Public Safety Update from the Mayor

One year ago, Chief Val Demings took the helm of the Orlando Police Department. Her appointment as Chief was historic, marking the first woman to serve as Chief of Police. But, I didn’t appoint Chief Demings to make history. It was her no-nonsense, aggressive approach to taking criminals off Orlando’s streets that made her the ideal candidate for the job.

Recently, Chief Demings and I met with the local news media to discuss her first year and outline the strategies OPD is using as the City moves forward with its aggressive effort to combat violent crime. As part of our continuing effort to engage the community in keeping our streets safe, I want to share this same information with you.

I am pleased to report that this year under Chief Demings’ leadership violent crime in the City of Orlando has dropped by 10 percent. This includes robbery, rape and aggravated assault. This has been achieved through additional officers on the streets, the use of specialty units, intelligence-lead policing, technology advancements and “hot spot policing,” which saturates high crime areas with uniformed police officers.

However, a challenge still remains in reducing the City’s homicide rate. While the 2008 numbers are lower than the record-setting year we experienced in 2006, it is an increase over 2007. In order to better understand the factors contributing to the homicide rate, Chief Demings evaluated the homicides and found they fall into three categories. I believe these categories provide important context when looking at the City’s crime rate.

In 2008, 10 of the City’s 42 homicides were categorized as domestic violence. Tragically this is five more cases compared with 2007. Many of the victims never sought help which could have prevented a tragic ending. In an effort to increase awareness about available support services, the Orlando Police Department has partnered with Harbor House. This partnership allows us to more effectively identify victims who don’t seek help and provide them with potentially life-saving services.

The cases that fall into the second category are senseless tragedies without any rationale or motive. Four of this year’s homicides fall within this category. I commit to you that the men and women of OPD work tirelessly everyday to solve these cases and prevent similar cases from happening again.

Of the City’s 42 homicides, 29 fall into the final category. In the vast majority of these cases the male victims and male suspects share similar backgrounds. At least 95 percent of the victims and suspects had criminal histories. One-third of the suspects had been arrested at least 20 times. One-quarter of the victims had been arrested at least 10 times and about 40 percent of the suspects and victims had been arrested for dealing drugs.

The challenges presented in this last category shape the strategies Chief Demings will implement this year. A startling 69 percent of the homicides involved a firearm. The number one focus will be to get guns out of the hands of criminals who are not supposed to have them. Recently, Chief Demings appointed Lt. Victor Uvalle to the newly formed position of Violent Crimes Initiative Commander. In this role, Lt. Uvalle, a 28-year veteran of the Orlando Police Department will coordinate violent crime initiatives between the Orlando Police Department and local, state and federal agencies to include the State and US Attorney Offices. Lt. Uvalle will attend legislative sessions, the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Summit and other crime related summits to advance and enhance our efforts to remove illegal guns from our streets.

While we continue to focus on decreasing violent crime, Chief Demings will tell you the men and women of the Orlando Police Department can’t do it alone. In order to maintain our safe neighborhoods we must engage our residents and businesses. One example of successful partnership is the Illegal Gun Bounty program. Since the program’s inception two years ago, anonymous tips have led to the recovery of 215 guns, $236,433 in cash and $384,282 in drugs. Citizen tips that lead to an arrest, a gun recovery and a weapons charge are awarded up to $1,000. More than $93,000 in award money has been distributed through the Illegal Gun Bounty program. One of the anonymous tips recently led to 25 guns being seized from a convicted felon.

I encourage each of you to invest in your neighborhood and our youth. I am proud that under Chief Demings’ leadership, in 2008 OPD formed 102 new Neighborhood Watch programs and launched the Operation Positive Direction Mentoring program. To find out more about either of these programs or if you would like further information about any of the information shared above, visit cityoforlando.net/police.