The city faced many problems during Burns' term. Burns was a segregationist running on his ability to control Jacksonville’s racial conflicts, Burns deputized even firefighters to strengthen the city’s police force to resist integration.Racial violence ignited on August 27, 1960, during a protest to integrate downtown lunch counters in the Hemming Park shopping area. Segregationists responded by attacking the protesters with baseball bats and ax handles; the day is remembered as Ax Handle Saturday. Burns tried to blame the shameful incident on visitors but the police chief attributed the attacks to locals. The city's police department was ridden with scandal and multiple grand jury indictments were handed down on public officials all around him.