CLEVELAND – Frustrations over violence in the city are boiling over at Cleveland’s city hall, and council members continue to look to the mayor and police department to do something to stop crime while residents just want their neighborhoods are safe again.
Many Clevelanders are proud of the city they grew up in, but when it comes to crime, it makes them sad and they want to see something done.
“More police and more security, more cameras everywhere. That’s what they need to try to solve this problem,” said resident Anthony Clayton.
“I think on the one hand to do something about the gun situation is to get guns, you know, automatic weapons and things like that,” resident Ted Smith said.
Those concerns are the same ones that Cleveland Safety Committee Chairman Michael Polensek has raised.
Polensek says there have been 101 homicides this year, which means Cleveland is on track to break a 30-year high. The council has contacted the mayor’s office several times asking to be part of the conversation when it comes to hiring more officers and curbing crime, but they have seen no action plans.
“Today, again, I said to the command, to the administration, ‘What’s the game plan?’ How will you deal with this growing violence?” Polensek said.
During a news conference after the shooting on West 6th that left 9 injured, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb talked about plans to beef up police recruiting and pushed for stricter gun laws.
“Tackling violent crime is a multi-pronged approach — not just law enforcement, not just the investment we’re making in neighborhoods, but we need better legislation at the state and federal level to get illegal guns out of our streets,” Bibb said.
Polensek said the focus should be on neighborhoods and not just downtown.
“There’s been carnage every week in this city, every other day in this city, and yet there was a shooting on West 6th. ‘Now we’re going to do this’…well, wait a minute, we’ve been asking for it” , Polensek said, adding that it’s not about him, it’s about residents like Anthony and Ted.
“I think for the most part we should be adults. You know, look at the things that need to be there and try to address them instead of making it all so political, one way or the other ” said Smith.
The police union tells News 5 they are in talks with Cleveland police to help with recruiting.
We reached out to Bibb’s office for comment, and he released the following statement:
“The Administration is being as open as possible with the city’s legislative body at this time given that many of their inquiries are related to open, active and highly sensitive investigations. We cannot release certain information that compromises those investigations. for the safety of witnesses, victims and other members of the public. This is how these things are handled not only here, but in other cities and in Washington DC. The FBI, Secret Service and other federal agencies cannot share certain information. with the Congress that would endanger the citizens. The same thing happens here.
At the end of the day, we’re focused on doing everything we can to find solutions rather than amplifying problems. We invite the City Council to join us in doing the same.
The Administration values transparency and maintaining an open line of communication with the City Council and the public, which we have done extensively since taking office….
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