ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orlando police and Orange County deputies are launching joint operations in the most vulnerable areas to control crimes involving guns.
Officers with the Orlando Police Department have taken hundreds of guns used in crimes this year off the streets.
Orlando police Chief John Mina told Channel 9's Angela Jacobs that teaming up with the county will be one of law enforcement's most effective weapons in the fight to get illegal guns off the streets.
“We're going to make it very uncomfortable for them to operate in the city of Orlando and Orange County,” Mina said. “We've taken over 600 crime guns off the streets. That will be the focus of this operation.”
Mina said the agencies already work very closely, many times solving each other's crimes.
Mina said robbery, homicide, drugs and gang detectives with the Orlando Police Department are in constant communication with the same detectives in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
The chief also told Eyewitness News that he appreciates how community leaders have addressed the side of the crimes that law enforcement can't. Mina said that help must continue
“We know the community members who are out on the streets every night know the people who are carrying guns, who are committing these crimes, so we need them to come forward and help us out,” Mina said.
The department is using its weekly crime meeting to move increased patrols to the areas in most need.
“When they do get arrested for these gun crimes, they're going to go away for a very, very long time, Mina said.
Mina told Eyewitness News that there are also additional operations already underway involving his officers assigned to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI.