ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The numbers are in from the Orange County sheriff, who says crime is down in the Pine Hills Community.

  • Overall crime in Pine Hills down 38% since 2015, sheriff says
  • Pine Hills Community Council pushing for more collaboration with county
  • More than a dozen deputies serve Pine Hills full time

Sheriff John Mina made that announcement at a community meeting in Pine Hills Tuesday night. Mina told meeting attendees that, since 2015, overall crime is down 38 percent, and homicides are down 50 percent.

Pine Hills residents we spoke to say they are seeing change.

“Its getting a whole lot better I can say that," George Pryor said.  

A U.S. Navy Veteran, Pryor has lived in the Pine Hills community for over 30 years. 

While it was peace time when he was stationed overseas in the military, he would soon encounter what he calls a war on the streets when he moved to Pine Hills. 

“I've seen where guys just pull up and they were just shooting at the apartments," Pryor said. 

According to the Orange County Sheriff, from 2017 to 2018 overall crime is down 18 percent. Residential burglaries are down 32 percent, and auto burglaries down 25 percent, while commercial burglaries are down 17 percent. 

“We are hoping that everyonegoes away and says, 'you know, what it's enough, it's time that we stop calling Pine Hills Crime Hills.' That is no longer," Pine Hills Community Council President Sandra Fatmi said. 

On Tuesday evening, Fatmi, who was once again sworn-in as president of the council, said she is looking forward to growing a strong bond with the Orange County sheriff’s and mayoral offices. 

"I’m hoping for collaboration that works, collaboration that speaks to a village concept. That’s how we were able to get the numbers down for 2018. We are able to work together in 'seeing something say something,' everyone taking back their community," Fatmi said. 

“I can’t see no problem in living here," Pryer said. "If I did -- I live right back there. You think I would be walking up here to this store?" 

The sheriff attributes part of the reduction in crime to more than a dozen deputies who serve the area full-time. ​