Downtown Policing

The City of Sanford partnered with Downtown Sanford, Inc. (DSI) in 2019 to launch a downtown policing initiative to help with traffic control, general safety, and community engagement.

For FY 2020-21, Sanford City Council allocated $97,600 for downtown policing. The initiative contracts off-duty police officers to patrol downtown for approximately 55 hours per week. Officers work in single shifts and walk the downtown core.

Downtown officers provide information about homelessness initiatives, help merchants and visitors with any needs, and offer traffic control as needed, such as on high-shopping days when pedestrians may need help crossing the street or backing out of parking spaces. feedback from officers, merchants, and patrons has been extremely positive.”

“This program has exceeded all expectations from our downtown board and merchants,” says DSI Executive Director Kelli Laudate. “All