Key Issues: Community Safety

The Challenge:

Cracking down on crime while investing in our youth

Lately, Tampa has faced a growing challenge with "teen takeovers"—large, unpermitted gatherings organized on social media that disrupt public spaces, impact local businesses, and put our young people at risk.

While we must enforce our laws and maintain order, a zero-tolerance approach on the streets is only half the battle. We cannot simply arrest our way out of this issue. If we want our youth to make better choices, we must proactively fund and provide better opportunities.

At the same time, true safety relies on a deep bond of trust between neighbors and the officers who patrol our streets. To build that trust, community engagement can no longer be treated as an "extra" duty—it must be baked into the core definition of what it means to be a Tampa Police officer.

The Vision:

Preventative safety and accountable policing

My community safety platform bridges the gap between proactive youth intervention and structural, community-first police reform.

• Investing in "Better Choices" for Tampa's Youth: Our kids need constructive outlets, mentorship, and safe spaces. I will advocate to increase municipal funding for critical local youth programs, including the Police Athletic League (PAL), the Resources in Community Hope (RICH) House program, and local park and recreation centers. By funding late-night sports, arts, and job-readiness programs, we give our youth a positive path forward.

• Making Community Involvement a Core Success Metric: Currently, police performance is heavily evaluated on numbers like response times and arrest rates. I will push to reform the Tampa Police Department’s performance review process to formally include community involvement as a key evaluation metric. Officers should be measured on how effectively they build relationships, attend neighborhood association meetings, and proactively solve local problems.

• Incentivizing Community Engagement: Building trust takes time and effort. I advocate for creating clear incentives—such as priority scheduling, specialized training opportunities, and promotion pathways—for officers who consistently go above and beyond in community engagement, mentoring programs, and neighborhood outreach.

How We Get it Done:

Actionable solutions

1. Redirect Municipal Funds to Local Youth Pipelines: Work with community leaders to expand summer youth employment, sports leagues, and after-school programs directly in West Tampa and Town 'N Country.

2. Collaborative Performance Reform: Work directly with the Chief of Police and the police union to integrate community-oriented metrics into officer evaluations without compromising response times or tactical readiness.

3. Bring "Front Porch Roll Calls" to More Neighborhoods: Expand TPD's neighborhood-level briefings so residents can meet officers directly where they live and work, fostering open dialogue and mutual respect.

"Public safety isn't just about the absence of crime—it’s about the presence of trust. By investing in our youth and rewarding officers who build relationships, we build a safer, stronger Tampa for everyone."

Progress Starts Today

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Political advertisement paid for and approved by Jose Lucena for Tampa City Council, District 6

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