ORLANDO, Fla. — Residents in Delaney and Wadeview Parks questioned Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith on if a proposed homeless shelter on Kaley Street will bring crime to the area.
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Tuesday’s meeting was not supposed to be on the shelter. It was a regularly scheduled roundtable that the Chief hosts where the community is invited to share their concerns about crime and safety.
After about 30 minutes of residents peppering the Chief with questions, Smith ended the meeting over an hour early. Homeowners say they had plenty of questions for the Chief that they didn’t have the chance to ask.
Smith reiterated he was not involved in conversations with the council on where this shelter will go.
“Will it increase crime?” one resident asked.
“In my experience, it’s nice for Orlando Police Department to have somewhere to take people who are in need,” Smith answered.
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Many were visibly disappointed with the Chief’s answer.
The City says it’s still assessing whether the county building on Kaley Street is “economically feasible” to convert into a shelter with 300 beds.
“The city is currently conducting an assessment of the site to determine if it is economically feasible to fund the necessary upgrades and renovations to ensure the facility can provide a safe, functional and secure setting. We anticipate this process taking several months, likely into spring 2025. After the assessment is complete, a more definitive timeline will be developed,” the city statement reads.
However, some residents are already sounding the alarm.
“Crime will go up. It will,” said Patti Martins, a former Orange County patrol deputy and SODO resident. She says she’s firmly against the shelter moving to her neighborhood from her own personal experience.
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“With homelessness comes drug addiction, comes mental health issues. Along with drug addiction, come drug dealers, comes crime,” Martins said.
She added there’s limits on what law enforcement can do.
“If a homeless person wants to keep walking up and down the street there, if a drug dealer wants to keep walking up and down the street there, they can. And sure, the cops can show up and say, ‘move along’ or ‘can I have your ID?’ It won’t solve anything. They don’t have to leave,” Martins said.
Smith says if there’s a call about a homeless person, they really only have two options-- tell them to move along or take them to jail.
A shelter gives the department another option.
He says they also have their new homeless patrol unit-- 10 officers and a sergeant.
He ensures they’ll keep the area safe.
“We’re going to be here to look over and make sure we keep the crime stats under controlled, controlled area and look at everything that goes on. If [the crime] goes up, And of course, we’ll need more officers in the area,” Smith said.
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