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Cincinnati: Crime & Safety Discussion


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Friday, January 9, 2004

Frustration marks talk on crime

 

 

-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

By Kevin Aldridge

The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

 

BOND HILL - More than 150 people packed the Bond Hill Recreation Center Thursday night to express frustration with the rash of violent killings on Cincinnati's streets and offer their solutions.

 

Residents called for more accountability from police and other city-funded organizations that receive millions of taxpayer dollars for crime prevention programs. Some blasted City Council for voting Wednesday to reject the $100,000 "Black-on-Black Crime Initiative" proposed by the city's four African-American council members.

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My general question to the forum is - what can be done to solve escalating crime? A lot of crime is gang-related, and Reece has mentioned bringing back the gang unit. I think this would be a good thing. Many say we need drastic steps, but what are those steps?

 

No other industrialized country has murder rates as high as the US, in general. What is it about our society that causes this? Note: I am not a liberal, anti-gun person. I believe strongly in the right to bear arms, though I can see reasons against concealed carry laws and the like. So I personally don't think that more restrictive gun laws are the answer.

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In all honesty, it's cyclical. Dayton's had bad crime for years but the rate is slowly dropping. I guess "drastic" measures could work, whatever that is.

"You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers

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Bringing back the crime unit would help. They should also put officers in the high crime areas on foot to interact with the people. These officers should wear different uniforms so they arent seen as usual police offiers. And maybe should not carry guns either. They would be seen as acceptable to be in the area if this would happen. This is radical thinking, but might work.

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They should also put officers in the high crime areas on foot to interact with the people.

That's a good point - Cincy doesn't seem to really have many (if any) foot patrols, at least from what I've seen. Every time I go to NYC (which I do fairly often), I feel like I'm in the safest city in the world, because there are cops standing on every few blocks. Foot patrols in high-crime areas could do wonders. Additionally, foot patrols downtown would be an excellent thing, as there are many suburbanites that claim to be afraid to go downtown b/c of crime. Visible police precense could certainly do a lot to change that.

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I agree that we need more foot cops. Maybe people would interact with each other and see each other as actaul human beings instead of "the enemy". I think that police should work the same parts of a community as well, so that they become well-known to the citizens and the citizens become well known to them.

 

Certain areas have taken it into their own hands to increase foot patrols. I'm thinking specifically of the West End, where citizens have wanted to hire private security personnel to patrol their streets but have run into funding issues.

 

I'm rambling here, so I'll stop....

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I agree that we need more foot cops. Maybe people would interact with each other and see each other as actaul human beings instead of "the enemy". I think that police should work the same parts of a community as well' date=' so that they become well-known to the citizens and the citizens become well known to them.[/quote']

 

 

Amen to that! Cops need to get their asses out of their cruisers!

 

The secret to getting better police presence in your neighborhood is coffee & donuts - seriously.

 

I live a block away from a UDF that sells Krispy Kremes, and I shit you not, cops cycle through that place about every 20 minutes or so.

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  • 1 month later...

Bullet grazes construction manager

By Jane Prendergast

The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

WEST END - A construction manager of a housing project being built here was grazed by a bullet fired through his truck window Wednesday.

 

Alan Stenger, 37, was pulling into work at the CityWest project about 8 a.m. when a gunman walked up to the driver's side of his truck and started firing. A motive was unclear.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Suspect shot after attack on officer

William A. Weathers

The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

WEST END - A Cincinnati Police officer in plainclothes escaped serious injury Thursday night when a suspect fired a shot at the officer's unmarked vehicle near the intersection of W. Liberty and John streets. The officer, who was not hit by the bullet, returned fired and wounded the suspect in the foot.

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The headline on the first article is a good example of the ineptitude of Cincinnati's press. "Bullet Grazes Construction Manager?" Please! How about "Gunman Randomly Attempts to Kill Construction Manager."

 

What on earth would this scumbag's motive be? I mean, Laurel Homes was not a nice place to live by any stretch of the imagination, so I doubt he was upset about it being torn down and replaced. If it was an attempted robbery, he did a terrible job. Unfortunately, it's most likely he was just another ignorant fuck with a gun and a bad attitude.

 

Sorry for the rant.

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  • 1 month later...

A couple of articles on the Tot Lot Posse, a gang who has caused some problems in the West End...from Thursday's and Friday's Enquirer, respectively:

 

 

Luken presses probe of gang

Get moving, letter tells Feds

By Jane Prendergast and Dan Horn

The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

A yearlong federal investigation into a Cincinnati street gang is dragging on too long, city officials say, leaving members free to commit more violent crimes and deal drugs.

 

FBI agents and Cincinnatipolice have been investigating the Tot Lot Posse, a group based in the West End neighborhood - where police say they're responsible for intimidating residents, widespread drug sales and homicides. The gang's name comes from a children's playground on Linn Street.

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More on the Tot Lot Posse investigations...from today's Enquirer:

 

 

a10WestEnd.jpg

Patrons of the Queen Ann Bar on Central Avenue in the West End gathered outside Thursday where earlier that night a man was arrested for shooting a gun in the air. Much of the violence in the neighborhood is blamed on a gang called the Tot Lot Posse. The Cincinnati Enquirer/JEFF SWINGER

 

Gang outpaces police effort

City, FBI await action against 'Tot Lot Posse'

By Jane Prendergast

and Dan Horn

The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

WEST END - The police cruiser turns onto Livingston Street, and the officer aims his spotlight on the old loading dock where prostitutes bring their clients. Officers have found mattresses, used condoms and, last summer, a woman who'd been stabbed to death.

 

Around the corner, he points to a brick alley where, in December, a man was shot to death, then run over by a drunken driver as investigating police jumped out of the way.

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It's going to take a lot of work to turn around the West End. The good news is that there are still good residents there who are fighting for the life of their neighborhood. The bad news is that these residents are threatened and vandalized and shot at, and the FBI doesn't seem to be helping any. Even if they get some indictments through the grand jury, will it have any effect?

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  • 1 month later...

Anybody who's been on this forum or SSP for very long at all has heard me gripe about wanting more foot patrols in high crime areas.  Well, ask and ye shall recieve....

 

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

More police hitting streets

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Violence prompts shift from schools

 

By Jane Prendergast

The Cincinnati Enquirer

 

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - Cincinnati police officers working in schools will be reassigned for the summer to walk beats here and downtown.

 

Two men were shot to death in Over-the-Rhine within six hours Monday, bringing the city's homicide total to 29 - the same as this time in 2003, a year that ended with 75 killings, a 26-year high. Those deaths followed the killing downtown Thursday of a pizza cook - an apparent random attack a block from the main library.

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I agree, foot patrols allow officers to get a better feel for what's going on that they can from their cars. They're also reassuring to citizens. Even though my neighborhood isn't "high crime," we do get a lot of foot traffic and on Thurs-Fri-Sat have a pair of beat cops in the business district.

 

I've noticed a lot of businesses in the city that have officers stationed there at night, like grocery stores and sometimes restaurants. The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati always has two cops outside during performances. Why not just put these officers on a patrol around the block? Better yet, have enough cops out to do both.

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Guest Cincinnatus

Fine, but what happens when school starts again in the fall? Also, are school patrolmen likely to be effective in combating the serious criminals and gunslingers in Over-the-Rhine? My guess is the best police persons are not assigned to school patrol duty. I know their mere presence on the streets may do some good, but I wouldn't think there will be a big drop in the murder rate. There are always two or three policemen on the street in front of Music Hall prior to, and after, performances, but I've never seen them do anything except stand there and say hello to the concertgoers. I do feel a little safer with them in that block, but the crime all around that is unaffected.

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  • 1 month later...

They ripped down the "Tot Lot" that gave the local gang their name yesterday.  Perhaps it is just a symbolic gesture, but it means a lot to the local community.  From the 6/29/04 Enquirer:

 

 

tot.jpg

Dale Mallory, president of the West End Community Council, takes a sledge hammer to a wall in the Tot Lot at Linn and Livingston Sts. in the West End.

(Michael E. Keating photo)

 

Tot Lot Posse's home base demolished

Drug gang took over city playground

By Jane Prendergast

Enquirer staff writer

 

WEST END - A playground built years ago as a refuge for neighborhood children that became a haven for drug dealers was destroyed Monday.

 

First sledgehammers, then a backhoe and dump truck tore down the 2-foot-high orange brick wall that stretched through the Tot Lot at Linn and Livingston streets. By the end of the day, hunks of concrete had been heaved into a dump truck and hauled away from the corner, a city-owned spot from which the Tot Lot Posse gang took its name.

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  • 9 months later...

I suppose this is good news...from the 4/12/05 Cincinnati Post:

 

 

Violent crime down in city

By Tony Cook

Post staff reporter

 

Although homicides continue to plague the city, violent crime in Cincinnati is down so far this year compared to 2004.

 

Violent crimes - murder, rape, robbery, felonious assault and burglary - are down 12 percent from the first three months of last year, according to police statistics released Monday for the first quarter of the year. Robberies decreased the most, by nearly 18 percent.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050412/NEWS01/504120362

 

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From the 4/13/05 Cincinnati Post.  This was adopted, though without Reece's ideas.

 

BTW...Anyone see highlights of the city council meeting?  It was a f$&king embarrassment.

 

 

Council wants crime cut 20%

By Kevin Osborne

Post staff reporter

 

Prompted by public outcry about a rash of shootings and homicides in Cincinnati, City Council is poised for the first time to give the police department a specific, numeric goal for reducing crime in some neighborhoods.

 

A Council majority Tuesday recommended approving a proposal that would set a benchmark for reducing violent crime, after the idea had languished in legislative limbo before City Council's law committee since November. The proposal calls for the police department to draft a plan for lowering violent crime by 20 percent in the city's 10 most violent neighborhoods within a year.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050413/NEWS01/504130356

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

From the 4/27/05 Enquirer:

 

 

Westwood told: Work with cops

Weekend of crime rouses interest

By Reid Forgrave

Enquirer staff writer

 

WESTWOOD - Up in arms after three weekend shootings - one of them fatal - more than 100 local residents crowded a meeting hall here Tuesday night to rally against crime.

 

Their strategy wasn't to lobby for more policing.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050427/NEWS01/504270390/1056/rss02

 

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I'm sorry to hear that as well my condolences to you and his family.

 

One thing of note, the problem in Westwood will not get better until Kuhl and the Gang realize that this isn't and us versus them reality but that this is an occassion to take steps in welcoming the good elements and then addressing the other problem collaboratively.  Westwood can't run out all the new people in town and often she veers in that direction.

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  • 3 weeks later...

East Price Hill is slowly degenerating into a slum.  From the 5/14/05 Enquirer:

 

 

Residents: East Price Hill reeling

More cops follow shooting, but some say they will leave

By Sheila McLaughlin

Enquirer staff writer

 

EAST PRICE HILL - Police are using overtime to pay for increased patrols to crack down on drug dealers and loitering in the McPherson Avenue neighborhood where a construction worker was critically injured during a gun battle.

 

Neighborhood activists and two City Council members called for more action to curb escalating violence in the area, while some residents say they are fed up and moving out.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050514/NEWS01/505140384

 

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Redevelopment of places like OTR and the West End is the only answer.  Put law abiding citizens walking up and down the streets and occupying buildings that are currently abandoned and being used for criminal activity.  We keep hearing the same thing over and over again like changing City council or putting more police on the ground (which is also needed) but lets change the area.  Crime will continue no matter what but if we can make them uncomfortable by improving the neighborhhod and putting eyes on these criminals maby we can get somewhere, otherwise we will be having this same conversation year after year.

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I thought this article was appropriate, especially since forumers have been mentioning petty crimes.  From the 5/21/05 Cincinnati Post:

 

 

Police want to get handle on car break-ins

By Roy Wood

Post staff reporter

 

With thefts from auto break-ins up dramatically in downtown Cincinnati, police hope a forum for downtown parking lot owners later this month could help reverse the trend.

 

Lt. Mike Neville, commander of the Downtown Services Unit, said he hopes the May 31 forum, to be held at Downtown Cincinnati Inc., 617 Vine St., attracts property owners, residents, representatives of the neighborhood resident council and others.

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050521/NEWS01/505210350

 

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This is good intel as I didn't know about that car theft problem in downtown Cincy....when downtown I usually park in the Fountain Square garage, so I guess thats still pretty safe, huh?

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The current problem property seems to be 2122 St. Michael in Lower Price Hill and is owned and operated by Metro Management.

 

This property is near Oyler School, Lower Price Hill School and St. Michael's Center.  There's been a ton of illegal activity there, and the Lower Price Hill Community Council sent management a pretty scathing letter.

 

Favorite quote(s):

 

"Any buildings confiscated by law enforcement would make a nice addition to our depleted city budget."  :)

 

"We have found the problem and some of them are You." :D

 

CPD has documented 91 service calls to the address between Jan 1, 2003 and Mar 30, 2003.  Code violations are too numerous to mention.

 

It's a pretty entertaining read:

http://city-egov.rcc.org/BASISCGI/BASIS/council/public/child/DDD/13023.pdf

 

 

 

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I'm scared to go to Hyde Park anymore, there's too much crime:

-- ----------------------------

Death of Summit student shakes tranquil East Side neighborhood

Brother charged in slaying after teen seen washing blood off at Hyde Park fountain

 

By Jane Prendergast and Maggie Downs

Enquirer staff writers

 

HYDE PARK - A Summit Country Day School senior was beaten to death in his house Tuesday, just 11 days before he was to graduate from high school, and his younger brother has been charged with his killing.

 

John Warrington, 17, was found dead just after 1 p.m. at his home on Berry Avenue. Police were led to the home by a teenage boy who had been seen washing blood off himself in the Hyde Park Square fountain.

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I'm scared to go to Hyde Park anymore, there's too much crime:

 

LOL!!!

 

Mister Good Day....I can't recall anything major happening in Avondale crime-wise recently.  I think there may have been a murder.  Of course, I don't live in the neighborhood so all I know is what I read/see in the news.  News doesn't cover nuisance crimes, drug dealing, prostitution, domestic violence or any of that stuff.

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Well, of course there's still going to be crime.  It's the organizing/mobilizing of residents, merchants, city, and police that I think will be noticeable there.  When the successes are more widely recognized than the failures, a neighborhood can really make its push.

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edale, I understand the nature of the attack was domestic. However, many, many murders in other Cincinnati neighborhoods are domestic as well, yet many people (including mainstream media) just fold it into their subconscious (or conscious) negative view of the neighborhood.

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^ Depends on the findings of the kid's mental state, I guess.  Or at least it would with me.  I think I would have serious problems with a child of mine killing another child of mine unless it was found that he really wasn't of right mind.

 

Also keep in mind that this is all very fresh.  The family is still in shock I'm sure and they haven't had time to process it or to make any sense of it.  Who knows how these people will feel about their son a year from now.

 

 

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Well he's still their son so, while I dont think it's easy to support him now, they still love him just because he is still their son. The whole situation is tragic in every aspect.

I think any murder is tragic not just because of an situation. They are going at it tooth and nail in the media. Do i feel any different that someone died in Hyde park than someone that died in Over the Rhine. No i don't. Crime happens anywhere and everywhere. I can't believe this story made the front page.

 

 

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Well my heart goes out to the family but if I had two sons and one of them killed the other, I would want nothing to do with the remaining son.  I couldn't look that son in the eye again without feeling rage from destroying our family.

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From the 5/26/05 Enquirer:

 

Neighborhood policing adds $1.2M

Council shows rare accord as it boosts walking, bike patrols

By Gregory Korte

Enquirer staff writer

 

Cincinnati streets this summer will be filled with more police on foot and bike, part of a $1.2 million program that City Council unanimously approved Wednesday - despite warnings from the city manager and the mayor that the city doesn't have the money.

 

The funds, more than triple what is now spent on a program called "police visibility overtime," would go toward walking and bicycle patrols in neighborhood business districts with crime hot spots.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050526/NEWS01/505260344/1056/rss02

 

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