At their July board of directors meeting, the Downtown Kissimmee Area Council awarded the June Back the Blue Award to Officer Eddie Cruz with the Problem Oriented Policing Unit at Kissimmee Police Department. Officer Cruz is a member of the SWAT Team and is dedicated to training younger officers. He has volunteered train officers on bicycle policies and to coordinate civilian role-players during the annual active shooter training. Officer Cruz also takes time to mentor youth in our community through the Boys and Girls Club, the City of Kissimmee Summer Camp, and the Police Explorer Program.
As the Back the Blue recipient, Officer Cruz was awarded a unique challenge coin designed by 2019 Chairman of the Kissimmee Chamber board Rob Rosen, and $100 in gift cards to Downtown entertainment and dining establishments. The Back the Blue program began this year as an initiative of Chairman Rosen. Each month the Downtown Kissimmee Area Council and Osceola Resort Area Council honor Law Enforcement Officers of the Month from the Kissimmee Police Department and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, respectively.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1099 allowing certain restaurants in Downtown Kissimmee’s Redevelopment District to be issued a special liquor license by the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
The bill only applies to “bona fide restaurants” in the district that occupy at least 1,800 square feet of contiguous space. Also, eligible restaurants must be equipped to serve meals to at least 80 people at one time and derive at least 51 percent of their gross food and beverage revenue from the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages during the first 60-day operating period and each 12-month working period.
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Governor Ron DeSantis recently vetoed $965,000 designated in the budget for the firearms targeting system inside the City’s Public Safety Training Center, which is under construction and expected to open in Spring 2020.
The City of Kissimmee Public Safety Training Center is a seven-acre site that will focus on the critical training components associated with Kissimmee Police and Fire safety responsibilities. This facility will include an indoor firearms range and will better position the Kissimmee Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to provide superior firearms and scenario-based training to enhance their ability to save the lives of the officers and the community.
Mayor Jose Alvarez stated the City will work hard to make the necessary budget adjustments to ensure the project is completed on time.
The total project cost is $8.6 million and will offer an improved learning environment necessary for law enforcement officers to meet the challenges they face everyday. Upon its completion, the City of Kissimmee Public Safety Training Center will be dedicated to Sergeant Sam Howard and Officer Matthew Baxter who were killed in the line of duty in 2017.
