ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando's law-enforcement "power couple" -- the Orlando police chief and the Orange County sheriff-elect -- discuss their relationship and objectives.

Orlando Police Chief Val Demings and her husband, Orange County Sheriff-elect Jerry Demings, were interviewed by Local 6 News reporter Mike Holfeld about how they met and what they hope to accomplish.

"It's one phone call in the middle of the night. You can reach the sheriff and the chief," Val Demings said.

The Demings met at the Orlando Police Department more than 20 years ago.

"I was a hardworking rookie patrol officer and Jerry was a know-it-all detective," Val Demings said.

"Well, part of the story isn't exactly true -- the part of the know-it-all detective. That's not true," Jerry Demings said.

The couple wed at St. Mard's Church in Orlando in 1988, and two decades later, they have become Orlando's "power couple."

"It's a marriage -- not perfect -- but it's a marriage that has worked out for the both of us. We have a mutual admiration for one another in our professional careers, and we share the same career," Val Demings said.

Holfeld asked the Demings if they have too much political power under one roof.

"It's really not about the influence or power, if you will. It's how you use it," Jerry Demings said.

The Demings said they plan to use their authority to tackle a growing violent juvenile crime problem that they believe is fueled by drugs and guns.

"So every initiative that we do jointly has to focus on those areas in order to be successful," Val Demings said.

"This is going to be tough to reduce crime in this community, and it's going to take time. The crime we are dealing with now did not get here overnight," Jerry Demings said.

Jerry and Val Demings told Holfeld that the economy will set the tone for jobs and spending in their respective agencies next year.

"We may not be able to fill vacancies that we currently have," Val Demings said. "We may have to do some reorganization in the Police Department."

"I've got to make certain that there is great accountability in the agency, where the managers are doing everything they can do to keep the costs where they need to be," Jerry Demings said.

"We have tough jobs, but we try to stay as grounded as we can because in doing that, I think it's also a benefit to the community, and we want the community to feel very comfortable with the Orlando police chief and the sheriff," Val Demings said.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.