BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Frustration is boiling over in Boynton Beach’s Forest Park neighborhood, where residents attended a recent city commission meeting demanding answers about crime and stronger police presence.
"You're losing it, you're losing the battle with crime," one resident told commissioners during public comment.
WATCH: Longtime neighbors tell WPTV they're worried about recent rise in crime
Residents described recent incidents that have left them shaken.
"Last night we had an issue, I chased them for three blocks," the same resident said.
Longtime neighbors told city leaders they are worried their concerns have gone unheard for too long, with some even warning they may consider relocating if conditions don’t improve.
"And now as a father, I ask myself, is this a place where I can raise my son?" another speaker said during the meeting.
WPTV spoke with residents in the Forest Park neighborhood following the meeting, where residents described a growing sense of unease.
"Over the 40 years I've been here, it's been up and down," said resident Angela.
But others say recent incidents feel more alarming than in years past.
"We recently had a drive-by shooting, and I've lived here since 1997, and that's a first, and that was very disturbing," one neighbor said.
City leaders acknowledge more may need to be done. Commissioner Thomas Turkin is now requesting a full review of the police department’s operations, with the goal of increasing police presence where it's needed most.
"The first thing I did was look at what the patrolling looked like from January to February," Turkin said.
According to Turkin, the review showed patrol activity dropped by about 30 percent during that time.
"It raises an extremely fair question about whether our current structure is maximizing the impact of the resources that we are investing in public safety," Turkin said.
After the airing of this report, the City of Boynton Beach sent WPTV a statement addressing residents' concerns and outlining what leaders say is already being done.
City officials say the review of the police department is intended to ensure officers and resources are deployed in ways that maximize their impact in neighborhoods like Forest Park. The city says it is examining staffing allocations, patrol coverage and operational practices to identify opportunities to strengthen police visibility and community presence — two concerns residents repeatedly raised during the commission meeting.
While some neighbors question whether public safety spending is delivering results, the city says recent data shows improvement.
According to the city, overall index crime in Forest Park has decreased by 29 percent compared to the same time last year — dropping from 65 incidents in 2024 to 46 in 2025. Violent crime decreased by 7 percent, while non-violent crime dropped by 35 percent.
City leaders also say shootings in the neighborhood have also decreased.
Officials say proactive policing efforts have increased as well, with traffic stops up 10 percent and extra patrols in the area increasing by 83 percent.
City leaders say the review does not signal a failure of the police department but rather is part of routine efforts to evaluate strategies and improve public safety operations.
The city commission provides policy oversight, while the city manager and police department leadership are responsible for evaluating operations and implementing changes.
During the meeting, commissioners also discussed increasing visible police presence in Forest Park. City officials say the review could identify additional opportunities to strengthen patrol coverage, though any changes would need to be evaluated to ensure they are effective and sustainable.
The city says the review will also establish performance indicators such as patrol activity, response times and crime trends so progress can be tracked and shared with the commission.
If additional action is needed, city officials say they could also explore strengthening partnerships with residents and community organizations, coordinating with other city departments such as code enforcement, or implementing targeted enforcement initiatives based on crime data.
For many residents, however, the goal remains simple.
"I would love to see more patrol, I would love to know that the response time is fast," one resident said.
During the meeting, Turkin asked the city manager to move forward with the evaluation. Residents in Forest Park say they will be watching closely to see what changes come next.
