ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NEW TONIGHT KEEPING RESIDENTS SAFE AND INFORMED WAS THE FOCUS OF A COMMUNITY MEETING IN DISTRICT SIX, LED BY POLICE CHIEF ERIC SMITH. DISTRICT SIX INCLUDES THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF HOLDEN HEIGHTS, METRO WEST, CARVER SHORES AND NORTH. I DRIVE TO SAND LAKE, WESH 2’S GAIL PASCHALL-BROWN IS LIVE AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS TONIGHT AND GAIL. THE POLICE HAD A LOT TO SHARE. YES HE DID. HE HAD SEVERAL STATS FOR THE NEIGHBORS AS RESIDENTS PACKED THE MEETING AT THE L. CLAUDIA ALLEN SENIOR CENTER TONIGHT. THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF YOUR CITY GOVERNMENT IS THE PROTECTION OF OUR RESIDENTS AT QUARTERLY. ORLANDO POLICE CHIEF ERIC SMITH HOLDS COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN EVERY DISTRICT. ALTHOUGH DISTRICT SIX. WEDNESDAY NIGHT WAS DISTRICT SIX, WHERE RESIDENTS GOT TO MEET OFFICERS WHO WORK IN THEIR AREA. SERGEANT RODNEY VANCE IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL UNIT. THIS WAS ALSO WHERE CHIEF SMITH SHARED SEVERAL CRIME FIGHTING STATS. CRIME IS DOWN, WHICH IS GREAT, ESPECIALLY VIOLENT CRIME. VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN 12% IN DISTRICT SIX. SHOOTINGS ARE DOWN 18% BECAUSE THE OFFICERS ARE OUT HERE WORKING VERY HARD TO KEEP THEM SAFE. AND WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. HE SAYS BURGLARIES ARE DOWN 20%. WE’VE HAD NINE HOMICIDES FOR THE YEAR SO FAR. WE HAD 18 LAST YEAR, SO WE’RE DOING A GREAT JOB THERE. NOW, THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS IS WE’VE GOT 100% SOLVE RATE. CHIEF SMITH WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN WHAT RESIDENTS HAD TO SAY. I WAS THERE AROUND ABOUT 7 OR 8:00. AND YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU PUTTING YOUR STUFF IN THE CAR AND YOU STILL GOT TO LOOK AROUND YOU. AND SOMETIMES IT’S NOT SAFE TO WALK NEAR THE WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN THE GROCERY ONE THAT’S RIGHT HERE BY THE CHURCH. AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T FEEL SAFE. AND WHAT WE CAN DO IS INCREASE OUR PATROL THERE. ANOTHER RESIDENT WHO DIDN’T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO GET A DRUG HOUSE OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I DON’T THINK YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH SOMEBODY WHO’S JUST SELLING DRUGS NEXT TO YOU, DOING ILLEGAL ACTS NEXT TO YOU, AND HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT. YOU CALL US. I WILL SAY SOMETIMES IT’S VERY QUICK. SOMETIMES IT MAY TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CASE AND MAKE AND DO THE INVESTIGATION, BUT WE WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AND WHY DO YOU DO THESE QUARTERLY? BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY HAS SOMETHING TO SAY. SO FOR ME, I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM. I COULD EASILY JUST SIT BEHIND MY DESK ALL DAY, 8 TO 5 AND JUST BE LIKE AND JUST PHONE IT IN, BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM, SEE HOW THEY WANT TO BE POLICED, WHAT THEY WANT. THEY THINK WE’RE DOING GREAT. WHAT THEY THINK WE CAN IMPROVE ON. AND CHIEF SMITH REMINDED EVERYONE THAT THE DEPARTMENT RELIES ON RESIDENTS TO CALL IN WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS. COVERING ORANG
‘Crime is down’: Orlando District 6 community meeting highlights drop in violent crime
Updated: 11:02 PM EST Nov 12, 2025
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith led a community meeting in District 6, sharing that violent crime is down 12% and shootings have decreased by 18% compared to last year. District 6 includes the neighborhoods of Holden Heights, Metrowest, Carver Shores, and North I-Drive to Sandlake, home to 53,000 people.During the meeting at the L. Claudia Allen Senior Center, Chief Smith shared several crime-fighting statistics. “Crime is down, which is great, especially violent crime, violent crime is down 12 percent in District 6. Shootings are down 18 percent cause the officers are down here working very hard to keep them safe, and we’re going to continue to do that,” Smith said. He also noted that burglaries have decreased by 20%.Chief Smith reported nine homicides this year, compared to 18 last year, and emphasized a 100% solve rate. “We’ve had 9 homicides for the year so far; we had 18 last year, doing a great job there. Best thing about this, we’ve got 100 percent solve rate,” he said.Residents had the opportunity to meet the officers who work in their area and express their concerns. One resident shared safety concerns about a local Walmart, saying, “I was there around 7 or 8 o’clock, and you still have people walking through as you put your stuff in the cart, then you still got to look around you, and sometimes it’s not safe.” Chief Smith responded, “The little Walmart, neighborhood one grocery one that is by the church, and sometimes it doesn’t feel safe, right here, and what we can do is increase our patrol there.”Another resident inquired about addressing a drug house in their neighborhood. Chief Smith assured, “Don’t think you have to live with someone selling drugs next to you doing illegal acts and having to go through that… sometimes it will be very quick, sometimes it will take a couple of months, we have to make the case and do the investigation, but we will solve the problem.”Chief Smith explained the importance of these quarterly meetings, saying, “And why do you do these quarterly? Because I believe the community has something to say, so for me I want to hear from them. I could easily sit behind my desk all day, 8 to 5, and just phone it in, but I want to hear from them, see how they want to be pleased, what they think we’re doing great, what they think we can improve on.”
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith led a community meeting in District 6, sharing that violent crime is down 12% and shootings have decreased by 18% compared to last year. District 6 includes the neighborhoods of Holden Heights, Metrowest, Carver Shores, and North I-Drive to Sandlake, home to 53,000 people.
During the meeting at the L. Claudia Allen Senior Center, Chief Smith shared several crime-fighting statistics.
“Crime is down, which is great, especially violent crime, violent crime is down 12 percent in District 6. Shootings are down 18 percent cause the officers are down here working very hard to keep them safe, and we’re going to continue to do that,” Smith said. He also noted that burglaries have decreased by 20%.
Chief Smith reported nine homicides this year, compared to 18 last year, and emphasized a 100% solve rate.
“We’ve had 9 homicides for the year so far; we had 18 last year, doing a great job there. Best thing about this, we’ve got 100 percent solve rate,” he said.
Residents had the opportunity to meet the officers who work in their area and express their concerns. One resident shared safety concerns about a local Walmart, saying, “I was there around 7 or 8 o’clock, and you still have people walking through as you put your stuff in the cart, then you still got to look around you, and sometimes it’s not safe.” Chief Smith responded, “The little Walmart, neighborhood one grocery one that is by the church, and sometimes it doesn’t feel safe, right here, and what we can do is increase our patrol there.”
Another resident inquired about addressing a drug house in their neighborhood. Chief Smith assured, “Don’t think you have to live with someone selling drugs next to you doing illegal acts and having to go through that… sometimes it will be very quick, sometimes it will take a couple of months, we have to make the case and do the investigation, but we will solve the problem.”
Chief Smith explained the importance of these quarterly meetings, saying, “And why do you do these quarterly? Because I believe the community has something to say, so for me I want to hear from them. I could easily sit behind my desk all day, 8 to 5, and just phone it in, but I want to hear from them, see how they want to be pleased, what they think we’re doing great, what they think we can improve on.”