A key objective of the Mayor's administration is improving public safety. New leadership for the Tampa Police Department (TPD) has been selected to replace the retiring Police Chief, to build upon an already strong police force. Innovative programs like "Operation Commitment" in East Tampa will be implemented to maintain a higher quality of life in our neighborhoods, positively impact the lives of residents, and permit neighborhoods to reach their economic potential. To ensure high standards are maintained, TPD will add five police officers in FY04 to better serve the needs of the city. This will increase the authorized strength of sworn police officers to 1,002, a ratio of 3.21 officers per thousand population, the highest ratio among major Florida cities. Two of the new officers will be assigned to the Sulphur Springs area in a community policing capacity. Two other new officers will be assigned to enhance the Police Department's objectives in providing quality crime prevention, design reviews, community development and public safety training. The last of the five new police officers will work with various government agencies, non-profit organizations and private corporations in developing the Youth Opportunity program to build networks that help communities access all resources to empower youth (ages 14-21) in Tampa's enterprise communities to reach their full potential.

Tampa Fire Rescue's (TFR) new Fire Chief has already reorganized the Department's management structure, saving taxpayers $300,000 in the process, and has reinvested those savings in seven additional firefighters to further enhance public safety. In FY04, another seven new firefighter positions will be added to better serve Tampa's communities. Authorized sworn firefighter strength will increase to 552. This new increment of seven positions, is the first year's installment of a multi-year program to put four firefighters on each fire-fighting engine (currently there are three), a standard advocated by the National Fire Protection Administration. In addition, TFR will take delivery of a 27-foot Boston Whaler fireboat that will greatly enhance the department's ability to deal with fire on or near the water.