Cincinnati Police

Despite back-to-back shooting incidents downtown this week, shootings and violent crime remain down in Cincinnati compared to last year.

Chief Jeffrey Blackwell says police are stepping up patrols throughout the summer anyway to make sure people feel, and are, safe downtown.

"We're going to have a comprehensive incident command-based plan as we move forward to address every weekend event that we have from now through Labor Day and beyond even through Oktoberfest," says Blackwell.

Cincinnati has 19 new police officers. The department's first class of lateral transfer recruits in more than six years was sworn in today. The officers all came from other Ohio agencies but still had to go through the city's training process. Chief Jeffrey Blackwell calls today's graduation exciting.

The new officers will hit the ground running with their first duty assignment working the Cincinnati Reds game on Saturday. They'll be paired with field training officers on Sunday and begin working in their assigned districts.

Two special services are planned Monday to remember fallen local police officers. The first one begins at Fountain Square at 11:00 am. There family and friends of current and past officers will gather. They will then march to the police memorial across from District One Police Headquarters.

Fraternal Order of Police President Kathy Harrell says this is the same day another police class is starting. These are officers transferring from other parts of Ohio to Cincinnati. There are 23 of them and the class will last ten weeks.

Cincinnati Police said they've arrested 15 people and taken 11 weapons off the streets so far as part of an ongoing investigation of gang-related violence in the West End.  The effort represents four months of investigative work by various law enforcement agencies as part of the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence, also known as CIRV. 

"We want to send a loud and clear message that we do not accept homicides; we do not accept violent behavior," said Mayor John Cranley at a press briefing Thursday.

The Cincinnati Police Department is gearing up for several events this spring and summer focused on engaging the city's youth.  

Chief Jeffrey Blackwell outlined the plans Monday during a city council committee meeting.  He said the goal is to get kids off the streets and into a controlled environment.  

Blackwell said one new effort will be meetings with junior and senior class leaders at the city's high schools.

Update:  Construction crews will soon begin work on a new police headquarters for Cincinnati's District Three.  Officials and residents gathered Monday for a ground breaking at the location on Ferguson Road near Glenway.  It will replace the current facility that was built in 1908.   New police chief Jeffrey Blackwell said it will be good for the department.  The $15 million project is expected to be completed in the spring 2015. 

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Economic Impact

An estimated 3,000 police officers from as far away as Ireland, are in Cincinnati for a convention that begins Monday and continues through Friday. The Convention and Visitors Bureau puts the economic impact at $4.5 million and contracted hotel room nights of more than 15,000 in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Three separate investigations are underway after Cincinnati police officers were involved in a deadly shooting incident Wednesday afternoon in Clifton.  

The situation started with a 911 call from a mental health care provider.  The caller requested officers respond to Clifton and Ludlow Avenues for a person with mental health issues who had a gun.

Interim Police Chief Paul Humphries said 5 officers eventually encountered 32-year-old Roger Ramundo on the back deck of Arlin's Bar and Restaurant on Ludlow near Clifton.  

Cincinnati residents who live in police District 3 are getting a chance to offer their input on what the new police headquarters’ for that area will look like.  

Officials are holding a community meeting Tuesday evening.  

Stakeholders from all neighborhoods in the district are invited to assist with the design and public components of the new facility.  

Beginning Sunday the Cincinnati Police Department will be changing how it responds to some calls for service in the city.  

Interim Police Chief Paul Humphries said the decision comes after analyzing the department's response history.