PEMBROKE PARK, FLA. (WSVN) - Pembroke Park Commissioner Geoffrey Jacobs is speaking out days after being charged with misusing the 911 system.
Jacobs said he is being falsely accused and charged for calling the police on the town’s mayor, Ashira Mohammed, last year during a public meeting.
“You didn’t call to tell them she had a gun,” the reporter said.
“No, I did not,” Jacobs said.
“You called to say that you were in fear?” the reporter asked.
“I filed a complaint in fear for my safety,” Jacobs responded.
“And then they asked you if she was armed?” asked the reporter.
“They did,” said Jacobs.
“And you said?” said the reporter.
“I don’t know,” said Jacobs.
Jacobs said that he did make the call but it was to Broward Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number.
“He never called 911 and can conclusively prove that he never called 911,” said Jacobs’ attorney Michael Pizzi.
Pizzi has filed a motion to dismiss the misdemeanor charge against Jacobs that was filed earlier this month.
“You didn’t call 911?” the reporter said.
“No,” said Jacobs.
The bizarre November meeting featured the police chief searching the mayor and then the mayor giving herself a pat-down of the mayor.
“Commissioner Jacobs, there was a call that you made to BSO?” Mohammed said.
“I did,” Jacobs said.
After the self pat-down, the mayor expressed frustration at what she deemed “baseless allegations” that consume valuable time and resources.
“If there were something on me, you’d kind of see it,” said Mohammed.
7News obtained the audio of the Nov. 8 call that Jacobs made.
“Broward County Regional Communications. How may I help you?” a dispatcher is heard saying.
“I’m expressing my personal safety concerns. Ah, because the mayor’s consistently had threatening behavior towards me,” Jacobs said. “She has boasted about carrying weapons.”
“I can’t confirm that she is currently carrying at the moment but I have concerns for my safety at this point,” Jacobs is heard saying on the call.
Jacobs called a regional communications number belonging to BSO and not an emergency 911 number.
The back and forth between Jacobs and Mohammed is the latest blow up from the Pembroke Park town government, which often centers around Jacobs’ friction with fellow public officials and others.
The mayor, speaking to 7News on Monday night, sharing her thoughts on Commissioner Jacobs.
“I’ve never been hostile or anything towards him,” said Mohammed. “It’s been a consistent, nonstop, hostile work environment.”
Last summer, an independent investigation found Jacobs to be creating a hostile and toxic work environment.
But Jacobs said he works among corrupt and incompetent leaders, so he is suing them.
“We are going to sue the town of Pembroke Park and various officials for $10 million,” said Pizzi.
“Others would say, ‘You’re a troublemaker. You make waves in town, you get loud, you get angry, you call out your contemporaries, your coworkers’. Why are you making trouble?” the reporter said.
“I’m not going to jail for anybody up here. Two, anything illegal, unethical, or immoral will be reported to the authorities,” said Jacobs. “If you had a fear for your own personal safety, who do you call?”
“I called the cops,” said the reporter.
“I did exactly that! I called the non-emergency number.” said Jacobs.
“There are some, though who would say ‘He’s not really in fear, he’s doing this to put on a show, to play the victim,” said the reporter.
“Who is to judge you and tell you where your fear level is?” said Jacobs.
Jacobs has an arraignment hearing scheduled for April but his legal team hopes the case is dismissed by then.
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