ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith on Thursday reviewed efforts made by the department to reduce violent crime in the city, over a year after becoming police chief.
Smith said over the last year there’s been:
- a 10% decrease in violent crime
- a 10% decrease in violent crime.
- a 36% increase in recoveries of guns involved in crime (over 1,300).
The chief said the department’s solve-rate in homicides is now 84%, up from 37% in June 2022.
“We’re here to protect our community. I think we do a very good job. Crime is going down. We’re very proactive, and we’re gonna keep being proactive. We’re keeping the community, keeping everybody safe,” he said.
The event came after four teens were arrested in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 6-year-old girl and 19-year-old man.
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The state attorney’s office released a statement on the shooting, saying, “The murder of children by gang and gun violence will not be tolerated.”
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