PAVELISH on THE STREETS - SAFE OR UNSAFE.

There is a lot of talk about neighborhood safety and this is adding to much confusion. One candidate for Council states that violent crime is down this year and I think he takes credit for this. God Bless Him. Other candidates take the same credit for this by the hiring of 60 additional police officers even though the police state that they didn't want or need 60 officers. Others credit the Hamilton County Sheriff patrols for the "reduction" in violent crime. Cincinnati police want the Hamiliton County Sheriffs to go away. But the citizens of Over the Rhine want the Sheriffs to stay. Another statistic shows an increase in juvenile violent crime. The rank and file officers claim (secretly) that they don't like present policing policies. Police management says that they will get used to it. District 3 (western side) officers complain (secretly) that District 3 covers too large of an area. They tell me (secretly) that too much time is spent driving from one call to another. And their response time may be poor. Westwood and Price Hill citizens complain that the police response time is slow to none. The Over the Rhine business owners complain about hookers "everywhere." District I police management says that hookers are not top priority. WOW. MY HEAD IS SPINNING.

For the past four months I've been walking the street of all neighborhoods. And I have felt welcomed by most. I walked past large groups of teenagers just "hanging out" and they seemed polite ( but maybe a little loud). I felt no threat. One Sunday I was almost trampled to death by a large group of church ladies quickly leaving the church to attend a picnic. I was scared to death...but soon I felt no threat. Many large dogs were not happy to see me and barked a lot but that's their job. I felt no threat. Some homeowners were tired of the politicians knocking on doors and at times were rude but I felt no threat. I ONLY feared the possibility of tripping over all those illegally placed campaign signs and maybe rehurting my football related poor knee.

I don't know if the City is really safe. No one knows. For the most part it probably is. And I don't know what statistics to believe. . .But the candidates will chime in with their government ideas on how to care for us And we will hear another three year plan, or two.

But many seniors tell me that they fear leaving their homes to go shopping and many children feel uncomfortable walking to the school bus stop. Many people have bars on windows and I see security systems everywhere. All these big dogs must mean something. My neighborhood of Clifton Heights has student mugging problems and that must be addressed.

Whether Cincinnati is safe or not safe is still a puzzle but as long as there is even a perception of unsafe streets, City Council must work for safe streets as PRIORITY ONE.


Steve Pavelish for Cincinnati City Council

http://www.pavelish.com/