University of Cincinnati Police will again be patrolling the neighborhoods around the Uptown campus, but officers will still abide by a recently passed city ordinance restricting traffic enforcement.
Effective Friday, UC police officers will resume patrols in the neighborhoods as part of the university's interim patrol plan.
The plan includes high-visibility patrols and allows officers to take action to stop crimes in progress. While UC officers can assist Cincinnati Police during traffic stops, if requested, they cannot “engage in proactive traffic or pedestrian enforcement,” according to a statement from the school.
The UC Police Interim Patrol Plan includes the following:
UC Police will not engage in proactive traffic or pedestrian enforcement UC Police will conduct high visibility patrols to enhance safety of the UC community UC Police will provide back up to Cincinnati Police for traffic stops, if requested UC Police will continue to respond to calls for service UC Police will take immediate action to stop crimes in progress
UC President Santa Ono and Police Chief Jason Goodrich met with Cincinnati Chief of Police Jeffrey Blackwell and the city solicitor to discuss the plan.
“UC Police play an important and effective role in maintaining a safe campus environment for our students, faculty and staff. I have received many requests for their return to service,” said Ono. “Resumption of our UC patrols will be a reassurance to many members of our community, including parents, as we prepare for another academic year to begin.”
Chief Blackwell said, “The safety of the young people in and around the University of Cincinnati is critically important to the Cincinnati Police Department and the community, as such, we are committed to the partnership between our agencies that contribute to the vitality of our region.”
Blackwell also says Cincinnati Police are shifting more patrols to Uptown. He told media Thursday, "We're shifting some resources to the periphery of the UC campus to make sure that those young scholars are kept safe."
The university has said before a permanent patrol plan is implemented, it will hire an external reviewer to assess the policies, procedures, and operations of the UCPD.
On July 19, then UC Officer Jason Tensing stopped a motorist for not having a front license plate. The driver, Sam DuBose, was shot and killed during the traffic stop. Tensing was indicted and fired and the university suspended off-campus patrols. Cincinnati Council passed an ordinance temporarily banning UC officers from making traffic stops off the campus grounds.
