Police confiscate more than 150 guns in downtown crime enforcement operations

ORLANDO, Fla. — In the wake of several violent incidents in downtown Orlando last year, community and business leaders demanded police take action.

Orlando police responded by increasing the number of officers in the downtown area.

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Armed with license plate readers, cameras and a team of data analysts the department set about the task of taking guns off the street.

Orlando police chief Orlando Rolon said the move is showing results.

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“The outcome has been positive. The number of guns we have taken off the street has been significant.” Rolon said.

In the past year police have taken 158 guns off the streets in the Orange Avenue corridor.

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The department said that has reduced crime and since November officers have not responded to a shooting with a victim in that downtown area.

Rolon said the next step is to see if bars will allow the OPD crime center to tap into security cameras so officers can see in real time what is happening if and when a crime occurs.

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