Eliot Isaac

Cincinnati saw a reduction in most crimes throughout 2020 as many people hunkered down in their homes because of the pandemic. But among the most violent — homicides and shooting — numbers were up after declines for the past few years. Chief Eliot Isaac says that's likely linked to the increased number of gun sales throughout the country last year.

Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac joined a video chat Wednesday hosted by Cincinnati Public Schools and Cohear to answer student questions about his tenure with the Cincinnati Police Department, how police can better interact with minority communities, and how he, as a black man, is feeling in this current climate.  

Cincinnati is extending a weekend curfew implemented as protests continue with more planned Sunday and Monday. A citywide curfew will now begin at 9 p.m., running through at least Tuesday morning.

Following a largely peaceful protest Friday night that devolved into broken windows, graffiti and looting, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley on Saturday issued a 10 p.m. curfew for the entirety of Downtown Cincinnati that will remain in effect through Sunday night. 

The free rides on Cincinnati Metro buses will be ending later this week. 

Right now Cincinnati has 1,032 police officers. That's 25 less than the department's authorized number of 1,057.  

A 23-year-old woman is recovering from a gunshot wound and under a psychiatric hold after a brief standoff with Cincinnati Police Tuesday. The woman called 911 from the 300 block of Crestline in East Price Hill and said she was feeling suicidal.

Even with a recent spike in violence, the Cincinnati Police Department reports the number of shootings in the city this year is lower than previous years.  

Cincinnati's police chief calls the spike in gun violence in the city during the past two weeks "alarming."

Two Cincinnati police officers could still face punishment for using a racial slur. The two were recorded on body cameras using the N-word during two separate interactions with the public. The internal investigation into the incidents is continuing, according to Chief Eliot Isaac.

Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said Monday a police officer injured during a deadly use of force incident Friday was shot in the forearm and hand by another police officer.

Updated: Sunday, 7:11 p.m.

A police officer was wounded and a suspect fatally shot in the 2600 block of Victory Parkway in East Walnut Hills Friday. 

The Cincinnati Police Department says an officer responding to a shoplifting report deployed a Taser when one of the alleged shoplifters ignored commands to stop.

The juvenile is identified as an 11-year-old girl.

Updated 2/29/16:

The City of Cincinnati will continue to maintain the $10,000 yearly stipend the city provides to chiefs and assistant chiefs in "lieu of overtime, call back, shift differential, court time and shift change compensation." WVXU confirmed the information Monday.

Isaac will also continue to receive a tuition reimbursement for a master's degree program at Xavier University.

The city confirms Isaac can return to the captain rank if he is relieved from the chief's position "for other than just causes as outlined in Article B, Section 5 of the Charter of the city."

Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black will name a permanent police chief Thursday at 10:30 a.m.  City Council passed an ordinance Wednesday changing the pay scale for the position. It's believed that's the last hurdle for interim police chief Eliot Isaac to take the job. 

Interim Police Chief Eliot Isaac is the “preferred candidate” for Cincinnati’s next police chief, City Manager Harry Black announced Friday morning.

In fact, Black said, he is the only candidate for the job.

Interim Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac says 25 extra officers are now on the streets. The officers, who started the new shifts Sunday, were reassigned from other areas to boost patrol numbers.

Isaac says these changes will be evaluated in 30 days.