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Investing in Public Safety

Coral Gables is strengthening public safety on land and water with the addition of new police officers and the Fire Department's first fireboat.

The Police Department recently welcomed Officers Nicholas Guzman and Roberto Arauz, continuing a historic period of recruitment for the department. In 2025, Coral Gables hired 37 police officers, the largest police hiring effort in the city’s history. Today, the department has just four officer vacancies, while its communications section is fully staffed. The additional officers strengthen the department’s ability to serve residents, businesses and visitors and expand patrol capabilities, including in the Downtown District.

The city is also expanding its emergency response capabilities on the water with the christening of the Fire Department’s first fireboat. With 42 miles of coastline and waterways, the vessel provides firefighters with an important new resource to respond to marine emergencies, conduct rescues and provide assistance when every minute counts. The fireboat, funded in part through a State of Florida grant, follows another significant public safety investment this year: the opening of Fire House 4, the city’s fourth fire station.

Together, the new station and fireboat expand the Fire Department’s ability to respond to emergencies as Coral Gables continues to grow and evolve. These investments reflect the city’s continued commitment to public safety, ensuring Coral Gables has the personnel, facilities and equipment necessary to respond wherever an emergency occurs and provide the high level of service the community expects.

Sidewalk Repairs

Did you know the city repairs sidewalks and sewer line damage caused by city trees?



If a city tree has damaged the sidewalk at your property or you believe a city tree is blocking your swale sewer line, the city can help. Residents can report these issues online so they can be reviewed and addressed by the appropriate department.

Fire Hydrant Testing

The City of Coral Gables has started testing its 1,400 fire hydrants starting in October as part of its annual program to ensure that hydrants have clear lines, functioning operating valves and the necessary flow in case of an emergency.

The testing is expected to be completed by February 2027 and will take place seven days a week between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 305-722-8702.

Code Enforcement Requests

Code Enforcement requests are now available through the city’s Citizen Request Portal.

Code Enforcement joined the same system used for other non-emergency city requests, giving the community one convenient place to submit requests and track their status.

Visit 311.coralgables.com to submit a request.

Having Work Done on Your Property?

Beware of contractors who tell you a permit isn’t needed for work you would like done on your property. The following items require permits: trimming trees, painting the exterior of your home or changing the exterior aesthetics of your home, and installing gates, screens and fences, among other work.

Avoid costly mistakes by checking with Development Services before allowing a contractor to perform any work at your property.

Same Day Permit Program

Coral Gables’ Same Day Permit Program provides faster review for qualifying residential permit applications submitted before 8 a.m., at no additional cost. The pilot covers smaller home improvement projects, including roofing, doors and windows, exterior painting, driveways and certain kitchen and bathroom renovations that do not require structural or mechanical review.

Applications submitted before 8 a.m. are reviewed the same day, while those submitted later are reviewed by the end of the next business day. Same-day review does not guarantee approval, and applicants must address any corrections or additional requirements before permits can be issued.

The program excludes historic properties, projects requiring structural or mechanical review, private-provider projects and certain other specialized work. The initiative is part of the city’s broader effort to make permitting faster and more user-friendly through online services.