Violent crime is down in the Pine Hills area of Orange County, and the sheriff's office says the likely reason is Operation R.I.S.E.

  • Operation R.I.S.E. sees a 17 percent drop in violent crimes
  • Demings credits initiative, community with bringing crime down
  • #PineHillsProud campaign to launch at the end of August

Sheriff Demings is crediting community members for a major role in that success.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, violent crimes are down by 17 percent since last year in Pine Hills.

“When people are proud of where they live and they actively get involved, those are indicators that you have a good place to live," said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings.

"I believe that bringing everyone together is going to create the opportunity for Pine Hills to become a great place to live, work and to visit," Sheriff Demings added.

Created in 2016, Operation R.I.S.E. focuses on hardcore criminals. It also has a community component, with deputies working to develop relationships in the area.

Deputies said one homicide took place in Orange County portion of the Pine Hills neighorhood during the first six months of 2017.

That's stark contrast to the nine homicides took place in the first six months of 2016.

Regardless of the numbers, a neighborhood is only as good as its neighbors.

Miles Mulrain is Pine Hills Proud. That's why the 27-year-old started his own community organization.

“Even if you’re not a Pine Hills resident, Pine Hills is part of Central Florida and we all have an influence some way in Pine Hills," said Mulrain, the director of Let Your Voice Be Heard.

With his one-year-old son in tow, Mulrain’s efforts are naturally focused on helping mentor young people in Pine Hills to reach their potential.

“Even if you can’t bring anything to actually give to the children, your presence is more important because they get to see that there is a future. There is a way to go and me (I’m) a perfect example," Mulrain said.

"I try to show people that you can come from a certain place and still go wherever you want to and still give back at the same time," Mulrain added.

More mentors is what people like Orange County Judge Gisela Laurent says the area really needs. Laurent graduated from Evans High School in Pine Hills in 1994.

“More mentors to let them know that, like the sheriff said, that growing up in Pine Hills, you can be a doctor, you can be an astronaut, you can be a judge," said Laurent.

Community leaders said #PineHillsProud is more than a hashtag, it’s a way of life for the overwhelming majority of Pine Hills residents.

A new Pine Hills Proud billboard campaign will begin before the end of August. The sheriff's office released the video below as part of the campaign.