Public Safety in Orlando Under Fire: What the Mayoral Race Is Ignoring
Orlando Nexus Daily – As Orlando gears up for a highly anticipated mayoral election in 2025, issues like housing affordability, economic development, and climate resilience are dominating the campaign trail. Yet, one issue is quietly simmering beneath the surface: public safety. Despite growing concerns among residents about rising crime, strained emergency response systems, and community-police tensions, most candidates have been remarkably quiet on the topic.
Why is public safety being overlooked, and what does this silence mean for the future of Orlando?
Recent polling conducted by the Orlando Civic Pulse Initiative revealed that nearly 63 percent of Orlando residents list public safety as one of their top three concerns, just behind affordable housing and cost of living. Issues range from petty theft and car break-ins to rising reports of gun violence in certain neighborhoods like Parramore and South Semoran.
Many residents say they feel the city is safer than it was a decade ago, but that progress has stalled. Others argue that recent growth in tourism and urban development has brought increased security risks without adequate scaling of safety infrastructure.
At recent community forums, residents voiced concerns about slow police response times, underfunded community patrols, and outdated surveillance systems in public parks and transit stations. Still, few mayoral candidates are providing detailed responses to these complaints.
Front-runners in the mayoral race, including incumbent Mayor Buddy Dyer and challengers like Commissioner Cynthia Harris and newcomer activist Jordan Velez, have offered only broad promises when it comes to safety. Most are focusing on economic drivers, sustainability, and housing, while avoiding deeper conversations around crime prevention and law enforcement reform.
Mayor Dyer has pointed to his record of improving downtown safety and investing in youth violence prevention. However, critics argue that the city’s public safety budget has not kept pace with population growth and that new developments in tourist zones have taken priority over neighborhood safety.
Meanwhile, Jordan Velez’s campaign focuses heavily on community empowerment and restorative justice but offers few specifics on staffing, technology upgrades, or emergency preparedness. Commissioner Harris has called for more neighborhood policing and trauma response training but has yet to release a full public safety platform.
The result is a policy vacuum at a time when many residents are demanding answers.
According to data from the Orlando Police Department’s 2024 report, violent crime is down 7 percent year-over-year, but certain categories like aggravated assaults and gun-related incidents have increased in key districts.
Property crime remains a major issue, with car thefts rising 18 percent compared to two years ago. Reports also show a troubling uptick in juvenile offenses and mental health-related calls that law enforcement officers feel ill-equipped to handle.
EMS services have also come under pressure. As Orlando expands outward, response times for medical emergencies have lengthened, especially in suburban and underserved areas. The fire department recently issued a request for more personnel and upgraded equipment, but city council debate on the budget remains delayed.
Experts warn that while overall safety may appear stable, stress fractures are forming beneath the surface that require proactive investment and planning.
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Local advocacy groups are stepping in where candidates have not. The Coalition for a Safer Orlando has issued a 12-point safety action plan, urging candidates to address key priorities such as mental health crisis units, domestic violence intervention programs, and increased street lighting in low-income areas.
Church leaders, youth mentors, and school counselors have also called for stronger partnerships between City Hall and neighborhood organizations to address root causes of violence.
“Crime is not just a police issue, it’s a community issue,” said Reverend Alonzo Greene of Westside United. “But if our next mayor keeps dodging the conversation, we risk letting the tension grow in silence.”
While public safety may be a difficult subject, ignoring it could be politically costly. Candidates who fail to engage with crime and safety issues may be seen as out of touch with daily struggles faced by working families, small business owners, and transit users.
Moreover, neglecting this issue opens the door for misinformation and sensationalism. Without clear platforms and policy positions, the public discourse may be shaped by fear rather than facts, deepening divisions and eroding trust in city leadership.
Voters are beginning to notice. In town halls and debates, public safety questions are getting louder.
Orlando’s future depends on more than just development and tourism. Public safety is the foundation of a thriving city, and it deserves attention from every candidate seeking to lead it.
As residents demand more clarity and commitment, the candidates must decide whether they will continue to play it safe or face the issue head-on. Silence may no longer be an option in a city that values both progress and protection