Orlando Police Department
 Public Information Office
Media Releases

Date of Release: 9-13-06
Time of Release: 3:00 p.m.

Date: August 1, 2006 through September 9, 2006

Times: Varied

Police Incident: “Operation Felony Focus”RESULTS


SUMMARY:

This is a synopsis of the Operation Felony Focus detail enacted by the Patrol Services Bureau in response to the spike in violent crime in the first half of the year, in particular homicides and near fatal shootings within the city. The operation targeted activities closely associated with firearms use: heavy drug sale areas, the dealers and those individuals with warrants who loitered in these areas. The areas identified for the operation were in the West Patrol Division and the North Patrol Division. In the West Patrol Division, the Parramore Heritage boundaries which were West Colonial Drive on the North, Hughey Avenue on the East, Grand Avenue on the South and South Orange Blossom Trail on the West. The Raleigh Street corridor with single family homes and multi-family residential complexes, and affected commercial businesses along this street, between Ivey Lane and Hiawassee Road. Lake Mann Garden Apartments was also included within this area. In the North Patrol Division, the Rosemont Apartment community and the Mercy Drive corridor was identified as targets of continued criminal activity.

The goal of the operation was to provide a safe, livable community for the residents who lived in the affected areas. With this goal in mind, the process of reducing crime, rampant drug activity in the areas, and to identify and arrest the subjects responsible for those crimes. Operation Felony Focus began on August 1, 2006 and concluded on September 9, 2006.

Many areas of the department assisted the operation in varying degrees of involvement. Based on the duration and outcome of the event, “Operation Felony Focus” was successful in beginning the process to reduce crime, address criminal activity and to restore community confidence in our efforts to address crime.

“Operation Felony Focus” has been used as a transition into an operational change within the Orlando Police Department’s Patrol Bureau. We have reorganized and reallocated existing resources and have created three Patrol TACTICAL Squads. North Patrol Division, West Patrol Division and East Patrol Division will each have a new TACTICAL Squad. Assigned to each TACTICAL Squad will be one sergeant and eight to ten officers. TACTICAL squads will be proactive in their enforcement. They will address violent crimes and crime trends which occur in their assigned Divisions. The new operational change to the three Patrol Divisions is planned to go into effect Sunday, September 17, 2006. The logistics and scheduling is still being worked out. In the scheduling plan we will have one TACTICAL Squad on duty at all times. Below are the total REPORTED statistics for the entire operation:


Felony Warrant Arrests 49
Felony Drug Arrests 189
Other Felony Arrests 38
Total Felony Arrests 276
Misdemeanor Warrant Arrests 56
Misdemeanor Drug Arrests 73
Other Misdemeanor Arrests 90
Total Misdemeanor Arrests 219
TOTAL ARRESTS 495
Traffic Contacts 1359
Traffic Citations Issued 410
Verbal Warnings Issued 963
Handguns Seized 27
Rifles/Shotguns Seized 0
Money Seized $19,293
Vehicles Seized 8
Cocaine Seized (Grams) 656.3g
Cannabis Seized (Grams) 9,663.7g
Battery Law Enforcement Officer 7
Uses of Force 13