ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Mayor Jerry Demings said the new Citizens Safety Task Force is ready to work. The goal is to reduce crime in Orange County after seeing a rise in gang violence that led to the deaths of a teenager and a 3 year old boy last month.
“We are not focusing on any particular neighborhood, any particular ethnicity, it’s a county wide focus,” Demings said.
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More than 30 members are part of the new task force which includes church members, law enforcement, and other community leaders.
Pastor Jim Coffin, Executive Director of Interfaith Council of Central Florida, is a co-chair.
“One of the things about this task force is not only do we want to identify the problem, but we want to identify solutions to the problem and the people who can help bring about that solution,” Coffin said.
Rod Love, former Orange County Commissioner and President of Community Synergy Group is also a co-chair.
“What we develop here is going to be a model that represents throughout the state that we can make a difference for those taxpayer citizens saying enough is enough,” Love said.
First task force meeting is set to take place on November 6 at Barnett Park and it is open to the public. Mayor said social distancing is required.
To view a list of members on the Citizens Safety Task Force, click or tap here.