It's been five months since Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other state law enforcement agencies would work with Cincinnati Police on violent crime reduction. Now we have a snapshot of the results so far.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety on Wednesday released data for 2025 on efforts by the highway patrol and other agencies to partner with local law enforcement. It says the partnership between CPD and OSHP lead to 36 felony arrests, the seizure of 17 stolen firearms and the recovery of nine stolen vehicles.
DeWine announced the partnership July 31 after videos of a July 26 brawl in downtown Cincinnati went viral, drawing national attention from prominent figures like Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk. City and state leaders announced in September the partnership would expand to include a more active role for OSHP, as well as federal law enforcement agencies.
Though overall violent crime in the city generally wasn't elevated above average levels, the Downtown brawl and several other high-profile events, including the murder of Over-the-Rhine resident Patrick Heringer, drew concerns about safety in and around Downtown. Those eventually led the city to place CPD Chief Teresa Theetge on paid leave in October. An investigation into her leadership commissioned by the city is ongoing.
DeWine said the partnership between OSHP and CPD was meant to be a targeted effort to arrest a few violent offenders.
As part of the partnership, OSHP troopers have taken on traffic enforcement duties in the city so CPD officers can focus on other issues. Highway Patrol also has an aviation unit that is available to help with suspect searches and violent crime reduction efforts, according to the state.
Other cities, including Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton and Springfield also participate in the partnership. All told, ODPS says the program has resulted in 437 felony arrests across the state in 2025.
“By strategically focusing on high-crime areas and repeat violent offenders, we are systematically ending the cycles of violence that threaten our communities," DeWine said in a statement about the data release.
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