Hamilton County residents will get a chance to weigh in on public safety issues Thursday.
The Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police will hold a town hall Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Delhi Township Administrative Building.
In a news release, the association said the event is the first of a series meant to gather feedback about public safety.
The association held a closed-door roundtable discussion among local law enforcement officials earlier this summer in the wake of a brawl in downtown Cincinnati that went viral.
It came after a summer in which violent crime has become a high-profile political issue both locally and nationally.
The association says the town hall isn't intended to be a political event, though.
"Public safety is a nonpartisan and non-political issue," the release about the event reads. "Our efforts are on working with our partners and the people who live, work and visit Hamilton County to work together on collaborative solutions that enhance public safety and strengthen public trust in the justice system."
Former U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker will moderate the town hall.
The news release says representatives from Hamilton County Courts have been invited to attend. The association has made statements critical of local judges' sentencing and probation practices this summer.
"It is not enough to arrest violent offenders if they are swiftly released back into our neighborhoods due to lax bail practices or insufficient sentencing,” an Aug. 8 statement from the association reads. “Public safety requires the full commitment and accountability of every branch of the criminal justice system.”
Hamilton County judges discussed their role in public safety on Cincinnati Edition earlier this month.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office have also been invited to attend, the police chiefs association says.
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