typical WOIO over exaggeration.  Sad this happened, but it could happen ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME.  I'm glad the victim is ok. I just wish that a) they asked either of them - outside of this incident - do they feel safe or have faith in downtown? b) had downtown businesses and residents on to counter the issue and c) asked other on the street their opinion.

 

I have a big problem with them having a woman (blonde, Caucasian) saying she was terrified and them identifying as only a (downtown worker) and at the very end say it was "downtown terrorism" and why there was no information for CPD or the downtown safety ambassadors as to what they are doing to make workers/employee/visitors to downtown "feel" safer?!!

 

and you have to question why people think downtown is bad.

"Downtown Terrorism"

 

Hahahahahahahahaha

 

This is why I love/hate WOIO. Morons.

A couple of recent articles from the PD:

 

 

Cleveland officer fatally shoots armed man

Patrolman fired after suspect pulled gun, police say

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Donna J. Miller

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

A black revolver remained on a patchy lawn at the Garden Valley Estates Saturday afternoon, marking the spot where a Cleveland patrolman fatally shot an armed suspect.

 

About 15 children were playing football within 30 feet of the shooting, witnesses said, but no one else was injured.

 

...

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4852

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/116150656291450.xml&coll=2

---

Police dress up as prostitutes to catch johns

Safety forces' effort aims to clean up city

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Joe Guillen

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Before hitting the streets as an undercover prostitute, Cleveland police officer Donna Feador usually puts vegetable oil in her hair. Sometimes she gives herself a black eye using makeup.

 

The homeliness doesn't stop there.

 

...

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4675

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1161161008289790.xml&coll=2

 

i saw something on the news that not only disturbed me but shocked me ,  I was watchin channel 3 and carl monday had a report on crimes inside cuyahoga county libraries , I kept watching and sure enough a kid i got into a fight with a few years back was beatin off in the berea library right next to the kids section , I mean come on if your gonna do that at least have the courtesy to go into the bathroom not right in the open , Man people are dumb these days

 

I know this old, but I nearly fell off my seat laughing --

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmYl_R5eb58

 

*EDIT: I see now there is an entire thread devoted to the Carl Monday Daily Show segment. Apologies, etc etc.. Move on, nothing to see here..

From the PD, 11.09

 

Residents take back street from drug dealers

(Cleveland) Plain Dealer

November 9, 2006

 

Residents of one West Side Cleveland neighborhood decided to take back an abandoned house on Elton Avenue from drug dealers. The dealers had become so brazen that they routinely set up a table and lawn chair in front of the house and peddled drugs in plain view, activists and authorities said ...

 

... More at http://www.cleveland.com/newslogs/plaindealer/index.ssf?/mtlogs/cleve_plaindealer/archives/2006_11.html#203280

That triangle of streets (Elton, Colgate, etc.) bounded by Lorain Avenue, West 65th, and Madison has been bad news for a while. Good to see the residents trying to turn the tide.

I honestly think that investing in inexpensive, in-your-face, grassroots strategies like these could do wonders for Cleveland neighborhoods. I hope we start funding them at a much higher level.

 

That being said, I hope no one comes up seeking coffee and doughnuts if and when the drug dealers put their card table back out.  :laugh:

^ I just don't feel safe walking the streets around Key Tower anymore... one of these crooked execs is liable to lift my wallet!

^ I just don't feel safe walking the streets around Key Tower anymore... one of these crooked execs is liable to lift my wallet!

 

...along with your ipod, blackberry and man bag!

^ I know. I heard if you catch their gaze they will steal your soul.

No, all you have to do is work for them ;)

From the 12/1/06 PD:

 

 

Tape prompts new probe into shooting

Friday, December 01, 2006

Donna J. Miller

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Two Cleveland police detectives shot and killed Brandon McCloud 15 months ago, but the controversy surrounding his death continues.

 

Police Chief Michael McGrath has ordered a review of a tape-recorded conversation between a dispatcher and an officer that occurred several hours before police shot the 15-year-old robbery suspect 10 times in his bedroom.

 

...

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4852

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1164969147171500.xml&coll=2

 

 

Has anyone heard anything more about the CitiStat program implemented by the CPD this year? The last whisper of it I can find is here --

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/115372986777640.xml&coll=2

"Their attorney, Terry Gilbert"

 

If there's an ambulance to be chased...

Several recent homicides, I have been lazy and haven't posted any in months. But two this week, making the total count for the year still less than 2005 (which I think we all can say is a good thing with the way things were going during the summertime)..

 

1. West. 65th and Clark, an elderly woman is found in a boarded up home in the basement. She suffered a brutal death but investigators declined to comment further until an autopsy can be performed. Son-in-law has been arrested and may be a suspect.

 

2. Cleveland Clinic employee is shot dead on the corner of St. Clair and Addison. The 3rd death this year within a 1 mile radius!

^Apparently the 2nd murder was an employee at the Intercontinental Hotel, and a Sudanese refugee. How sad: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1166089268132961.xml&coll=2

the concerning part is that crimes are increasing, even as the population of the city appears to be declining.  this is certainly not a good trend. 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/116721249047230.xml&coll=2

 

Shooting raises homicide total to highest since 1996

 

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Gabriel Baird

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

A Christmas Day homicide was Cleveland's 115th of 2006 - making this the deadliest year in the city since 1996.

Through Dec. 9, rapes, thefts and arsons in the city were within 1 percent of the number at the same time last year, according to police records. At the same time, the number of robberies, felonious assaults and burglaries were on pace to top 2005 numbers.

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4141

 

#116 today on Maud & Crumb.

Being I don't live in Cleveland, I never posted here but this one is straight out of dumb and dumber.

 

Police put squeeze on boa suspects

Friday, January 05, 2007

Jesse Tinsley

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Cleveland Heights -- Returning to the scene of an exotic snake heist proved to be the dumbest of a string of mistakes by a mom-and-son shoplifting team that police said made off with a boa constrictor from a Lee Road pet store.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/116799021578780.xml&coll=2

 

 

So is there an "official" total for the 2006 homicides in Cleveland yet?  I read there were "at least" 117 in the PD, but the Columbus paper stated there were 119....anyone know?

From the 12/10/06 PD:

 

 

Police review panel wants union leader disciplined

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Donna J. Miller

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Cleveland's Police Review Board has recommended that the president of the police union be disciplined for angrily confronting and ousting a community activist from a public ceremony.

 

Steve Loomis, leader of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, ousted Art McKoy Sept. 2 from a vigil in honor of slain Detective A.J. Schroeder. At the vigil, Loomis told McKoy, a vocal critic of police officers' use of deadly force, that he did not belong at the solemn gathering.

 

...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1165743657319330.xml&coll=2

 

From the 12/23/06 PD:

 

 

Crime foes are repeat victims

Burglars plague safety advocates

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Diane Suchetka

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

The offices of the Partnership for a Safer Cleveland were broken into Thursday night, for the second time in three months.

 

Don't expect that to send the nonprofit organization - dedicated to making Cleveland a safer place - packing.

 

...

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4987

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1166867440220980.xml&coll=2

 

It is being reported on all the news channels about the big protest/rally in New Orleans over the "recent" crime wave that has already killed 9 people down there.  Assuming there were no murders last night - Cleveland already has had 8 murders this year.  Where the heck is the public outrage from the citizens and the politicians?  Are things that bad that this is what we expect in this town?  This is ridiculous.  Even though I live in Old Brooklyn and we are for the most part sheltered from the crime that plagues this city - I'm outraged at the apparent apathy of our elected officials,  let alone its citizens.  Whether you live in West Park, Old Brooklyn, or on E.79th/Superior - it is about time all of cleveland demands more from eachother and our local government.  People are pissed that they can't smoke in a bar...why can't they be pissed that close to 120 people were murdered in this city last year?

I understand that its a very bad situation, but what would you suggest we do? 

I never understand what these "rally's" accomplish....how can one stop random crime?  Would more police be good?  yes  Where will the money come from?  I hate to see what happens in this city as well, but when you have such a huge poverty striken population...what can you do to change it?  I would love to see the city saturated with jobs...but guess what...jobs leaving cities/this country are the trend.  Here is a better idea...don't go out and rally...rather stay home, teach children right from wrong and the importance of an education...this all starts at home by setting good examples...not having elected officials raise children for you.

Where did you get the number eight, I had heard six.

#7 and #8 were murdered wed night/thurs morning outside some bar on Harvard Ave.  Poverty and poor parenting may be a reason - but should never be an excuse for this.  It is true that Rally's may not solve the problem - but it would make the issue widely talked about.  There are things the city can do - you can install security cameras in high crime areas, gunshot sensers that set off an alarm on electrical poles and alert police, increased presence in neighborhoods (all set up in many other cities)....Yes this costs money, but what about proper allocation of funds - or monetary prioritization?

 

Maybe if the council-members and our joke of a Mayor - Frank Jackson - became vocal on this issue - the few remaining citizens that care about "quality of life issues" in this city may rally and start taking grass root efforts street by street to rid them of crime. 

 

Silence is acceptance - and obviously our elected officials belive all Cleveland is capable of being is a poor, violent, thug city.  I on the other hand - feel we deserve much better.

#7 and #8 were murdered wed night/thurs morning outside some bar on Harvard Ave.  Poverty and poor parenting may be a reason - but should never be an excuse for this.  It is true that Rally's may not solve the problem - but it would make the issue widely talked about.  There are things the city can do - you can install security cameras in high crime areas, gunshot sensers that set off an alarm on electrical poles and alert police, increased presence in neighborhoods (all set up in many other cities)....Yes this costs money, but what about proper allocation of funds - or monetary prioritization?

 

Maybe if the council-members and our joke of a Mayor - Frank Jackson - became vocal on this issue - the few remaining citizens that care about "quality of life issues" in this city may rally and start taking grass root efforts street by street to rid them of crime. 

 

Silence is acceptance - and obviously our elected officials belive all Cleveland is capable of being is a poor, violent, thug city.  I on the other hand - feel we deserve much better.

 

Instead of critizing Frank.  Have you sent him suggestions?

 

I love it how we are always quick to lay blame, but don't reach out to those who are our elected officials.

 

Have you contacted your councilperson?

state rep?

Senator?

 

Anyone??

 

If we can identify problems, we can try to come up with solutions!

Can someone list all 8 in 2007? I normally post the incidents in the Cleveland crime threads. Anyone?

Letters have been sent to Safety Directors, Mayors Action Office as well as council people.  Don't expect to ever receive a response. 

 

Jackson is the mayor - so blame SHOULD be directed towards him and his departments.  He has not spoken about the uptick in crime (as far as I know).  He did bring back the CPD Helicopters - but i'm skeptical of the benefit of these compared to the cost. 

Letters have been sent to Safety Directors, Mayors Action Office as well as council people.  Don't expect to ever receive a response. 

 

Jackson is the mayor - so blame SHOULD be directed towards him and his departments.  He has not spoken about the uptick in crime (as far as I know).  He did bring back the CPD Helicopters - but i'm skeptical of the benefit of these compared to the cost. 

 

Ok so you sent letter.  did you think about picking up the phone?  Calling?  asking your neighbors to get involved and call as well?

 

Don't be passive-aggressive!

He did bring back the CPD Helicopters - but i'm skeptical of the benefit of these compared to the cost. 

 

Not quite sure what field you work in, but I work for CFD...and let me tell you, those helicopters are worth their weight in gold!  They can reduce the need for high speed chases, they light up crime scenes at night, they have heat detecting cameras to find the bad guy(or even someone lost), and they have even helped us light up emergency scenes at night...trust me..they are worth every penny!

 

Poverty and poor parenting may be a reason - but should never be an excuse for this.

 

I disagree....it ALL starts at home..plain and simple.  You can keep putting ointment on you fingers when you burn them...or you can go to the root of the problem and quit touching the stove.  IMO

 

I happened to be at the double shooting on Harvard the other night...sad scene..what a waste to have to solve your problems with a gun

  From the peedee : 

 

Stabbing victim identified

The Plain Dealer

 

posted 10:54 a.m. updated 3:42 p.m.

 

Bernard Robinson, 47, was stabbed to death this morning in an apartment in the 2600 block of Grand Avenue. A roommate found his body in a bedroom at about 6:45 a.m., Sgt. Daniel Fay said.

 

...

 

-- Donna J. Miller

www.cleveland.com

from the peedee

 

Firefighters get new heat protection gear

 

 

5:28 p.m.

 

Cleveland firefighters are jumping into new $1.1 million pants and coats. The city has replaced turn-out gear that was up to 12 years old, Chief Paul Stubbs said. The new black clothes withstand flash temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees, which meets National Fire Protection Act standards set in August. The old gear fell several hundred degrees short of that mark, spokesman Larry Gray said.

 

--Donna Miller,

Good to hear you'll be a little bit safer, JDD!  Sorry you had to witness such a hideous event as a double shooting.  I can't even imagine.

PeeDee

 

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The Plain Dealer

Police questioning three suspects in rec center shootings

 

 

3:32 p.m.

 

Cleveland -- Two young men shot last night outside the Fairfax Recreation Center are recovering and police are questioning at least three suspects in what may have been the city's latest gang-related violence, police said.

 

Timothy Willis, 22, of East 83rd Street was shot twice in the chest and twice in the abdomen. He remains at MetroHealth Medical Center.

 

...

 

— Donna J. Miller

www.cleveland.com

 

   From the peedee : 

 

Stabbing victim identified

 

 

posted 10:54 a.m. updated 3:42 p.m.

 

Bernard Robinson, 47, was stabbed to death this morning in an apartment in the 2600 block of Grand Avenue. A roommate found his body in a bedroom at about 6:45 a.m., Sgt. Daniel Fay said.

 

Detectives are also investigating the beating death of a 23-year-old Cleveland man, who won't be named until his family is notified. His body was found at about 1:30 a.m. today in a house in the 3200 block of Riverside Avenue. He died of blunt-force trauma to his head, Cuyahoga County Deputy Coroner Joseph Felo said. These are the seventh and eighth homicides of the new year.

 

-- Donna J. Miller

JDD sorry you had to witness this. We should never take for granted what you and your collegues do.  I was suprised that a recent article in the NY times was lamenting the N.O murder rate, and we are off to a same unfortunate start without similar attention.

  I have a feeling that the media is pointing out N.O. because of the alarming murder rate with approx half of the population no longer in the city.  I hope the trend of murder rates don't continue to climb in our city. 

Just a little fact regarding the helecopter: It is only in the sky 5 days during the week, twice a day for 2 hour flights. The hours of opperation are something like 8pm-10pm and 12am-2am. That's it. But,,,,,,,,,,, it's better than nothing.

Well, that sounds like the witching hour for crime, isn't? That's when the therma cameras, spotlights would be the most useful.  When are Los Angeles' cameras up?

This is from Bill Callahan blog... he live down the street from me.  :-o

http://www.callahansclevelanddiary.com/?p=173

 

Since one of the topics of this blog is supposed to be real life in Cleveland, I guess I should report that I got robbed at gunpoint in my backyard Friday evening.

 

Two gunpoints, actually. Pointed at me by a couple of young men in hoodies who followed me into the backyard as I was returning from a pizza run, demanding that I come down off the porch and give them “the money”. They got my wallet and took off, and I went in the house, locked the doors and called 911.

 

The police arrived in less than five minutes. They took the best descriptions I could give (not very good) and a couple of zone cars actually went searching for the two guys. They brought back one kid for me to look at. No, sorry, I couldn’t honestly identify him. The truth is, I was looking at the guns, not the faces.

 

What did my robbers get for their felonious trouble? A driver’s license, a library card, some business cards and a dollar bill.

 

So now I have to go replace the license and the library card. And be more careful about locking the house and the car, and about who else is on the street when I’m going for pizza. Nothing is really all that different. Nothing I wasn’t aware of all along.

 

Except now I know what it’s like to have a couple of guns pointed at me, by a couple of guys I never saw before and had no idea what they might do next.

 

Real life.

 

and here is the responds from Brain Cummins who lives two blocks alway in Brooklyn Centre

 

brianjcummins Says:

 

January 24th, 2007 at 3:27 am

Bill — very sorry to hear this happened to you. It is very scary, and I’m afraid too common in recent weeks. Thank goodness you were not physically injured.

 

Two of our neighbors on Mapledale had a similar experience back on Jan. 1st – mugged at gun-point at the back pedestrian exit of the shopping center, 11:00 pm, coming from Convenient by 3 to 5 young men in hoodies – unfortunately they did not report the crime ☹. Our old Jeep was stolen from our drive the same evening (recently recovered); another neighbor by Riverside and 32nd had their car stolen last week and you probably heard about the violent homicide that occurred on Riverside several Saturdays ago.

 

All very depressing, and an indicator of what appears to be a crime spike that is lingering since Christmas and the warm weather that followed.

 

FYI – there will be a Crime & Safety meeting this Thursday, Jan. 25th at 7:00 pm at the Archwood UCC, which will be utilized to hopefully squelch rumors on the street relative to the murder on Riverside. These other crime trends will also be discussed. In addition, with assistance from the local development corp., the 2nd District Police and Huntington Bank, we’re holding a Brooklyn Centre Merchant’s meeting next Monday morning at 7:30 am at the Brooklyn Centnre Huntington Branch for area businesses to discuss crime trends in the commercial district (a few recent break-ins), as well as what more can be done to have businesses better coordinate safety strategies.

 

I will be going to the meeting @ UCC Thursday!

 

 

Brian Cummins is ward 15 councilman  :-D

Sorry to hear that happened to you. I hope you're OK.

 

I've reported on a number of incidents in which two or three young men in hoodies robbed a pizza delivery driver at gunpoint. Several occurred in Old Brooklyn and two in Lakewood (one just down the street from me on Clifton). Those happened in December, I believe. I don't know if these incidents are related to each other or to the ones you've reported on, but they bear striking similarities.

My visceral reaction to this is not good, despite the promise to keep, if not raise, the number of patrols for the area the same. This is probably irrational, but my gf works around Payne & e30th (sometimes late), and I've always been comforted by the fact that the 3rd district station is right around the corner.. Now.. thpt.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1169803850140120.xml&coll=2

 

Cleveland closing 3rd District police station

Friday, January 26, 2007

Gabriel Baird

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Cleveland plans to close its 3rd District police station in May as the city's six police districts are merged into five.

 

...

 

The 3rd District has more rapes, robberies, thefts and total crimes than the other districts in 2006, yet fewer cars are assigned to this area than other districts, according to police data.

 

...

 

Plain Dealer reporter Susan Vinella contributed to this story.

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4141

I would think that most of the crime in the 3rd district is in its southeast section.  I trust Frank on this one.

 

 

Hey, we have one great rehab opportunity.

I thought one of Jackson's ideas was also to open some kind of mini-station downtown? I have a call into Lt. Stacho on another matter and will ask him when he calls back.

^ It would make sense, if not for logistical reasons for the emotional comfort of having some base of operations in the area.

Spoke to Lt. Stacho a few minutes ago. He's frustrated that the media is reporting the closing of the Third District as a done deal. He noted that the original proposal was to close the Fifth District.

 

As for the Third District, lieutenant noted that the mayor is proposing a Downtown Service Unit that would have a platoon of officers reporting directly to supervisors dedicated to the downtown area. I'll have an article next week to discuss about the options.

I have to admit, I find Jackson's approach refreshing with respect to taking ultimate responsibility. Again, no mention of the "Downtown Service Unit" you brought up, KJP.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1170324865208500.xml&coll=2

 

Mayor defends closing 3rd District station

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Gabriel Baird

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Mayor Frank Jackson faced the public for the first time Wednesday to explain his plan to close the 3rd District police station later this year.

 

More than 250 people crammed into the Sterling Recreation Center to hear Jackson's plan to whittle the city's number of police districts from six to five.

 

...

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

 

[email protected], 216-999-4141

While this has not appeared to have hit the news yet (or has it?), I unfortunately have heard that a resident of those apartment/condos on W28 and Detroit (Detroit ave lofts?) was murdered by an intruder that forced his way into the building. This does not bode well for the area. Many residents in the area sooth ourselves with the fact that much of the violent crime in the area is drug related desputes or what have you. I am noticing a bit of a trend upward right around stronebridge-maybe due in part to security not being as present or as effective as they need to be. You would think as more people moved in the problems would decrease.  Anyway, I am hoping that this tragedy result in increased police presence and (edit!) NOT permanently scare people away.