- February 3, 2025
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Good news has come about the safety of Port Orange residents. The city is the second safest city in the state of Florida, according to SafeWise, a home safety and security company.
"The rating of second safest city is due in large part from the efforts of our officers and support staff who are committed to ensuring the highest possible quality of life for residents and visitors alike," said Evan Doyle, Port Orange Police public information officer in an email.
The distinction came after the company published a 2019 report, as seen on Facebook on Tuesday, March 19. SafeWise presented statistics for the top 50 cities in Florida who had the lowest violent and property crime.
With a population of 61,892 people and a median income of $48,478, Port Orange had a violent crime rate of 0.52 per 1,000 people. That is less than both the violent crime rates for the state and nation. Overall, Florida’s violent crime rate is higher than the national average.
Property crime for Port Orange was 25.04 per 1,000 people. While lower than the state and national average, property crime was closer to the national average of 27.11 per 1,000 people.
Key Biscayne was rated the number one safest city. The city of Edgewater also made the list, ranking 21st.
Of the safest cities in the SafeWise report, 78% had fewer than 90 violent crimes. There were no counts of murder in 58% of the cities.
Statistics for the report came from 2017 FBI data, which did not take into account the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“Thank you to the amazing public safety professionals we have in Port Orange,” said Port Orange Councilman Drew Bastian on Facebook.
Additionally, community outreach programs have been instrumental in building positive relationships which encourage cooperation and yield significant crime prevention results.
The Port Orange Police Department has many programs that help inform citizens about how they can stay safe and protect their property. On the department’s website, links to various educational information and resources for the community can be found.
"Programs such as 'walk and talks' at our schools and businesses promote better relationships between the community and our officers, while proactive policing carried out by patrol officers and the Crime Suppression Team act as a deterrent to those who desire to commit crime," Doyle said.
Some of the programs that the department offers include crime prevention and personal safety.
The purpose of the crime prevention program is to “Enhance public safety awareness and crime prevention through education, environmental design, and enforcement,” according to the Department’s website.
Several suggestions regarding personal safety can be found on the POPD website at port-orange.org
This story was updated at 8:19 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, to include Port Orange Police Public Information Officer Evan Doyle's comments on the ranking.
