- The Gainesville Police Department and University of Florida Police Department operate a joint midtown detail to increase law enforcement presence during high-traffic times near campus.
- The midtown detail enhances collaboration by combining officers and resources from both agencies to improve the safety of students and the Gainesville community.
The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) and the University of Florida Police Department (UFPD) are continuing their partnership in the midtown area through a joint detail that provides an increased law enforcement presence during high-traffic periods near the university campus.
According to a city of Gainesville press release sent on Wednesday, the midtown detail is deployed on dates and at times when the agencies anticipate elevated activity. During those periods, sworn officers from GPD and UFPD work together to respond to calls and patrol the area.
The ongoing collaboration includes regular meetings between Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya and UFPD Chief Bart Knowles to discuss safety needs. The goal is to develop strategies that enhance the safety and well-being of University of Florida students and the broader Gainesville community.
“This is about putting officers where they can have the greatest impact at the time they’re most needed,” Moya said in the release. “We’re in constant communication with our partners at the university. Our job is to maintain a high level of public safety together.”
The midtown detail builds on GPD’s existing Downtown Unit, which was established in 2025. The unit works directly with business owners and other stakeholders to identify concerns, share information and build relationships.
The downtown unit consists of four officers and a sergeant. In addition to responding to calls in the downtown area, members monitor foot traffic, parking areas and gathering places.
The midtown detail applies a similar approach while expanding opportunities for interagency collaboration. By assigning GPD and UFPD officers to work together, the detail combines personnel, information and experience from both agencies in one of Gainesville’s most active student-centered areas.
“Gainesville and the University of Florida are one community, and public safety is one of the places where that partnership matters most,” Mayor Harvey L. Ward said in the release. “When our police departments share information, resources and responsibility, we are better able to respond to the needs of our neighbors and students. This detail is another example of that collaboration at work.”
The midtown detail reflects a shared recognition that student safety extends beyond campus boundaries. Students live, work, travel and gather throughout Gainesville, making cooperation between GPD and UFPD an important part of serving the university community.