The leaders of three law enforcement agencies are touting their new cooperation and pledging to maintain it. Cincinnati Police, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol announced they would work more closely together after crime became a hot topic this summer.
Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey says deputies just spent the last 15 days with police in Over-the-Rhine, Downtown and The Banks.
“We have given out almost 200 warnings. Those are our deputies and police officers approaching people and saying ‘Hey, we’d just like to remind you of this. We’d like you to know this,’ ” she says. “We want to give citizens the benefit of the doubt.”
McGuffey says deputies did make arrests too during those 15 days, including seven misdemeanors and eight felonies. She says they recovered six guns and three stolen vehicles.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Colonel Charles Jones says specific crackdowns involving federal, state, county and local officers were data driven.
“We’re not casting a wide net. These are focused, intelligence-led operations targeting a small number of individuals responsible for the majority of violent crime,” he says. “We use real-time data to identify high-crime areas, and repeat offenders, ensuring our efforts are precise, and not random.”
Jones says Cincinnati is not the only city that can benefit from increased cooperation between agencies. He says they can use the model statewide.
Cincinnati's interim police chief says he won't turn down extra resources. Adam Hennie says departments are trying to do more with less.
“The collaboration we’re having now is going to involve full-time staff, where we’re not going to have to pay additional overtime,” he says. “And I’m just being honest with you, as your chief here in the city, I would be a fool not to take advantage of anyone that wants to offer me additional resources to help all of us reduce crime in the city.”
Hennie was appointed interim chief in October after the city manager suspended Chief Theresa Theetge, over questions about her leadership. After a few high profile incidents, Gov. Mike DeWine pledged the state's help in addressing crime in Cincinnati.
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