"Police copters nearing empty" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Police copters nearing empty
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
July 17, 2008

City Auditor Hugh J. Dorrian has warned that Columbus faces a $75 million deficit in 2009, based on rising costs and stagnant tax collections. Coleman said he's considering a number of midyear savings. Although it's not at the top of his list, he wouldn't rule out laying off city employees.

"Anything we can save this year impacts next year," the mayor said.

Helicopter fuel has jumped from an average price of $2.36 a gallon in 2007 to $4.25 a gallon today. The helicopters burn 25 gallons each hour, so the fuel increase costs the city an extra $756 daily...

"Columbus Fire Borrows Trucks, Has No Backup" nbc4i.com

Link: Columbus Fire Borrows Trucks, Has No Backup
Donna Willis
nbc4i.com
June 16, 2008

The Columbus Division of Fire has about 100 vehicles down for much-needed repairs and preventative maintenance, NBC 4's Candice Lee reported. Sixty-seven of those are emergency vehicles such as fire engines, ladder trucks and medic units.

Captain Jack Reall, president of the Columbus firefighters union, said the problems started about three months ago.

That's about the same time the city of Columbus combined its fleet-maintenance department...

"Coleman: Chief Has To Work Within Budget" nbc4i.com

Link: Coleman: Chief Has To Work Within Budget
Denise Yost
nbc4i.com
June 5, 2008

A battle is brewing between the city's police chief and Columbus' mayor -- over tax dollars and the police department's needs.

Columbus Police Chief James Jackson said he needs 639 more officers, but the mayor said the city is well-staffed when it comes to police protection.

Jackson said he won't comment on the statements that were released on Wednesday, but Mayor Michael Coleman is fighting back, saying the numbers don't match up...

"CPD Short 600 Employees" nbc4i.com

Link: CPD Short 600 Employees
Ashley Brown
nbc4i.com
June 4, 2008

The Columbus Division of Police is fighting criticism of its overtime budgets and is launching some criticisms of its own.

The department said it is operating with a critical shortage of officers and needs more than 600 additional employees to keep Columbus neighborhoods safe...

"Privacy key concern in city's quest for cameras" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Privacy key concern in city's quest for cameras
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
May 29, 2008

As City Council members debate a plan to put crime-watching cameras in Columbus neighborhoods, people's privacy is shaping up as issue No. 1.

"If I go out to get my newspaper in the morning in my pajamas, do I really want that as a public record?" Councilman Kevin L. Boyce asked Department of Public Safety officials last night at the first public session on the topic...

The Zone Initiative Project

Richard C. Pfeiffer, Jr.
Columbus City Attorney
May 15, 2008

Concerned about public nuisances in your neighborhood?  Concerned about property not being kept up to the City’s housing, building, zoning or safety codes?  Is street prostitution a problem in your neighborhood?  Is your neighborhood being tagged by graffiti?  Is there a liquor permit holder who is not maintaining his or her business pursuant to the standards of a responsible permit holder?

With funding help from Columbus City Council members President Michael Mentel, President Pro Tem Kevin Boyce, Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, Charleta Tavares, Priscilla Tyson, Andrew Ginther and Hearcel Craig,  I have created a team of five attorneys who work on an effort we call The Zone Initiative Project.  What is it?

The Columbus Division of Police has geographically divided the City into five Police Zones.  To each Zone I have assigned an attorney whose responsibility it is to be in touch with the police officers, code enforcement officers, health department inspectors, fire fighters, area commissions and civic associations in the Zone to determine how we can use the law and the courts to address and attempt to remedy persistent problems in the Zone.   This Project has existed for some months.   Most recently, the Project closed down an establishment in Franklinton called Downtown Dolls, an establishment which created significant secondary negative effects on the neighborhood, to include two homicides.

I ask you to go to the City Attorney’s website, www.columbuscityattorney.org, and click the link on our home page that will take you to a description of the five zones, the pictures of the attorneys assigned to those zones and the direct phone numbers and email addresses for the Zone attorneys.   

Please contact me or the Zone Attorney for your area if you have a concern that needs addressed.   


Richard C. Pfeiffer, Jr.
Columbus City Attorney
90 West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-645-6904
rcpfeiffer@columbus.gov

Columbus Division of Police Invites Public Comment

For Immediate Release:         
For further information, Contact:  Sergeant Rich Weiner or Amanda Ford at (614) 645-4593
Public Information Office
April 11, 2008
MA# 23-2008

press release
A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will be evaluating the Columbus Division of Police on April 13 -17, 2008.  All aspects of the Division’s policies and procedures, management system, operations and support services will be evaluated.

“Verification by the team that the Columbus Division of Police meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain re-accreditation a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence,” Chief Jackson said.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Monday, April 14, 2008 at 7:00 pm. The session will be conducted in the auditorium of the Columbus Division of Police Training Academy, 1000 N. Hague Avenue, Columbus, Ohio.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session, but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone.  The public may call 645-4095 on Monday, April 14, 2008 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Telephone comments, and/or in-person comments, at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Division’s ability to comply with CALEA standards.  A copy of the standards is available in the Columbus Division of Police Accreditation Unit located on the 8th floor of Central Police Headquarters, 120 Marconi Boulevard.  For additional information, contact Lieutenant Craig Stone, Accreditation Program Manager, at 614/645-4603. 

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Columbus Division of Police’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2215.

The Columbus Division of Police must comply with 446 standards in order to gain accredited status, Chief James G. Jackson said.  “CALEA accreditation shows the citizens of Columbus, Ohio, as well as other agencies across the nation that the Columbus Division of Police personnel are adhering to a higher set of professional standards, thus improving the quality of service the citizens of Columbus will receive.”

The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies.  The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed.  The assessors are: Team Leader Captain Howard Hall, Baltimore County Police Department, Towson, Maryland, Lieutenant Virgil Hubbard, Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville, Tennessee and Master Sergeant Randy Scott, Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Once the assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the Division is to be granted re-accreditation status.  Accreditation is for three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030-2215; or call (800) 368-3757 or (703) 352-4225.

"Community leaders support camera proposal" ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Link: Community leaders support camera proposal
JENNIFER NESBITT, DAVID CROSS and GARY SEMAN
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
March 20, 2008

...I would be all for it," said Clintonville Area Commissioner Dave Southan, who heads the safety committee. "I'm willing to get anything I can from the city when it comes to helping crime."

With burglaries and armed robberies a problem along High Street and Indianola Avenue in Clintonville, Southan said he believes those areas would be ideal for cameras.

Bill Carleton, vice president of the Northwest Civic Association, said he supports the camera proposal...

"Police to employ extra 'eyes'" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Police to employ extra 'eyes'
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
March 12, 2008

Columbus will use surveillance cameras in neighborhoods and during public events such as Ohio State football games to help police fight crime and find criminals, Mayor Michael B. Coleman said yesterday.

The city will spend $1.45 million to install cameras in neighborhoods that want them, Coleman said. Some of the money also will be used for mobile cameras that will be mounted on police vans and portable towers and will be turned on during festivals, football games and other events.

Columbus has been studying surveillance cameras -- or safety cameras, as the mayor calls them -- for almost a year. They're used in cities such as Chicago, where police say they've cut crime by 30 percent...

"Columbus police, Web sites help residents track crime" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Columbus police, Web sites help residents track crime
John Futty
The Columbus Dispatch
March 3, 2008

The Columbus Division of Police has joined forces with two Web sites to alert residents about crimes and crime trends in their neighborhoods.

The division is providing its crime data to crimereports.com and citizenobserver.com, which electronically relay information to citizens who register for the service through the Web sites.

Both services are free to the public...

"Police seek public input on gangs in Columbus" ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Link: Police seek public input on gangs in Columbus
Gaylon Vickers
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
February 14, 2008

Columbus police are asking the public to provide information on suspected gang activity. The police division has established a hotline at 645-GANG (4264) for residents to report any tips.

"We're looking for anything related to a group of individuals who are calling themselves a gang, who are representing themselves as a gang or who are dressing all the same," said Lt. Joseph Schrader, supervisor of the Strategic Response Bureau's investigative unit.

The division is conducting a six-month pilot project using the GANG hotline...

"Web site tracks crime hot spots" The Columbus Dispatch

This is the best tool for visualizing crime data in the Columbus area that I have seen to date:

Link: Web site tracks crime hot spots
Brian Bergstein
The Columbus Dispatch
February 11, 2008

...The free site relies mainly on police departments paying $100 or $200 a month, depending on their size, to have CrimeReports.com extract the information from their internal systems and publish it online. Public Engines LLC, Whisenant's seven-person company in Salt Lake City, pledges to post no ads on the site.

About 40 law-enforcement agencies have signed up. The site also posts information from departments such as one in Chicago that do not pay Public Engines because they had built their own links into their records. Columbus is the only Ohio city providing crime data through the Web site...

"Homicides drop in city, but will it be a trend?" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Homicides drop in city, but will it be a trend?
Theodore Decker
The Columbus Dispatch
January 1, 2008

Homicides in Columbus plummeted 24 percent last year, dropping well below 100 for the first time in three years.

The city ended 2007 with 79 slayings, compared with 104 in each of the previous two years, Police Division statistics show. That's 10.6 homicides for every 100,000 Columbus residents...

"Mayoral candidates skew crime figures to fit argument" The Columbus Dispatch

Everyone is doing it. Join the fun.

Number and statistic skewing isn't only for mayoral candidates. Not a day goes buy that I don't what urban issues, causes, supporters and opposers all line up to shoot out their magic numbers in defense or support of their causes:

Link: Mayoral candidates skew crime figures to fit argument
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
October14 , 2007

Crime statistics can make Columbus look like an American Baghdad. They also can make it look like Bexley with three-quarters of a million people...

..."The bottom line is, they're cherry-picking," said Ohio State University sociology professor David Jacobs, whose research into crime trends leads him to believe that the demographics of a city's population have more sway over crime numbers than a mayor does...

...The FBI warns people not to use its reports to compare cities. Geography, population, social trends and even climate can affect local numbers, it says. Also, aggressive efforts to stem particular crimes can lead to more victims reporting them...

This begs the question: with some many studies, figures, surveys and analysis, how do we ever know what is accurate. There are very few topics that can't be refuted through the use of numbers. How do you get to the bottom of a discussion with so many numbers to digest?

Part of my own philosophy is to find the irrefutable, fact-based numbers on a given topic and build your case from there. Keep is simple, clean and concise and clearly define what you are measuring, how you are measuring it, and what the purpose of the measurement is. Once that is done, then you move to watching that number over time, using the same methods and standards to record the number. Under those circumstances you can know expected outcome and watch for changes and then make a comparison in an apples-to-apples fashion which may lead you to a conclusion.

The downtown housing market numbers are a great example.

I read an article the other day that said we were almost halfway to our goal of 10,000 housing units in downtown Columbus which is the number set forth in the Strategic Business Plan for Downtown Columbus published in 2002.

The last published housing report from August 2007 shows a mix of units that include 1893 units that have been completed since 2002. The report also includes 2992 that are "in the pipeline." Of that 2992 pipeline there are only 811 that are currently under construction.

So depending on you perspective you can say we are 4885 units on our way to the 10,000 number or you can say we are 1893 units towards our goal. Do we count our chickens before they are hatched?

I've illustrated the point.

Numbers are all about what you want them to do. How you present them and in what context is the real story.

"Coleman, Todd Square Off In Only Debate" WBNS-10TV

I don't typically get caught up in the political hoo-haw and with what little drama we've seen so far in this campaign, we have been seeing it coming from Mayoral hopeful Bill Todd. I'll still keep all my opinions to myself in that regard, but to make such a generalization about the Short North warrants at the very least some attention if but for only a brief moment to refute:

Link: Coleman, Todd Square Off In Only Debate
WBNS-10TV
October 3, 2007

..."We've done a superficial job in the Short North-High Street (area), it looks great," Todd said. "But don't wander too far off High Street."...

Wow.

Being that I live a little off of High St. in Italian Village (at E. First Ave. to be more precise...near the center of the Short North) and considering that I walk through the Italian Village and Victorian Village neighborhoods on a weekly basis I was a bit bewildered. So I thumbed through an old Precinct 1 police "offense" report [click here] I had from back in June.

A little to my surprise, there were some robberies, assaults, car thefts and various other crimes - more than I was really aware of (especially robberies). But then I realized, while seeing a number of crimes in a report, I have no idea what the reports are like in the rest of the city, never mind how it would compare to other major metropolitan areas. I have no context from which to form a solid opinion one way or another.

Where is Mr. Todd coming from I have to wonder?

I also realized from the report that there was a high ratio of after-midnight occurrences, bars and alcohol involved in which a chunk of these crimes were co-mingled.

Now before I go too far trying to over-illustrate my point, I don't want to demote the importance of public safety. I do want to demote scare tactics that aren't substantiated at the time they are thrown out.

High St. is a commercial area with stores, people and money floating around on a daily basis. Crime is going to happen. Is it epidemic in the Short North, enough to warrant a zinger in a mayoral debate? I wasn't aware that it was, and I walk these streets daily.

The last thing our urban neighborhoods need are unsubstantiated claims of alluded crime problems.

"Roundup nabs 218 area felons" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Roundup nabs 218 area felons
Jodi Andes
The Columbus Dispatch
August 29, 2007

In an initiative dubbed as one of the largest ever undertaken in the Columbus area, federal and local officials announced today that they arrested 218 felons last week.

Officials said the arrests included 19 sex offenders, five gang members and three people wanted on homicide charges.

The roundup was led by the U.S. Marshals and conducted along with 33 other local, state and federal agencies. Officials said the sweep identified more than 600 of the area's most violent, wanted felons...

"Columbus lands $4.7M Homeland Security grant" Business First of Columbus

Link: Columbus lands $4.7M Homeland Security grant
Business First of Columbus
July 20, 2007

Columbus has been awarded $4.7 million in Department of Homeland Security funding to help bolster fire and police response efforts.

The grant was awarded after a committee of Central Ohio first-responders requested additional funding for enhanced building security, training and large-scale emergency preparation, said Barb Seckler, deputy director of the Columbus Department of Public Safety...

"Police study fuels debate on force size" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Police study fuels debate on force size.
Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
July 11, 2007

Mayor Michael B. Coleman has new ammunition in an election-year debate over whether Columbus has enough police: a federal study showing that the city has added officers at a far quicker rate than others.

But hiring hasn't quite kept up with population growth, according to the U.S. Department of Justice report, and union officials say statistics don't reflect reality in the Columbus Division of Police.

The study from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, a quadrennial census of police agencies nationwide, shows that Columbus expanded its force by 1.9 percent from 2000 to 2004. That's nearly twice the national average for all police forces, and much better than big-city forces, which shrank overall by 1.7 percent...

"Neighborhoods lining up for city's cameras" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Neighborhoods lining up for city's cameras.
By Mark Ferenchik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Thursday,  May 31, 2007

...Overextended police officers have asked for more officers, cruisers and equipment for years. In the meantime, some neighborhoods are clamoring for the cameras, as Mayor Michael B. Coleman proceeds with test programs to add video surveillance equipment to prevent or capture crime as it happens.

Coleman wants to try out the cameras at Downtown festivals and in some neighborhoods. He also wants his staff to determine whether to place cameras at recreation centers and parks...

New Neighborhood Security Technology Directive

press release from the Mayor's office

[Last week], Mayor Michael B. Coleman issued a policy memo instructing the Departments of Public Safety and Technology to work together to study, test and potentially develop new technology into a neighborhood security camera system to aid police and prevent crime.  [The City of Columbus] will be taking community input as a part of the study.

Click here to read the full text of the Mayor’s directive

Graffiti Camera Fact Sheet

Background

• The City purchased three cameras ($4,850.25 each) for a total of $14,550.75 in 2006;
• Used in WMPR area (bounded by Whittier, Mooberry, Parsons and Rhoads) ;
• Funds came from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Grant for the City of Columbus Department of Public Safety Anti-Gang Program; funding was split between Public Safety and Keep Columbus Beautiful.

Camera Locations

• KCB put up cameras in early August 2006; they remain up today;
• Initial locations – mostly alleys --  were identified by community leaders, as areas of  “high” graffiti and vandalism;
• Cameras have been moved to new locations throughout the area as time has passed;
• Sample locations:
  • Alley behind Payless on Parsons Avenue
  • Alley south of Mooberry and east of Linwood
  • Alley behind Eddie Rickenbacker House between Miller & Lockbourne
  • Corner of Whittier and Wilson
• The cameras were put on a two week rotation at first, and now are rotating every week from one location to another.

How Camera Works

• The camera turn on at dusk and off at dawn
• The camera picks up motion;
• It picks up another motion within 20 seconds of the first motion;
• A bright flash goes off;
• The camera takes a series of four pictures in a row.
• The recording starts and says “Stop!!  It is illegal to spray graffiti or dump here. Your picture has been taken and will be used to prosecute you if you are doing any illegal activity.”

Results to date

• The cameras are doing the intended job. No property has been tagged in the areas where the cameras have been up.

"Watching Columbus: Can constant surveillance cut crime? Mayor considers cameras" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Watching Columbus: Can constant surveillance cut crime? Mayor considers cameras.
Thursday,  May 24, 2007 3:54 AM
By Mark Ferenchik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

...After months of internal discussion among city officials, and after repeated requests for cameras by neighborhood leaders and residents, Columbus will test video surveillance cameras.

Mayor Michael B. Coleman asked his staff yesterday to develop test programs for cameras to observe neighborhoods and Downtown festivals...

$1 Million invested in Summer Strike Force for 2007

press release from mayor's office
Strike Force and Truancy Initiative launched by Mayor and Council

(Columbus)  Mayor Coleman joined neighborhood leaders, Columbus Police and City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther today to discuss the 2007 Police Summer Strike Force, a key part of the City’s innovative 2007 neighborhood safety campaign. Following up on the successes of two consecutive summer campaigns, Mayor Coleman announced that this year’s Strike Force would last longer and work closely in coordination with the City’s Anti-Gang and crime technology efforts.

“We’re investing $1 million, a 33% increase, to extend the Summer Strike Force from the Spring through the Fall to prevent crime, serve warrants and get more bad guys off the street,” said Mayor Coleman. “The Strike Force is one of the City’s best anti-crime strategies because it is flexible and can respond to the immediate needs of our neighborhoods.”

Mayor Coleman, City Councilmember Andrew Ginther, Deputy Police John Rockwell and Commander Richard Bash spoke with residents at the Douglas Recreation Center in South Linden about the City’s 2007 Safety Campaign, which includes a class of police recruits graduating in June, and classes beginning in July and December, the $1 million Summer Strike Force campaign, the Anti-Gang initiative, and technology enhancements such as real-time crime data.

“One of the most important elements of the Strike Force is community policing and community participation,” said Councilmember Ginther. “Our officers will be reaching out and talking to residents to get feedback, tips and information and building relationships with our neighborhoods.”

Columbus Police made 700 arrests, including 460 felony arrests, and took 242 crime guns off the streets during the 2005 and 2006 Strike Force campaigns. In addition, since late 2004, Columbus Police have made approximately 225 arrests and seized 180 crime guns as part of the Anti-Gang Initiative.

“This is a great opportunity for some of our most talented officers to concentrate specifically on violent crime in the areas they are most familiar,” said Deputy Police Chief John Rockwell.

Members of the Police Strike Force are participating based on their knowledge of neighborhoods and their successful track record of performance.  Police officers will take persons with firearms off the streets, arrest suspects involved in drug dealing, apprehend suspects with active warrants and use real-time crime analysis data to focus these efforts.

"Ohio 23rd most dangerous state" Business First of Columbus

Link: Ohio 23rd most dangerous state
Business First of Columbus
March 22nd, 2007

Rather than being mundane and too safe, or scary and too dangerous, the Buckeye State maintained its middle ground on Morgan Quitno Press' list of most dangerous states.

Ohio came in as 23rd most dangerous again...

"CRIME IN THE BIG CITY" The Other Paper

Link: CRIME IN THE BIG CITY
The U.S. Department of Justice says Columbus leads America’s big cities in rape. Nobody seems to know why.
By Erik Johns
The Other Paper

...For every 100,000 people in Columbus, there was an average of 39 reported rapes in 2005 and 2006, according to the FBI. That’s 10 percent higher than Detroit, twice as many as Houston, three times as much as Los Angeles, Baltimore and Seattle, and nearly five times more than New York City...

...No rational person would suggest Columbus is as unsafe as Baltimore or Detroit. For other violent crimes, such as murder and aggravated assault, Columbus is way down in the rankings for big cities, which makes the high rape and arson numbers all the more puzzling...

Mayor's Office on Crime in Columbus

press release from the mayor's office

We were disappointed to see the Other Paper run a story today that so distorted our community’s reality on the issue of public safety.  Every homicide, assault, robbery, rape, arson, or other violent crime is unacceptable to law-abiding families, the Mayor and our Police Officers, but the Other Paper largely ignored the facts showing Columbus to be among the safest big cities in America and didn’t mention the series of innovative strategies that Mayor Coleman and the Division of Police continue to implement to address neighborhood crime.

While the Other Paper used partial year numbers for just two specific crimes, the City will continue to focus on preventing all crime.  The graph below compares Columbus to nine of our peer cities, including Ohio’s other large urban areas, and we clearly are the safest.  Our low violent crime rate is a key part of the city's quality of life, and to the high national rankings we continue to earn from groups such as CNN and Money Magazine, the Advocate and BET.

Public safety is the top priority of City Hall, consuming nearly 71% of the entire budget.  Mayor Coleman and the administration are now preparing to launch the new season of the Mayor's Strike Force and Anti-Gang initiatives for 2007.  These two initiatives alone have led to the arrests of more than 1,200 criminals and taken more than 420 guns off the street.  Mayor Coleman goes into the neighborhoods personally with Officers during these initiatives to see problems first hand and make sure that Police have the staff and support they need to succeed.

The Mayor asks that residents do their part, by getting actively engaged in safety, watching out for neighbors with block watches and reporting findings to Police.  Community involvement is the best way to prevent many violent crimes.  The City will continue to do its job - being aggressive in going after all criminals, including rapists and arsonists and prosecuting them fully.

We have one of the nation’s best Divisions of Police, led by Safety Director Mitch Brown, and are confident that they will do everything in their power to protect Columbus’ families.  While we are disappointed at the sensationalist crime story in the Other Paper, we hope that responsible readers put the challenge of safety into the context of the real statistics and situation in our neighborhoods.

"Columbus to hire more police, but how many are enough?" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Columbus to hire more police, but how many are enough?
Monday, March 12, 2007
John Futty
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

..."One of the constant themes is police response time," Hadler said. "It’s just slow."

Police officials don’t argue the point. The 18 th Precinct, which includes the Northland area but stretches from Morse Road to Polaris, has produced "unmanageable growth and unmanageable workloads" for police, Cmdr. Jeff Blackwell said...

...Jackson has said for years that he needs hundreds of additional officers to respond to and investigate crimes in a city growing in area and population. Safety Director Mitchell J. Brown, like his predecessors, says the budget won’t allow it.

"It’s not that we disagree," Brown said last week. "We need more police officers in the city of Columbus, and we are going to hire more police officers, but we’re going to do it judiciously and efficiently based on where we are with the budget. We don’t have an endless well of money for public safety."...

"City report shows red-light cameras reduce wrecks" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: City report shows red-light cameras reduce wrecks
By Mark Ferenchik
The Columbus Dispatch
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:43 AM

...Critics have called the cameras a money-making device more than a safety tool. But Columbus Deputy Safety Director George Speaks said the study shows the cameras have reduced the number of drivers running red lights by nearly 63 percent, and the numbers of accidents at those intersections by 47 percent...

New Red Light Camera Will Soon Be Activated!

press release from Columbus' Public Information Office

Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, February 27, 2007, the Columbus Division of Police will start issuing warning letters to motorists caught running the red light at East Broad Street at Grant Avenue. This is the latest intersection to have photo red light technology installed. 

Motorists committing an infraction at the East Broad Street at Grant Avenue intersection will receive a warning letter for a period of 30 days, after which, a Notice of Liability with a fine of $95 will be issued. The Notice of Liability will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, March 29, 2007.

Once again, the message is “Focus on Safety.” Motorists are encouraged to slow down for the yellow light so they can safely stop for the red light. Most importantly, stopping for the red light is the law, prevents crashes and can save lives!

The following intersections currently have photo red light cameras:

1. 4th Street and Mt. Vernon Avenue
2. 5th Avenue and 4th Street
3. Cleveland Avenue and Spring Street
4. Henderson Road and Gettysburg Road
5. W. Broad Street and Sylvan Avenue
6. Summit Street and Chittenden Avenue
7. E. Livingston Avenue and Fairwood Avenue
8. 3rd Street and Fulton Avenue
9. Town Street and 4th Street

Photo Red Light Camera Effectiveness

press release from the Public Information Office

The Columbus Division of Police is pleased to announce that the City of Columbus “Focus on Safety” program has been very successful. The photo red light program has been in operation since March 7^th with a total of seven cameras activated in 2006. Between March 7^th and December 31^st, right angle (t-bone) crashes have decreased by 47 percent (prorated) at intersections with photo red light cameras. This is a significant reduction in traffic crashes at these intersections.

Several members of the public feared that rear end crashes would increase; however, that has been disproved. Rear end crashes dropped from a total of 26 crashes in 2005-2006 before the cameras were operational, to only two after the cameras came online. The two crashes were due to driver inattention and not a fear of the camera or its warming signs.

The Division of Police has authorized the issuance of 13,171 notices between March 7, 2006 and December 31, 2006. Incidents of red light running are expected to decline as the public becomes more aware of the cameras. It is already apparent that drivers are adjusting their driving habits at these intersections. In the first 30 days when a camera comes online, violators are only issued a warning notice. In the first 30 days, 3,608 notices were issued and in the last 30 days of the year, 1,348 notices were issued. This results in a 62.6 percent reduction in notices.

Overall the cameras have been very successful in reducing crashes in the City of Columbus. The more crashes these cameras help prevent, the safer drivers in the City will be.

"Jackson again calls for city to add police" The Columbus Dispatch

Link: Jackson again calls for city to add police
To keep status quo, 555 officers need to be hired in next 4 years, chief says
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Robert Vitale
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Columbus isn’t adding police officers fast enough to meet the city’s needs, according to Chief James G. Jackson.

The city will have to hire 555 new officers in the next four years "just to maintain our current inadequate strength," Jackson said in a memo this week to Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council members.

An additional 500 officers would bring the Police Division to a level considered "semi-adequate" for today, said Sgt. Kevin Corcoran, division spokesman...

"Lower homicide rate in 2006 still means 102 died" The Columbus Dispatch

I was looking for these numbers a couple months back. I had a strong feeling we had surpassed last years numbers but I was mistaken. Nonetheless, we still have a large problem. If we visually were to map these murder locations out, we'd be able to better see exactly where the issues are:

Link: Lower homicide rate in 2006 still means 102 died
Monday, January 01, 2007
Theodore Decker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Homicides in Ohio’s other big cities jumped last year, but slayings in Columbus ebbed slightly.

Columbus police say 2006 ended with 102 killings, two fewer than in 2005. There were 88 in 2004.

Lt. James S. Schrader, a homicide squad supervisor, said the unit had feared that 2006 would surpass the previous year’s surge, but the slayings slowed as the year ended.

The question is, why don't we? What's the tactic behind keeping this information on the down low? This segues into transparency in local government and how much information is too much for the general public. As you might guess, I have a train of thought that leans towards providing more information. Seeing is much more impactuful than a number in a newspaper article once a year.

I know the city and police know the violent hot-spots, but on the whole, unless you track the individual murders in the paper as they occur and plot them on a map, we are only left with a general feeling about where they occur and they are all surrounding the downtown Central Business District to the east, south and west for the most part.

"Crossing street now timed exercise" The Columbus Dispatch

While I typically play it safe by not jumping into the street when the hand starts flashing, I watch a lot of people hop right out there and end up stopping traffic for a second. This experiment seems like an interesting way to take away the mystery and adventure of crossing the street. I actually think it is kind of a good idea:

Link: Crossing street now timed exercise
Four intersections trying out signals that count down to ‘don’t walk’
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Barbara Carmen
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

...New crosswalk signals that flash a countdown, alerting pedestrians to how many seconds are left before the traffic signal changes, are being installed at four locations in the city.

It’s beat-the-clock, but it’s no game. Columbus ranks as the sixth-most perilous big city for pedestrians. The "Mean Streets 2004" study by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership said nearly one of every 100,000 central Ohioans died crossing streets.

City officials think the countdown signs will help...

"Report: Columbus among most dangerous cities" Business First of Columbus

I haven't heard the official total this year but I have been noticing the excessive amount of murders and shootings throughout east, south and west Columbus that have been in the news. Unfortunately I have a sinking feeling we've already surpassed last years murder rate:

Link: Report: Columbus among most dangerous cities
Business First of Columbus
October 31st, 2006

Columbus is among the 30 most dangerous cities in the U.S., according to a new study...

MAYOR LAUNCHES SUMMER SAFETY CAMPAIGN: POLICE STRIKE FORCE, ANTI-GANG UNIT WORKING TO DETER CRIME

From the Mayor's Office

(Columbus)  Putting extra heat on criminals as the summer months warm up, Mayor Michael B. Coleman joined neighborhood leaders today to announce that the Division of Police’s Summer Strike Force was being activated.  Following up on the successes of 2005, the Mayor is sending several items of legislation to City Council for added funding, Police recruits, vehicle equipment and other resources for the Division to do even more comprehensive work to prevent crimes.

“Every day our City’s 1,800 Police officers are preventing and solving crimes, and the $750,000 investment in the Summer Strike Force is one more way to put officers on the streets when and where they are needed most,” said Mayor Coleman.  “We’ve worked together to improve the Strike Force from our experiences last year and will make a difference again this summer.”

Mayor Coleman, Safety Director Mitchell J. Brown and Commander Michael Springer joined residents and officers from Precincts 11 & 13 at Lincoln Park on Columbus’ South Side to discuss the next steps in the Mayor’s 2006 Summer Safety Campaign, which includes the class of Police recruits graduating on June 16, another recruit class beginning in July, the $750,000 Summer Strike Force initiative, the anti-gang initiative, and 100 new digital video cameras for police cruisers.  The 2005 Summer Strike Force led to 292 arrests, 35 illegal guns and 18 knives taken off the street and 129 criminal charges/warrants filed.

“The strike force was a great success last year and will be even a greater success this year. To the criminals in the City of Columbus, I would beware because the police will be coming after you," Linda Henry, President, Southside Neighbors Against Crime.

Enhancements to the 2006 Strike Force include:

• Stronger focus on arresting suspects with active warrants
• Increased funding by 50% to $750,000, which will pay for police overtime and new, unmarked, undercover vehicles
• Police enforcement and prevention efforts in every patrol zone - 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, Staffing by Police officers who are experienced in the neighborhoods they serve
• Specialized training for Strike Force Officers
• Daily coordination with the Anti-Gang initiative and every section of Columbus Police (Narcotics, Vice, Strategic Response Bureau, Detective Bureau, etc)
• Supervisors will use Strike Force activities as future training tools for officers and recruits
• Increased incident tracking to help police know what happens to suspects through the criminal court system
• Increased outreach to citizens to engage them in neighborhood safety.

“This anti-violence program will be more flexible, and it will include significant, pro-active community policing as well as less visible undercover operations,” said Police Commander Michael Springer, who has worked to build the Strike Force Plan.  “Real-time crime analysis data will provide our officers with a daily roadmap to focus enforcement efforts.”

ENGAGING RESIDENTS
Another important element of the Summer Strike Force is the Community Information Program, which helps keep residents engaged in preventing crime in their communities.  Continuous evaluation this safety initiative will include communication through block watch mailings, handouts, and community feedback cards.  The City will also continue to offer regional Neighborhood Safety Academies during Neighborhood Pride tours, to teach families what they can do to stay safer and work with police.

“The 2006 Summer Strike Force allows pro-active Neighborhood Policing, that puts more officers into neighborhoods that are seeing crime problems,” said Safety Director Mitchell J. Brown.  “The officers will work to reduce violence, take illegal firearms off the street, serve warrants, and work with area law enforcement teams in the City Attorney’s Office, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.“

PARTNERS IN FIGHTING GANGS
During today’s event, Mayor Coleman also provided an update to the City’s ongoing Anti-Gang initiative.  The Anti-Gang Campaign, which grew out of the Neighborhood Safety Working Group (NSWG) created in 2003, continues to take some of the City’s most dangerous suspects off of our streets.  The Strike Force will work hand-in-hand with the anti-gang unit, which has announced 276 arrests, including 99 known gang members, seized $99,563 in cash, and taken 155 illegal weapons off the street.  Officers involved in both initiatives will not only share information but also coordinate enforcement activities.

Mayor Coleman will forward to Columbus City Council for June 26 Ordinance #1069-2006 that provides an additional $70,000 in evidence funds for the Columbus Police Gang Unit to assist their undercover operations.

POLICE STAFFING FOR THE FUTURE
The City is graduating 60 new Police Officers June 16, and a new class of 30 recruits will start in July at a cost of $1 million.  Mayor Coleman forwarded Ordinance #0956-2006 to City Council to transfer $600,000 from the City’s Safety Fund to the General Fund to help pay for the new class.  The remaining $400,000 will come from budget savings.

INVESTING IN ACCOUNTIBILITY
In addition, the Mayor is forwarding two pieces of legislation to purchase 100 new digital video cameras for patrol cruisers.  The cameras protect citizens and officers by adding evidence from traffic stops, and will replace 84 aging tape systems.  On June 19, Ordinance #1039-2006 will ask City Council to accept $148,084 in Federal funding to buy 26 digital video cameras for freeway police cruisers.  Funding for this cutting edge technology comes from an earmark from U.S. Congresswoman Deborah Pryce who worked closely with Columbus Police for the appropriation.  The second piece of legislation, slated for June 26, will allocate $450,000 in added funding to purchase 74 cameras, with $225,000 coming from the City Safety Fund and $225,000 coming from current budget savings.

"Homicide toll rises, likely to pass 100" The Columbus Dispatch

I'd love to stick to the bright and cheery news all of the time but this article drew my attention, along with some thoughts about crime in Columbus and the direct correlation to urban revitalization:

Link: Homicide toll rises, likely to pass 100
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Matthew Marx
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

...It will be the second time in three years that the city has reached that mark after nearly a decade of double-digit killings. In the past 20 years, slayings have reached 100 or more five times...

There are harsh realities to deal with when talking about crime and one of the top reasons people list for not wanting to come to the city, never mind living here, is the fear of crime and "bad" neighborhoods.

One of the motivations behind photo albums and panoramas throughout the city being added to RetroMetro is allow for some initial exploration without fear of wandering into a troubled areas.

If you've ever tried to look for statistical crime data in Columbus, it's not to easy to come by. I've seeing monthly reports but have yet to come across a city generated report that was easy to access. Granted, I haven't marched down to the station to ask about it (hey...there's something to add to the TO-DO list) but these days you'd expect to find it online through a city website.

If you know of a good source, please let me know (paul@columbusretrometro.com).

I've heard it speculated...ok, ok, I speculated...that the specific report data is possibly not made easily available, to include incident location, so as to not create a clear line defining the unsafe neighborhoods beyond what can be discerned from word-on-the-street and the sporadic news story we read in the papers or see on TV.

If people could clearly see on a map where the highest crime was, what chance would there be for that area to ever see an effort to retake it? I'd venture to guess that if you map out all the homicides in Columbus that there would be a higher concentration in some neighborhoods as opposed to others.

If the borders are gray in terms of where exactly the problem areas are then those home buyers who are less risk averse might venture closer towards these hot zones to buy the homes that are less expensive in hopes of higher levels of appreciation.

Of course, it's just a theory...

I did find a site that has some basic crime stats for Columbus for last year. Have a look:

http://columbusoh.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm

For the Department of Justice's take on crime nationally for 2004 look here:

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/

Columbus Police Web Reports and Crime Information

To my understanding there is still no single, all encompassing statistical information website through which you can research crime statistics in the Columbus area. According to the Columbus Police Department website the is something under development to provide this information, but as of right now, statistics are only available up to 2002.

To get some what of an idea about crime in various areas, the CPD does have a site where you can view police reports for a specific day of for the last 7 days by selecting a specific area on a map of Columbus. They post a disclaimer stating that the information is limited and is not to be used for statistical purposes, but if you'd feel better getting an idea about criminal activity in a certain area of town, this site can at least give you a flavor.

As I find more information on crime statistics, you'll see it here.

"The Division of Police advises against using the following information for statistical purposes or crime trends. The information is not representative of all crime in Columbus and due to public record law the information displayed is subject to several restrictions. "

Visit the Columbus Police Web Reports