{"id":150642,"date":"2026-02-10T20:42:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T20:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/150642\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T20:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T20:42:08","slug":"orange-county-sheriffs-office-buys-ice-cream-truck-with-money-seized-from-drug-dealers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/150642\/","title":{"rendered":"Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Office buys ice-cream truck with money \u2018seized from drug dealers\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

As state auditors continue touring the state to publicly shame local officials<\/a> for \u201cwasteful spending,\u201d the Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Office in Orlando has announced its own questionable expenditure: a new ice-cream truck offering free frozen treats to kids, reportedly bought by the agency with money seized from drug dealers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOCSO has a new ice cream truck, purchased with money seized from drug dealers,\u201d a Feb. 7 social media post from the sheriff\u2019s office reads. \u201cWe\u2019re turning money meant for bad into something good for our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The social media post includes a video reel that opens with Orange County Sheriff John Mina riding in the front seat of an ice-cream truck. Differentiating itself from other, non-cop ice-cream trucks, the vehicle has been redecorated with the motto \u201cProtect and Serve\u201d painted on its side, plus a large \u201cOrange County Sheriff\u2019s Office Ice Cream\u201d logo.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On the driver\u2019s door, the origin story of the truck is emblazoned, punctuated with crying-laughing-face emojis: \u201cThis truck was purchased with money seized from drug dealers.\u201d<\/p>\n

FREE ice cream, coming soon to a neighborhood near you!<\/p>\n

OCSO has a new ice cream truck, purchased with money seized from drug dealers. We\u2019re turning money meant for bad into something good for our community. <\/p>\n

Be on the lookout in your neighborhoods and follow us on social media\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/wOzHfiVxde<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Orange County Sheriff’s Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) February 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

An unnamed Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Office spokesperson told Orlando Weekly the total cost of the truck was $91,705.96, a figure that includes the cost of the truck itself as well as the interior and wrap. \u201cThe money is, literally, money seized from drug dealers and other criminals,\u201d the spokesperson explained, when asked for clarification on the funding source.<\/p>\n

There is a legal process<\/a> under state and federal law for how money seized under such circumstances can be used. The money seized under these circumstances goes into the agency\u2019s Law Enforcement Trust Funds, and law enforcement agencies by law are required to put some of the money they seize back into the community.<\/p>\n

In addition to the ice-cream truck, the sheriff\u2019s office said it also uses those forfeiture funds for \u201ccommunity crime prevention awards,\u201d and in the last five years, has distributed more than $900,000 to local nonprofits and community groups.<\/p>\n

The agency spokesperson confirmed that the Community Relations section of OCSO\u2019s budget will pay for the cost of the frozen treats their ice-cream truck gives out moving forward, adding that they have a local supplier for the ice-cream that costs them about 50 cents per treat.<\/p>\n

The Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Office has an allocated budget<\/a> of $423 million this fiscal year, up 10.5 percent over the previous year, according to county documents. The agency\u2019s budget has increased<\/a> $169 million since 2018, and today they employ more than 2,700 full-time staff.<\/p>\n

According to OCSO, the truck will be driving through \u201csome\u201d Orange County neighborhoods, offering free ice cream to kids. (There is no mention in the department\u2019s announcement of whether adults will also be able to receive free ice cream.)<\/p>\n

The stated goal, per Mina, is to \u201cbetter engage with our youth and build trust between our youth and the sheriff\u2019s office.\u201d Polling by Gallup in 2023 found that Generation Z (individuals born between 1997 and 2012) generally lacks trust<\/a> in major U.S. institutions, including law enforcement, with Republican Gen Zers voicing greater support for police than Democrats.<\/p>\n

The local sheriff\u2019s office, for its part, is no stranger to complaints of excessive force<\/a>, literally kicking people while they\u2019re down<\/a>, and being disturbingly trigger-happy<\/a> in situations that ultimately result in fatalities.<\/p>\n

Touted as a \u201ccommunity engagement effort,\u201d the agency\u2019s new ice-cream truck is expected to be used for OCSO events such as its \u201cSheriff\u2019s BBQ\u201d and \u201cTrunk or Treat\u201d in addition to regular visits through neighborhoods in the county.<\/p>\n

The sheriff\u2019s office asks for residents to \u201cbe on the lookout\u201d for the ice-cream truck in their own neighborhoods, and to keep an eye on the department\u2019s social media pages for updates on where the truck is headed next.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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