes, and I have taken responsibility for them. I have worked hard to elevate my life and make positive changes in my community. I was frustrated and experiencing underemployment, which led to a very poor decision: I committed a bank robbery. Today marks ten years to the day that I turned myself in. I deeply regret that moment of desperation and acknowledge the harm it caused to others. However, I did not allow that mistake to define me, and I immediately made a commitment to correct myself and contribute positively to society. While still in pre-trial, I began coaching youth and engaging our community through volunteer work with city agencies. I was on the Mayor’s Community Response Council only a year after my conviction. By 2017, I was the youngest member appointed to the Gainesville Police Department’s Advisory Council, a position I still hold today as Vice Chair. This opportunity has allowed me to channel my passion for community service and dedicate myself to making a difference in the lives of others. I have been determined to be a positive role model, continuously striving to learn and grow while remaining dedicated to our city. I am committed to using my experiences to help others avoid the same mistakes I made.

I must acknowledge my candidacy would not have been possible without receiving a restoration of rights from the Office of Executive Clemency in 2022. I am running for office because I believe that our city deserves leaders who are willing to work hard, listen to their constituents, and make tough decisions in the best interest of our community. My priorities for our city include improving public health and safety, supporting economic growth, promoting homeownership, and ensuring that our city government is accountable and responsive to every resident. My vision for our city is a safe and prosperous place for all to grow, contribute, and enjoy the amenities our city has to offer.

If elected, I will bring a unique perspective by engaging residents of all backgrounds, a tireless work ethic, and continuous commitment to our community as your commissioner. I ask for your support as I embark on this journey.

Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to meet, speak to, or maybe have coffee with you soon.

I can be reached by anyone at (352) 213-2848.

Fareed Johnson

  • If he can just do something that Wacko Saco can’t…show up for work – he’s got my vote.

  • It takes all kinds in this world. If we can elect Biden or Trump, we can elect him too.
    But in general, politics is overrated. Most problems today are personal, based on private and family decisions. The politicians swear an oath to the Constitution, a document all about government and NOT our personal problems. We can try grouping personal or private issues and pretend they’re “social” but they really aren’t.
    I’m glad this candidate realized that, and took ownership of his personal decisions early on. He’s a better person for it. I just wish more politicians did that.

  • Well, he has the background, but it seems a little late to keep stealing from GRU. Otherwise, he pledges high taxes for social spending, just like the rest of the commissioners.

  • Does he have a job? Not getting my vote. For one thing, I’ve always been against any police advisory board (that’s the job of the city commissioners).

  • Just what we need another felon who has seen the light and blamed not being over employed to commit a bank robbery. Plus he is on a board that does nothing but handcuff law enforcement from catching criminals.

    • Well Trump is a future felon and the Republicans are screaming abolish the ATF and defund the FBI!

      Do they have your vote?

  • He does actually have a real job as a commercial truck driver, so there’s that. He also ran a hair extension business out of his home for a year and then moved it to a retail space for 2 years before it failed according to SunBiz (“Blush Hair Extensions” 530 North Main Street).

    I don’t fault him for trying to start a business and failing, but the first thing that struck me in this article was that he is still making excuses for his bank robbery (” I was frustrated and experiencing underemployment, which led to a very poor decision”). Millions of Americans are frustrated and facing “underemployment”, but they don’t rob banks.

    The truth is that as an adult at the age of 21, he did not have the moral code and work ethic to work for what he wanted in life, and tried to take a shortcut and steal from others. He robbed a bank in Interlachen, without a weapon at least, for $3000 before turning himself in after the police began searching for him. If he had scored more than $3k would he have acted the same? We don’t know.

    That was only 10 years ago, and to be honest I don’t really believe that there has been some profound transformation in his character during that time. People’s morals are usually baked-in by a certain point. They may stay away from crime, but it’s more of fear of punishment than actual moral understanding.

    The main reason I would not vote for him is that there seems to be absolutely nothing real to him–he just repeats all the usual word salad garbage without actually saying anything. Just absolutely hollow, like he has been coached on what to say to be as bland as possible.

    I watched a YouTube interview with him about his views on policing, and came away with zero information about what he believes. He just comes across as an inexperienced kid, stumbling over his words, basically wanting to be commissioner “just because”.

    Of course he would be better than Saco, but that bar is unbelievably low. Elections have consequences, and we need to raise our standards for the people we hire to manage our tax dollars.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fClKA4nKtCE

    https://www.wuft.org/news/2021/04/27/meet-the-28-year-old-truck-driver-leading-the-gainesville-police-advisory-board/

    https://www.news4jax.com/news/2013/09/25/man-arrested-in-bank-robbery-returns-money/

    • Thanks for sharing, YouTube. As soon as he said George Floyd lost my vote. I had been actually interested in what he had to say.

    • Thanks for the YouTube link. I love the incidents he gripes about:

      George Floyd – OD’d on Fentanyl while resisting police and passing counterfeit money.

      Tamir Rice – Went to a neighborhood park and pointed his BB gun at citizens patronizing the park. Grabbed the BB gun when police arrived.

      Michael Brown – Robbed a store, beat a policeman and tried to take his gun before charging him and being shot.

      Sandra Bland – Killed herself in jail.

      Anyone who can’t see the obvious farce of these lies isn’t fit to oversee a city.

    • Thanks for the links! Isn’t it interesting that WUFT, our tax funded public radio, turned comments off under the video …

  • Honesty and authenticity is the best policy. By any means necessary, avoid any political fronts. You have risked much more than naysayers and fault finders by simply stepping up for the challenge. Everyone has a PAST….and not everyone is going to accept yours because of their own lack of experience, lack exposure and lack of respect for a process.
    Pray, Listen, and Be The Game-Changer that you already are. Remember to eat the meat and throw out the bones on this journey. There are way too many people looking for someone like you… And are willing to push past the comparison complex and anticipate what you can accomplish and bring to the communities we love and want to see thriving. 🎬 Let’s Go! Wishing you all the best.

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