Members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit work diligently with members of residential communities and businesses daily to foster good working relationships.  Staffed by state certified Crime Prevention Practitioners, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit is committed to the task of stopping a crime before it can occur.  This is accomplished through education, awareness, and extensive training.  We continue to take the lead in crime prevention and safety education of our citizens and the visitors who visit the Orange County area each year.  Here is what we offer to our community:

Surveys

Crime Prevention Practitioners offer services to our community which includes Residential and Commercial Security Assessments. These are free risk assessments to evaluate how secure a residence or business is.  A Crime Prevention Practitioner will come to your residence or business and offer crime prevention tips on lighting, shrubbery, sliding glass door locks and many more.

Neighborhood Watch

Crime Prevention Practitioners will come to your neighborhood and hold a Neighborhood Watch Meeting.  We will teach you how to reduce the desire, ability, and opportunity for crime in your community.  We will offer safety tips and end the meeting with a question and answer session.

Educational Programs

The Crime Prevention Unit is dedicated to providing educational presentations to the community such as Personal Safety Education, Violence in the Workplace Awareness and Robbery Prevention Programs.  A Crime Prevention Practitioner will come to your community meeting and provide information on a variety of topics and close with a question and answer session.

For more information on Crime Prevention Programs please contact 407-254-7000 or email [email protected]

Crime Prevention E-Brochures

The Senior Programs objectives are to reduce senior victimization, enhance a sense of security and improve seniors overall quality of life.  The senior program goals are to identify senior issues, investigate those issues thoroughly and sensitively, select a course of action, and create a network with social services.  In order to accomplish these goals and objectives the Orange County Sheriff's Office must educate, train and involve senior citizens, law enforcement and the community.

SENIOR ABUSE

Orange County Sheriff's Office offers presentations on senior abuse. These presentations include what to report and how to report senior abuse. Education is essential when 80% of senior abuse is from a family member.  Senior abuse can take several different forms; physical, sexual, psychological, exploitation (material or financial), neglect or self-neglect.  Only 1 in 5 senior abuses are reported.  Under Florida Statute 415, everyone is a mandatory reporter if they see or assume abuse.  To report senior abuse, call 1 (800) 96-ABUSE(22873). 

SENIOR PRESENTATIONS

The Orange County Sheriff's Office has recognized that the best defense to prevent crime is through education.  Senior Crime Prevention offers the following classes; senior safety, senior frauds and scams, senior identity theft, senior overview, and senior medical identity theft.  To make this easy for the senior community the Senior Crime Prevention advocate comes to your location to present these valuable free classes around your schedule.

Senior Connect Interactive Information Sessions (SCIIS)

SCIIS is being offered at no cost, to seniors ages 55 and better, to empower and uplift the senior community. The sessions are intended to enhance positive relationship between seniors and law enforcement tasked with protecting as well as educating the elderly population on proactive tools to promote safety within the community. Attendees will engage with Orange County Sheriff's Office staff who work directly with seniors in the community on various topics to include, fraud prevention, self-defense, social media and email safety. All seniors are welcome and encouraged to attend!! 

COMBAT AUTO THEFT

When a Combat Auto Theft application has been completed, a sticker is issued and placed in the rear window of your vehicle. If the vehicle is spotted out in the community between 1AM and 5AM, that sticker gives law enforcement the authority to stop and search the vehicle to see if it is stolen. Combat Auto Theft is free to the community and many stolen vehicles have been recovered thru this program.

The Senior Crime Prevention Unit is available for any type of senior concerns and senior general assistance.

For more information on Senior Programs please contact [email protected]

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Program is designed for young people (ages 14-21) interested in law enforcement. You must be between the ages of 14 and 18 to apply. The primary functions of the Explorer Program is assisting the Sheriff’s Office through community service projects while learning about the many aspects of the criminal justice system. Explorer activities include civic service, recreational programs, and training.  By being a member in this program, we hope to broaden your outlook and understanding of the real world of police work.  We will provide a sound foundation for those who wish to pursue a career in the rewarding field of law enforcement.

TRAINING

An Explorer has the opportunity to learn every aspect of law enforcement investigation to include:

• Patrol Procedures
• Traffic Stops
• Arrest Techniques
• Crime Scene Investigation
• Firearms Safety
• Traffic Control
• Search and Seizure
• Crime Prevention
• First Aid 
• Fingerprinting

RIDE ALONG PROGRAM

Once an explorer reaches the age of 18, he or she can ride as an observer with uniformed deputies and specialized units.

COMPETITIONS

Explorer Post 2061 attends competitions with other law enforcement explorer posts at the state and national levels.  These competitions are in conjunction with the Florida Sheriff’s Office Explorers Association and the National Law Enforcement Explorer Conference.  These competitions include traffic stops, search and arrest, crime scene investigations, first aid, and crime prevention exercises.

For more information on this exciting program please contact the Explorer Program Coordinator, Cpl. Justin Age at (407) 254-7265 or [email protected].

Citizens On Patrol was formed in 2000 by the Orange County Sheriff's Office. It is comprised of at least 10 homeowners from subdivisions who have chosen to volunteer their time to the Orange County Sheriff's Office acting as the eyes and ears for law enforcement.

Citizens On Patrol volunteers are one of the greatest supports to deputies. Our Citizens On Patrol wear an issued agency uniform and patrol in marked agency vehicles which remain in their subdivision.

After successfully passing a background check, Citizens On Patrol volunteers are required to complete 22 hours of training prior to beginning their duties as a volunteer. Training includes, but is not limited to, CPR, AED, Law Enforcement Vehicle Operation driver training, policy and procedures, and how to identify and report criminal/non-criminal behavior.

Upon successful completion of training, volunteers patrol their subdivisions, neighborhood parks, schools, and area businesses observing for suspicious/criminal behavior and hazards. Citizens On Patrol can also assist at various sites until a deputy arrives such as road closures/hazards, school crossings,  vacation house checks, and wellness checks.

To learn more about this great opportunity in your subdivision please contact Citizens On Patrol Coordinator Awilda McBryde at (407) 254-7342 or [email protected].

The Orange County Sheriff's Office academies were created to promote an understanding of law enforcement through education and personal interaction.

Civilian Police Academy

As a student in the Civilian Police Academy, you will gain a knowledge and understanding of the functions and responsibilities of the various roles within the Orange County Sheriff's Office.  Although the course cannot possibly cover all aspects of law enforcement, it does give an overview of deputy training, criminal investigations, community policing, specialty units, operational services, special operations, and court services.  The Civilian Police Academy offers field trips which enable the students to tour the Aviation Hanger, Crime Scene/Forensics Lab, and the DUI Center.

To become a student,  you must submit an application thru the Orange County Sheriff's Office website.  Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and able to pass a background check to attend the Civilian Police Academy.  This is required so the student will be able to enter our secure buildings. 

Hispanic and Brazilian Civilian Police Academy

The Hispanic and Brazilian academies do not require an application or a background check since they are held at different churches, universities and community centers. These facilities have partnered with the Orange County Sheriff's Office as a service to their community. The Hispanic and Brazilian academy programs are presented in Spanish and Portuguese languages.

Teen Academy

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Teen Academy is for students between the ages of 13 to 17.  This FREE academy is held twice during the summer vacation and are a week long from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Lunch is not provided.  As a student of the Teen Academy, you will gain a knowledge and understanding of the functions and responsibilities of the various roles within the Orange County Sheriff's Office. This highly interactive academy discusses many safety topics that teens face such as bulling, dating, truancy, and social media.  The academy also gives an overview of deputy training, criminal investigations, community policing, specialty units, operational services, special operations, and court services.  The Teen Academy offers field trips which enable the students to tour the Communications Center, Aviation Hanger, Crime Scene/Forensics Lab, and the Mounted Stables,  to name a few.

To become a student, you must submit an application through the Orange County Sheriff's Office website.  Applicants must be able to pass a background check to attend the Teen Academy. The background check is required so the student will be able to enter our secure buildings. 

For more information on these exciting programs,  please contact the Academy Program Coordinator at (407) 254-7320 or [email protected].

The primary objective of the Occupant Protection Program is to increase awareness of proper use of occupant protection devices (car seats, booster seats, and seat belts) throughout the community.   This objective is met through education and training of the public.

The Occupant Protection Program holds free car seat check-up events within Orange County to assist parents/caregivers with their car seat installation. If additional assistance is needed,  the Occupant Protection Specialist will schedule one on one car seat installation appointments.   Additionally, this program offers monthly car seat safety classes and workshops for the public at various business partner locations in the community.  The Occupant Protection Program holds in-service training for transportation businesses and child social services agencies.  The program also distributes car seats from the State of Florida at a reduced cost for families in need.  

The Occupant Protection Program partners with the Florida Safety Council to offer a monthly Child Restraint/Occupant Protection Class for drivers who have received a child restraint citation and are required to attend training. Registration for this class is conducted through the Florida Safety Council website http://www.floridasafetycouncil.org.

For more information on the Occupant Protection Program, or to get help with your car seat installation, please contact Carrisa Johns at (407)521-4673 or [email protected]. 

Volunteer Opportunities

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Volunteer Program is available in a number of areas within the Orange County Sheriff's Office.  Our volunteers have a variety of different skill sets and experiences.  These skills and experiences are an invaluable resource for the success of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.   There are many units where volunteers are used, such as: Chaplains, Mounted, Parking Enforcement, Task Force, Tourist Information Patrol Specialists, and In-House.

To learn more about this program, please contact Cpl. Justin Age at [email protected].

Internship Opportunities

The Orange County Sheriff's Office internship program allows current college students to work with deputies and specialized units to better prepare themselves for their chosen career. This is a volunteer program that requires the intern to receive college credits from their academic institute.

To learn more about this program, please contact Cpl. Justin Age at [email protected].

The Orange County Sheriff's Office Special Projects unit provides support with charitable events. The Orange County Sheriff's Office may participate in your community event. When emailing your request please include the following information:

• Organization Name
• Name of Event
• Date
• Start and end time
• Location with address
• Approximate number of attendees
• Point of contact name and phone number
• Types of units you would like to attend (Such as Mounted, K-9's, and Motors)

Once the request is received, our Special Projects Unit will coordinate with deputies who are available. Please note, we book at least 30 days in advance.

To learn more about this program, please contact Community Relations Specialist Brooke Eckenrod at (407) 254-7387 or  [email protected]

The Orange County Sheriff's Office wants to recognize the outstanding contributions made by law enforcement and members of the community.

There are people who demonstrate courage and superior initiative while serving the residents and visitors of Orange County - every day - and we want to award those people and highlight their efforts.

The Community Relations Section oversees the Awards Program, and is responsible for reviewing, processing, and organizing award nominations.

For more information about the Awards Program, or if you would like to nominate someone for an award, please call (407)254-7389 or send an email to [email protected].

The Orange County Sheriff's Office provides a diverse group of chaplains who volunteer their time to support law enforcement functions.

At times, when deputies respond to certain calls, chaplains may be able to provide assistance to a person impacted during a emotional and stressful incident. Deputies can call on one of our many chaplains who represent a number of denominations and faiths. The chaplains graciously assist victims and their families with death notifications, stress management, and a number of other services.

Deputies and their families sometimes experience substantial stress and strain while working in law enforcement. Their needs may be better met by clergy familiar with the issues and difficulties unique to the profession. Our chaplains can also assist agency employees and family members who are seeking compassionate support or guidance.

For more information on the Chaplain Program, please contact 407-254-7000 or C[email protected].

RESIDENTIAL

• Let your neighbors know when you go on vacation so they can watch your house or apartment for suspicious activity.
• Try carrying a small change purse with only the essentials you need instead of a large handbag. 
• Walk on well-lit busy streets.  Stay away from vacant lots, alleys, or construction sites.
• Stay alert and tuned in to your surroundings.
• Ask all service and sales people for identification before you let them in your home.
• Make sure all porches, entrances and yard are well lighted.  Use timers when you are away or coming home after dark.
• Mark valuable property such as televisions and cameras with your driver’s license number.  Make a photographic inventory of jewelry and antiques.  Also, make a list for insurance purposes with descriptions, makes, and serial numbers.

VEHICLE

• Always lock your car doors.  Never leave keys in the ignition when you leave the car, even for a few minutes.
• When you drive, keep the doors locked and the windows up.  Park in well lit, busy areas.
• Lock packages or other tempting articles in the trunk of the car.  Do not leave them where they can be seen through the window.
• Never pick up hitchhikers.

Trust your instincts.  If you feel uncomfortable in a place or situation, leave.