Deputies join effort in OTR

BY EILEEN KELLEY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

PHOTO: Inmates from the Queensgate jail facility sweep up trash along Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine Tuesday as a deputy patrols. THE ENQUIRER / CRAIG RUTTLE

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - Norlissa Nicholson's broom has seen better days.

 

From excessive use, the 6-inch bristles have been reduced to gnarled nubs.

 

But Nicholson isn't bothered.

 

Each day she steps outside her Vine Street home and sweeps away the cigarette butts, dust, broken shards of glass and other remnants of life on a busy and crime-infested street.

 

"It's time we take Vine Street back," said Nicholson.

 

The dope dealers and users, she says, have no business near her home, and she's not afraid to confront them.

 

"I don't give a damn what they think," she said. "I don't want them here."

 

Tuesday, Nicholson had a lot of company in her campaign to clean up one of the city's toughest, but architecturally important, neighborhoods, with the arrival of 19 Hamilton County sheriff's deputies. The deputies joined the Cincinnati Police Department's regular beat officers and special Vortex Unit, an extension of the no-tolerance sweeps that began in the spring to attack the drug trade. The deputies will patrol seven days a week.

 

"This is a blessing," said 42-year-old Doris Rogers of Over-the-Rhine.

 

Joining law enforcement Tuesday were eight jail inmates, who spent the day pushing brooms and picking up trash.

 

Some volunteered, some did it to get two hours off their sentence for every hour of outside work.

 

Sheriff Simon Leis had the idea for the patrols last year. The county commission budgeted $1.8 million to make it a reality.

 

The proposal received a range of reactions: elation among many residents and business owners, to disdain and concern among many city police officers who think the progress the city police have made within the community since the 2001 riots may be for naught.

 

"City police officers want to see city police officers patrolling the city," said Kathy Harrell, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, the police union. Harrell said the frustration stems largely from city leaders ignoring pleas from city police for additional officers over the years.

 

This year, a mostly new City Council voted to make adding 100 more officers on the streets a budget priority for next year.

 

The deputies arrived to applause from residents.

 

"I'm just happy to see anybody down here," said Vicki Stanford, 54, of Over-the-Rhine. "The police, they've been working hard."

 

Many residents leaned out second- and third-story windows shouting words of appreciation.

 

"People have been scared to death to walk on the streets," said Nicholson. "That's a fact."

 

The deputies' arrival comes after concerted efforts of some 50 police officers who have saturated the area on and off since April.

 

In that time, close to 3,000 arrests have been made in Over-the-Rhine, Walnut Hills and surrounding city neighborhoods. The bulk of the effort has been and will continue to be in Over-the-Rhine, said Cincinnati Police Department District 1 Capt. Kenneth Jones.

 

"It's going to take some time," Jones said. "There is going to be a battle plan that will be in place for a while, and there is a cooperative effort between the sheriff's office and this city to make it happen."

 

E-mail [email protected]

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060802/NEWS01/608020362/1056

i was just wondering what do you all think of the annual morgan-quitno most dangerous/safest city rankings? *

 

according to them cleveland and dayton trade off annually going back to the mid-nineties as the most dangerous cities for crime in ohio. they were fairly consistantly top 25. they all varied, but cinci really jumped around below that, sometimes it was ranked as low as nearly 100th, canton was even ahead of it as more dangerous a couple times. i didn't notice toledo and columbus (sorry that happens a lot-heh  :wink:).

 

not sure i buy the methodology at all, but i don't know much about it. at least it's something tangible to go on. or is it?

 

http://www.morganquitno.com/index.htm

 

*sorry if this has been discussed previously on this long thread or elsewhere.

Can someone direct me  :?  (because i am sure that it has been discussed sometime on this thread)? What is happening on Vine between central parkway and about 3 blocks north of central. I ride by that location everyday and i am noticing some BIG changes  :clap: . There are about 6-7 storfronts that are being TOTALLY re-done. One looks like it is a spa/tanning/i don't know what. It is Very modern looking. :-D ..It is exciting to see the changes taking place. :laugh:  Is this development p[art of 3CDC's stuff or is this seperate?

^I think the project that you said looks like a spa is Venice Pizza at the northwest corner of Vine and 13th. I guess all that tile work, curved up the walls might give that impression.  They have been using volunteer UC architecture students to rehab it as mentioned earlier in this thread.  The other stuff south of this is 3CDC and should be found in those threads.

Can someone direct me  :?  (because i am sure that it has been discussed sometime on this thread)? What is happening on Vine between central parkway and about 3 blocks north of central. I ride by that location everyday and i am noticing some BIG changes  :clap: . There are about 6-7 storfronts that are being TOTALLY re-done. One looks like it is a spa/tanning/i don't know what. It is Very modern looking. :-D ..It is exciting to see the changes taking place. :laugh:  Is this development p[art of 3CDC's stuff or is this seperate?

 

I think we have the record for most smileys used in one post.

i was just wondering what do you all think of the annual morgan-quitno most dangerous/safest city rankings? *

 

I think this is discussed in other threads somewhere.

why do you have to bust my balls rando?

Deputies join effort in OTR

A crew of inmates came down my street today and made the sidewalk spic and span from Liberty to Central Parkway. One deputy guarded a crew of about 10 guys.  They were very orderly, and the street looks great.  Thanks Simon Leis.

I'm not sure if this is the best section to post in, but part of the point of this tour is to bring people down to Over-the-Rhine who might not necessarily visit, and show them that there is more to this neighborhood then people shooting each other.

 

The Brewery District cordially invites you to the:

 

Prohibition Resistance Tour

Saturday, September 16

 

A two-hour bus and walking tour of some of Over-the-Rhine's most historic brewery buildings, including the Clyffside and Jackson Breweries and Grammer's Restaurant.  There will be a special presentation on the history of Cincinnati's own Christian Moerlein beer by the new owner of Christian Moerlein and Hudepohl.

 

Tickets are $20.00, and will include refreshments.  Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested.  We expect tickets to sell very quickly.

 

Tours will leave from both Arnold's Bar and Grille and Milton's Tavern at set times between 11AM and 1PM.  Arnold's will also be celebrating their 145th Anniversary that day as Cincinnati's oldest operating bar.

 

Start your Oktoberfest off right!

 

For more information, please go to www.otrbrewerydistrict.com. (website will be active this weekend, for information contact Steve Hampton at [email protected] or (513) 784-0352) (Tickets will be available next week from Arnold's and Milton's as well)

 

why do you have to bust my balls rando?

 

I suspect it was just a funny observation, no slight intended...I know I giggled...

 

<i>I wish I could find the quote from the local TV news, but Gonzales was quoted as saying how shock he was on how bombed out OTR looked. That's not the exact quote. What's the logic in having all these social service agencies in an area that offers easy access to all the bad things their supposedly trying to be saved from.</i>

 

<b>Hotbed of Violence

Attorney general tours OTR</b>

 

<b>By Joe Wessels, Post contributor</b>

 

The night before the nation's top law enforcement official came to visit, Over-the-Rhine lived down to its reputation as one of Cincinnati's most troubled neighborhoods.

 

Three people were shot - none of them fatally - and a woman was found dead in the 15 hours before U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales toured Over-the-Rhine.

 

Gonzales viewed the area in a motorcade with Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas Streicher and U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, whose district includes Cincinnati, stopping briefly to stand on a vacant lot on the southeast corner of Race and 14th streets. Gonzales was accompanied by an entourage of Secret Service agents who kept residents in the neighborhood - some of whom said they would have liked to talk to him - at bay.

 

On Monday evening, the naked body of a woman was found on Findlay Street. Police are hoping an autopsy will pinpoint the cause of her death.

 

Around 4:15 Tuesday morning, police responded to two nearly simultaneous shootings in which three people were wounded. One was shot several times near East Liberty Street and Reading Road. Two others were found shot in the 500 block of 13th Street.

 

A recovering drug addict who has called Over-the-Rhine home for five years and would identify himself only as "R.R." said the police department's recent Operation Vortex, which netted more than 1,000 arrests during a three-day period in April, has helped the area. The spot where Gonzales got out of his car was just feet away from the site of several shootings this spring.

 

Operation Vortex continues in lesser concentrations and has moved to other troubled neighborhoods around the city, including Price Hill and Walnut Hills.

 

"A couple a months ago, they couldn't do that," R.R. said, pointing to the corner where Gonzales had just left. "They could not have come there in relative safety. And I'm not talking about the heat."

 

R.R. said if he had had the opportunity, he would have asked Gonzales "what more they are going to do for the neighborhood and for neighborhoods like this all around the United States."

 

Gonzales might have answered R.R.'s question in a more roundabout way about 90 minutes later during a press conference at the Talbert House in Avondale. There, Gonzales announced he had approved the allocation of 23 new assistant U.S. attorneys to offices around the United States, including one in Cincinnati. That attorney's primary responsibility will be prosecuting major drug trafficking organizations, Gonzales said.

 

Police have said drug trafficking is the No. 1 contributor to crime in the troubled neighborhood.

 

"Cincinnati has seen its share of pain when it comes to the subject of drug abuse, addiction and trade," Gonzales said. "A child who grows up in a drug-infested, violent neighborhood is a child who has been robbed of hope."

 

Marge Hammelrath, executive director of the Over-the-Rhine Foundation, said she was unaware that Gonzales was going to be in the neighborhood, but was happy that more help might be on the way. She thanked Streicher for bringing the attorney general to the area.

 

"I think we are finally realizing that we don't have to be victims," she said. "We have enough power in the law enforcement and the people who really care...and we can take over our own neighborhood."

 

Publication date: 08-09-2006

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060809/NEWS01/608090351

<b>U.S. Attorney General Tours Downtown Cincinnati</b>

 

Reported by: Deb Haas

Web produced by: Matthew Daniels

Photographed by: 9News

First posted: 8/8/2006 4:34:59 PM

 

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez toured the high crime area in Over-The-Rhine Tuesday morning.

 

He talked with Congressman Steve Chabot and Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher.

 

"What is available for young kids after school so they don't get into trouble? Is that something that's a focus?" Gonzales asked.

 

The attorney general met with police, the FBI, and fire chiefs, to talk about what the city needs to do.

 

<b>"Quite frankly I was startled. This is my first visit to Cincinnati so I was startled, the buildings, abandoned buildings. On the other hand, images of hope, obvious efforts to develop portions of the community," the top-cop said.</b>

 

Gonzales said his plan has three parts: education, prevention and enforcement.

 

To add emphasis, he announced he's dedicating 23 new assistant US Attorneys to the drug and organized crime task force.

 

One of those new U.S. Attorneys will be stationed right here in Cincinnati.

 

"We need to get to these kids before they get involved in drugs, before they get involved in gangs," Gonzales said.

 

They talked about jail space and also about how Cincinnati is not unique in that crime is in every city and problems need to be solved.

 

"The bad news is you have crime here in the city, the good news is you have a dedicated group of law enforcement professionals focused on it," Gonzales said.

 

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/08/08/ag.html

<i>I got my crime stories about the AG and social service agencies mixed up. This is the story that I question how and why social service agencies continued to open up in OTR.</i>

 

<b>Men From Suburbs Busted In Prostitution Sting</b>

 

A lot of men had some explaining to do Tuesday night when they got home. Either they didn't have their car, or they were out of $500.

 

Local 12 was there as officers cracked down on suspected "johns." Many of them are from the suburbs.

 

The suspects' vehicles were confiscated as they were arrested.

 

Local 12 Reporter Shawn Ley has more.

 

Local 12 cameras were there Tuesday night, watching police haul more than two dozen men to jail, and tow away their cars.

 

Police say the men came to Over-the-Rhine looking for sex with a prostitute. Instead, they found a female officer, undercover and wired for sound.

 

When police say these two guys allegedly mentioned sex for money to an officer dressed the part of a hooker, she used a hidden radio to call for back-up, and the bust was made. Police say they even found crack pipes and drugs on one of the men.

 

Both police and men looking to buy sex know what their wives and girlfriends may not. Many hookers are hooked on crack or heroin.

 

Those addicts work several hot spot streets in Over-the-Rhine, and many of the men drive here from the suburbs.

 

<b>But Carl Fields is seeing a change.

 

"I've seen less Kentucky tags rolling through here," said Carl Fields, St. Francis-St. Joseph House. "That tells me a lot."

 

Fields runs St. Francis-St. Joseph, a half-way house for men just getting a fresh start out of jail. The house is at Liberty and Walnut, a hot corner for prostitutes.</b>

 

He says the corner isn't so hot this week, with heavy police patrols and now sheriff's deputies in their second week of policing the area, chasing away the people his ex-cons don't need to be around.

 

<b>"Not only the hookers but the dope boys," said Fields. "It's a mine field out here! The guys are trying to stay clean. Once they come out this door, they have to navigate a mine field to get go and from!"</b>

 

Meantime, the men helping feed into the cycle of crime here get an expensive lesson. Not only are they arrested, but must pay $500 to get their car back.

 

Cincinnati Police tell us Tuesday night's prostitution bust may have looked like an elaborate operation, but it wasn't. Police try to make at least one or two roundups each month.

 

http://www.wkrc.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=44FA2C9C-04A1-42CD-8BB0-B523F33B0C09

 

I had a class in and about Over the Rhine last spring when I went to Miami University (currently a graduate awating the start of grad school at OSU).  The neighborhood is in a pretty sad condition.  We were on 14th st and Vine and I can say that there was a good deal of drug dealing happening across the street at the local corner store.  During the semester experienced gun shots outside of our room, various arrests, and a few fights.  There is alot of loitering and most of the people loitering do not even live in the neighborhood but come there to deal drugs.  The citizens are fed up and are afraid to leave their own homes at night (especially the elderly which comprise a fairly large percentage of residents I believe its int he 20% but I would have to check my census).  The crack down by the county deputies is generally seen as a volatile move but at least something will be done, probably not enough but something. 

The neighborhood itself has alot of character (Italianate architecture, old german communities, lots of churches, a nice sized public park and of course Findlay Market) and the people that live there are generally nice.  Generally the neighborhood is bustling with activity both illegal and legal until nightfall when it mostly all turns into illegal activity.

There is a non-profit business backed development company called 3CDC that is coming in to gentrify the neighborhood in a "better" way.  The plan is to keep the area mixed income and work with HUD to develop a strategy.  There is little worry of displacement since the vacancy rate is nearing 70% or may have exceeded that arleady.  However the condos are reaching upwards of $170,000 per unit, but 3CDC swears they are selling.

Another great aspect of the area is that it is choc full of non-profits and church organizations that are seeking to better the area.  Overall OTR has the potential to come back but it will take time and require alot of people to risk alot of money.

This little snippet of a story raises two important issues: (1) people from the suburbs are just as much to blame for OTR's condition because they come here to buy drugs and hookers and (2) I cannot imagine a worse place for someone who is trying to get back on track after jail to be.

From the 8/9/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Sheriff must play by ACLU rules

Judge: Collaborative also covers deputies in OTR

BY DAN HORN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

Hamilton County sheriff's deputies are bound by the same special rules that apply to Cincinnati police when they patrol in Over-the-Rhine, a federal judge said Tuesday.

 

The judge's decision means sheriff's deputies might soon have to follow guidelines related to the so-called Collaborative Agreement between the city and the American Civil Liberties Union.

 

The agreement, signed after the 2001 riots, requires officers to record every traffic stop, undergo additional training and adhere to strict use-of-force policies.

 

Sheriff Simon Leis had argued the rules should not apply to his deputies because his office was not involved in the dispute that led to the agreement.

 

ACLU lawyers say any officer who patrols city streets is subject to the rules.

 

"This is not about picking a fight with the sheriff," said ACLU attorney Al Gerhardstein. "This is about underscoring the work we're doing with the collaborative.

 

"It's important that he get on the team."

 

Magistrate Judge Michael Merz made a similar argument in his decision Tuesday: "Certainly the public interest would be well served by having the routine police patrols in Over-the-Rhine subject to the same procedures." But Merz did not order the sheriff to immediately comply.

 

He said the ACLU must first request a preliminary injunction, which, if granted, would require the sheriff to either comply or halt his patrols. The ACLU requested an injunction late Tuesday. If the judge grants the injunction, Leis is expected to appeal.

 

"We'll go all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to," said sheriff's spokesman Steve Barnett. But he said the sheriff would continue the patrols and would follow the rules of the collaborative agreement if ordered to do so.

 

Deputies began patrolling Over-the-Rhine last week after several citizens and business owners approached Leis and asked for help. They said crime in the neighborhood was chasing away customers and law-abiding residents.

 

E-mail [email protected]

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060809/NEWS01/608090368/1056/rss02

 

Another great aspect of the area is that it is choc full of non-profits and church organizations that are seeking to better the area.

 

Actually, that isn't always the case.  All of them have the greatest intentions, but when the neighborhood is full of agencies giving away food, shelter, and other social services, the area starts attracting people who don't want to better themselves.  There are a number of admirable agencies that help people get back on their feet and move on, but a large percentage of the charities in OTR only perpetuate the problem. 

 

As mentioned in one of the earlier posts, even some of the rehabilitation agencies are realizing that being in an area with drugs and prostitution doesn't help make their jobs easier.

 

Having such a large concentration of social agencies in one small area only perpetuates the problem.  These agencies need to be spread thoughout the whole region, closer to jobs and the rest of the community.  As long as the rest of the region thinks they can send their problems to OTR and the West End, they will never deal with trying to truly solving the underlying problems.

There is little worry of displacement since the vacancy rate is nearing 70% or may have exceeded that arleady.

 

70% vacancy rate?  Really?  Do you have any citations for that, because that seems utterly insane...I can't imagine a vacancy rate that high, unless we'd just experienced a frickin' chemical attack...

 

I don't know what to think about OTR anymore.  You would think there would be improvements but the same shit keeps happening.  Lately I have leaned on the theory that the CPD is just uncapable of doing their job.  I realize that jail space is an issue but with jail space from Butler County being leased why is little progress being made?  This stuff is trickling into the CBD fringes and I swear we are one bad more news story happening around Fountain Square from people never coming back downtown. 

 

Safety is people's #1 concern, where is Mallory?  Why don't we hear from the mayor.  I am starting lose any faith I had in him.  We heard more from Luken and that isn't saying much.

If indeed there is a 70% vacancy rate in OTR, it is mostly due to vacant buildings, not buildings with livable spaces sitting empty.  Many of those buildings are for sale, some are being preserved in a vacant condition by their owners who are speculating that the value will increase in the future, and some are currently being fixed up into nice residential units.

 

Since when has safety not been the #1 issue in OTR? 30, 40 years?  I think the street-level crime in OTR is better than it was 2 years ago, and the statistics bear out that observation.  For example, in 2004, there were 390 robberies.  Halfway through 2006, only 149.  The sheriff's patrols can only help.  Just last night I saw a deputy with a Kentucky vehicle pulled over.

I had a class in and about Over the Rhine last spring when I went to Miami University (currently a graduate awating the start of grad school at OSU).  The neighborhood is in a pretty sad condition.  We were on 14th st and Vine and I can say that there was a good deal of drug dealing happening across the street at the local corner store.  During the semester experienced gun shots outside of our room, various arrests, and a few fights. 

You were actually at the n.e. corner of 13th and Vine, and part of the problem is that the space you were in is used by Miami University for a few hours a year, but sits vacant all nights and most of the year, and is itself an attraction to crime.  We need investment, profit making businesses, eyes on the street, active storefronts, not more studies by socialist oxford residents/professors.  ;)  We have been studied to death.  I actually use that pony keg on the corner on occasion, but have had no use for the Miami University storefront.

 

Also, a condo must at least sell for the amount of money it costs to rehab it.  It costs a small fortune to rehab some of these buildings (I've done it); and if it cost over 100K to rehab, then you have to sell it for at least that much.  Rehab here costs $75 -125 per square foot.  For a 1,200 SF loft, then you are talking $90k-150K, and that does not include aquisition and soft costs.  Either the condos must sell for that, or you cannot rehab any more condos.

 

Agree with Grasscat above.  The Cincinnati Police are keeping status quo and the Mayor is unseen.  The only bright light the past months has been the Sheriff bringing a sense of order to the streets for a few hours a day.  Otherwise it as if nothing ever changes here.

From the 7/25/06 Cincinnati Post:

 

Residents discuss changes for OTR

 

First, it was labeled endangered. Now comes the plan to make it better.

 

About 60 residents of Over-the-Rhine and those who care about it gathered at Memorial Hall on Elm Street Monday to discuss what to do to create change in the troubled neighborhood. The National Trust for Historic Preservation called the meeting as a follow-up to its declaration in May that the area was one of 11 in the country that needed immediate attention and were "endangered."

 

Attendees broke into small groups to discuss different topics facing the neighborhood.

 

Now that it has issued the designation, the Trust - a nonprofit, privately funded organization based out of Washington, D.C., and created by Congress in 1949 - will work with community leaders to come up with a recommendation for how to improve the area. The group works with the neighborhood at no charge for now while a plan is being formalized.

 

By fall, the Trust should have that plan ready to present to the public, which may include hiring a neighborhood coordinator, re-branding the neighborhood in a more positive light, working to protect the area's "essential community character" and facilitating more discussions. The group is working to secure funding to carry on its work, said Royce A. Yeater, Midwest director for the Trust, who facilitated Monday's meeting.

 

 

Followup email from the National Trust I received today:

 

Hello,

 

Thanks to all of you who attended the Community Meeting held on July 24th at 6:00 pm in Memorial Hall. Your comments have been invaluable to us as we continue to formulate a work plan for National Trust involvement in Over-the-Rhine, and we hope the meeting provided everyone with a chance for open and honest dialogue.

 

We have incorporated the suggestions made at the Community Meeting into this revised version of the Issues and Action Points Chart developed in June. Ideas generated at the Community Meeting are in italics. Again, this list reflects the feedback we have received from the community over the past few months and is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis of the issues and solutions for Over-the-Rhine. If we have neglected to include something or have misrepresented any of your comments, please let us know. If you have further suggestions you’d like to make, we are always open to hearing your thoughts so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

 

Many thanks for your support and assistance. The National Trust looks forward to continuing to work with all of you.

 

Royce Yeater,  Midwest Director

Jennifer Sandy, Field Representative

 

National Trust for Historic Preservation | 53 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 350 |  Chicago,  Illinois | 60604

phone:  312.939.5547 | fax:  312.939.5651|

email: [email protected] | www.nationaltrust.org

 

link to pdf copy of attached document (3.3 MB file):  http://homepage.mac.com/sthampton/UPDATED OTR Issues and action points.pdf

 

 

From the 8/11/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Sheriff challenges patrol case

Wants new, 'impartial' judge

BY DAN HORN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

Sheriff Simon Leis wants a new judge to decide whether special rules should apply to his deputies when they patrol Over-the-Rhine.

 

Leis has asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Merz to remove himself from the case because the judge oversees the so-called Collaborative Agreement between the city of Cincinnati and the American Civil Liberties Union.

 

Merz ruled this week that the rules of the agreement, which already apply to city police, also should apply to sheriff's deputies in the city. Those rules require officers to record every traffic stop, undergo additional training and adhere to strict use-of-force policies.

 

The sheriff says his deputies should not be bound by the rules because the sheriff's office was not involved in the dispute that led to the agreement.

 

In a request filed with the judge Wednesday, Leis said Merz's job overseeing the Collaborative Agreement would make it difficult for him to fairly resolve the dispute involving the sheriff's patrols.

 

"On the one hand, he must placate the parties to the Collaborative Agreement," Leis' lawyers wrote. "On the other, he is to preside as a judge over a dispute which pits the parties to the Collaborative Agreement against a non-party."

 

Leis said the "dual roles" create a conflict of interest.

 

ACLU lawyer Al Gerhardstein said he would oppose the sheriff's request.

 

"It's not a conflict," he said. "Judges are called on all the time to make a decision that involves ongoing matters. His position is still neutral. He's not an advocate."

 

Gerhardstein said it's important for the sheriff to follow the same rules as police to avoid confusion and maintain consistency.

 

The goal of the Collaborative Agreement, signed after the 2001 riots, is to improve police-community relations.

 

Although Merz has said deputies should follow the rules, the judge has not yet ruled on the ACLU's request that he order them to do so. Leis said he would continue the patrols and would follow the rules if the judge decides he must.

 

The patrols began last week after several citizens and business owners in Over-the-Rhine asked the sheriff to help crack down on criminals.

 

E-mail [email protected]

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060811/NEWS01/608110402/1056/rss02

 

From the 8/12/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Judge won't cede authority in case

THE ENQUIRER

 

A federal judge refused Friday to give up oversight of a case that will determine whether Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies must follow special rules when they patrol Over-the-Rhine.

 

Magistrate Judge Michael Merz said he will not give the case to another judge, as Sheriff Simon Leis had requested. Leis said Merz should step aside because the judge oversees the Collaborative Agreement between the city and the American Civil Liberties Union.

 

The agreement requires Cincinnati police to follow strict rules on traffic stops and use-of-force.

 

Leis said his deputies should not have to follow the same rules, and he argued Merz could not fairly decide his case.

 

Merz disagreed: "The roles I have been assigned ... are completely compatible."

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060812/NEWS01/608120374/1056/rss02

 

I can't believe something so simple would have so much red tape.  I have to agree with Leis on this one, I don't see why they would have to deal with the Collaborative Agreement, they were not involved in that agreement or the reason that agreement was established.

I'm with Leis on this issue.  The Collaborative Agreement arose from the black community's complaints about how it was being policed by the Cincinnati Police Department.  It is a remedial measure.  The Hamilton County Sheriff's Department was not involved.  In my opinion, the Sheriff's deputies should not have to abide by it.

Crime Rate Falls In Over-The-Rhine

LAST UPDATE: 8/21/2006 6:54:18 PM

WKRC - Local 12

 

We frequently bring you stories of murder and mayhem in downtown Cincinnati, but this evening, our focus is the other side of the story. Cincinnati Police say compared to one year ago, violent crime in one of the city's roughest areas, Over-the-Rhine, has dropped by more than 38 percent. Local 12's Rich Jaffe found the drop in crime comes as the result of a lot of hard work by police.

 

A few years ago, Deirdre Costa was robbed at gunpoint in Over-the-Rhine as she scouted locations for a film crew.

 

Deirdre Costa, Location Scout: "It totally changed my feeling. When I spoke to producers, I always told them that I'm not going to scout this area unless I have a police officer scouting with me. It became, for me, a priority."

 

Recently, events like Kosta's robbery, have dropped off dramatically in Over-the-Rhine thanks to aggressive efforts like Cincinnati P.D's arrest wave called Vortex. There's also a mandatory arrest policy here, nobody gets cited to court any more.

 

Captain Ken Jones, Cincinnati Police: "I think the criminal element has gotten used to being cited to court when they don't appear, and now we've changed the rules of engagement, these individuals are now going to jail every time we encounter them, and it's had a big impact, they don't want to go to Over-the-Rhine, don't want to stay in the downtown area, they are now leaving."

 

With Fountain Square getting ready to reopen and lots of other positive things going on downtown, the city wants to send a message that it's safe to be here, not just on Fountain Square or Over-the-Rhine, but everywhere, and it's a message that is not lost on people like Deirdre Costa. With art students and shoppers treading once dangerous now rehabbed streets, Costa says it could also mean good news for her film industry.

 

"A lot of film crews when they come here, and directors drive around they fall in love with it and see all the potential and great architecture. Also, being able to promote it as a safe area is going to help as well."

 

Rich Jaffe, Local 12.

 

Over all, according to Cincinnati Police, violent crime throughout District One, which includes Over-the-Rhine, the West End, Queensgate, Mt Adams, the Central Business District and Pendleton, has dropped almost 18 percent since January.

 

http://www.wkrc.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=FB893694-4F4C-49FF-86FF-B871545B6546

Crime Rate Falls In Over-The-Rhine

LAST UPDATE: 8/21/2006 6:54:18 PM

WKRC - Local 12

 

We frequently bring you stories of murder and mayhem in downtown Cincinnati, but this evening, our focus is the other side of the story. Cincinnati Police say compared to one year ago, violent crime in one of the city's roughest areas, Over-the-Rhine, has dropped by more than 38 percent.

Yet how are we doing in the Walnut Hills department? Hmm? I'm glad they're mentioning something positive but I don't think the city as a whole is necessarily safer. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done.

^ You sound like a Cincinnati Enquirer writer.

 

I say good for the CPD.  I'm glad to see they are making a positive impact on OTR.  The sooner OTR is reclaimed, the better off dowtown Cincinnati will be. 

I say good for the CPD.  I'm glad to see they are making a positive impact on OTR.  The sooner OTR is reclaimed, the better off dowtown Cincinnati will be. 

 

Amen.  And the better off everything around it will be too.  Since the riots and the police slowdown, OTR has become a complete criminal sink hole.  Yes, clearing that out will push some crime to the surrounding areas - but as it is, that crime radiates to Walnut Hills and Mt. Auburn and the West End and Price Hill anyway.  I can't imagine the net effect of a safe and healthy OTR on the surrounding neighborhoods would be anything but positive.

 

I haven't commented on OTR much lately. I just took a walk around the northern boundaries and could not believe all the construction that is going on. I am now convinced that things are changing at a very high rate of speed for the better! :-) I think Price Hill and avondale are going to be the future OTR's of cincinnati

The sheriff was out patrolling and I saw more sheriff than CPD in an hours time. Yay for Sheriff Leis!

From the 8/25/06 Enquirer:

 

 

Sheriff, ACLU settle on patrols

THE ENQUIRER

 

The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the American Civil Liberties Union settled a lawsuit Thursday over deputy patrols in Over-the-Rhine.

 

The ACLU sued Sheriff Simon Leis Jr., saying deputies patrolling on Cincinnati streets should be subject to the same rules as Cincinnati officers.

 

The settlement comes after a federal judge ruled earlier this month that deputies are subject to the Collaborative Agreement, instituted after the 2001 riots. It required Cincinnati police to record every traffic stop, undergo additional training and adhere to strict use-of-force policies.

 

The settlement means deputies technically won't be subject to the agreement but agree to actions that effectively make them act as if they are. It calls for the person who monitors Cincinnati police to review the sheriff's use-of-force policies.

 

Previously, Leis said he will have deputies patrol the troubled neighborhood even if it meant they are subject to the Collaborative Agreement.

 

Deputies began patrolling Over-the-Rhine Aug. 1 after residents and business owners asked him to provide an additional police presence in the area.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060825/NEWS01/608250381/1056

 

Followup email from the National Trust I received today:

 

Dear Over-the-Rhine stakeholders,

 

As you know, since Over-the-Rhine’s selection as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places the National Trust has been asking for your comments, suggestions, and priorities to guide us as we develop a plan for our involvement in the neighborhood. Your help has been invaluable during this process and we offer our sincere thanks.

 

The following Menu of Services represents programs and initiatives developed from the priorities and concerns you shared with us.  We feel the services described would greatly benefit community revitalization in Over-the-Rhine and capitalize on the expertise we bring in this area.

 

However, our ability to bring any of these programs to Over-the-Rhine is dependent upon the level of financial support we receive from community foundations, corporations, municipal government, and private individuals.  We are using this Menu of Services to solicit funding for any or all of these program elements.

 

We continue to feel the most critical and urgent piece of this strategy is the  impartial Community Facilitator, the need for which has been emphasized to us by many of you throughout our engagement in Over-the-Rhine, and we hope to make financial support of this position our first priority.

 

We feel strongly that we can play a critical role in the revitalization of Over-the-Rhine, but that the expertise and program assistance we bring can only be successful as part of a locally-based and coordinated effort with the full support of neighborhood residents and all community stakeholders. We respectfully ask for your continued support and assistance and look forward to our continued engagement in Over-the-Rhine.  Please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer Sandy at [email protected] with any questions, concerns, or comments.

 

Sincerely,

 

Royce A. Yeater, AIA

Midwest Director

 

Jennifer Sandy

Field Representative

 

National Trust for Historic Preservation | 53 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 350 | Chicago, Illinois | 60604

 

 

link to pdf copy of attached document (92 KB file):  http://homepage.mac.com/sthampton/NTHP_OTR Proposal_Aug06.pdf

 

Portune: Send out the deputies

BY HOWARD WILKINSON | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

September 6, 2006

 

CINCINNATI - Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune wants the county to give Sheriff Simon Leis more money – possibly as much as $1 million - to pay deputies to help patrol neighborhoods with high incidents of gun violence.

 

“It seems to me that this is one practical thing we can do to help local enforcement agencies deal with this explosion of violence we’ve seen in this community,’’ Portune said Wednesday at a Hamilton County commissioners meeting.

 

Sheriff’s deputies are already working with Cincinnati police to patrol Over-the-Rhine. Portune’s idea would have sheriff’s deputies – working on overtime – helping in other Cincinnati neighborhoods and suburban communities where gun-related crime has been increasing.

 

Portune said he has discussed the idea with Leis and said the sheriff “seemed more than willing to make it happen.’’

 

Portune told fellow commissioners Phil Heimlich and Pat DeWine that the money could come from the county’s unallocated reserve. Portune suggested that the commissioners transfer $500,000 to the sheriff’s overtime budget, although he said “$1 million might be more appropriate.’’

 

The commissioners said that before allocating the money, they would ask Leis to meet with them in the near future to discuss the idea.

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060906/NEWS01/309060025

Deputies get tough on OTR

Actions helping neighborhood rebound, residents say

BY QUAN TRUONG | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

October 9, 2006

 

PHOTO: Hamilton County Sheriff Deputies Eric Kidd (left) and Mike Dumont (center), along with Cincinnati police Officer Charles Knapp, wait for a Cincinnati police prisoner's van. The Enquirer/Gary Landers

 

PHOTO: Dumont (left) and Kidd wait to transport a suspect. The Enquirer/Gary Landers

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - Hearing gunshots and hiding under a desk at school once were regular occurrences for Kris Conway's daughter. Then, she removed 7-year-old Danelle from Washington Park Elementary School here two years ago.

 

"My daughter shouldn't have to go through that. Kids should be out playing, not dodging bullets," the Over-the-Rhine resident said. "When they clean up more, I'll put her back."

 

That time might come soon. Danelle, now 9, routinely runs at Washington Park and plays outside.

 

Around here, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies and Cincinnati police can be seen patrolling nearly every corner. Since 19 deputies entered the neighborhood two months ago, police have been able to tackle crime in Over-the-Rhine in more than one way.

 

Many residents agree that criminals who used to operate openly are drawing more attention from police. They aren't surprised to see a drug arrest one minute and a jaywalker being ticketed the next.

 

In this neighborhood at the core of the city, some say the once-mean streets are changing for the better.

 

"They've let it go for so many years, but now the bad guys realize that the police are gonna be here awhile," said Larry Ashford, owner of Smitty's men's store on Vine Street. "Anybody that knows this neighborhood will tell you it's like day and night. It's like a rose in comparison."

 

In 2005, Over-the-Rhine received more than 23,000 service calls and topped neighborhood charts for nearly every category of violent crime. All eyes were focused on the neighborhood in April, after three people were killed here in less than a week.

 

Days later, Hamilton County commissioners approved the $1.8 million that Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis Jr. requested to send deputies into the area for assistance.

 

That idea was received with mixed feelings. Many residents were anxious for the help, but others wondered if the plan would backfire.

 

"The first week was extremely nerve-wracking," sheriff's Detective Bill Rarrick said. "You don't know your way around or what to expect and how receptive people will be. That uneasy feeling was definitely there."

 

Rarrick said despite the initial butterflies, none of the 19 deputies showed any doubt. They were well received by the community and city police.

 

"We work together really well," said Cincinnati police Sgt. Jim Perkins. "The deputies that were sent down here have a good head on their shoulders, there's no doubt about that."

 

Within weeks, it appeared that the new teamwork was working.

 

"Everybody's out here doing police work - we're hustling and being productive. We're not here to take over; we're here to help," Rarrick said.

 

Deputies are making an average of 112 arrests per week. The largest number - 163 - occurred during the last week in August.

 

It's not clear how long the deputies will remain in the neighborhood.

 

Along with Operation Vortex - a task force that added 50 bike, patrol and undercover officers to the entire city - the deputies have helped improve the quality of life in the area, Perkins said.

 

"We're addressing the small issues so the big problems won't happen," he said. "You can see the quality of life improving down here."

 

The police aren't the only ones seeing the change.

 

"We've all been kind of held hostage with dope dealers and prostitutes," said John Donaldson, a Realtor and resident. "Now that more officers are down here, you don't see that anymore."

 

Jeff Wells, a mail carrier for the area, said he has seen fewer out-of-town license plates, proof to him that drug buyers are looking elsewhere.

 

"Back then, there were shootings three to four times a week. Now, people are smiling more, and they're not afraid to say hello," Conway said.

 

Conway was referring to the crime cleanup, but the Sheriff's Department also has been sending prison inmates to the neighborhood to sweep away the trash.

 

With alleys and vacant lots being tidied up, residents hope to see more investors redeveloping property and residents filling abandoned buildings.

 

"This is not an overnight solution. It's a long-term solution, but we're taking back the streets," Donaldson said. "The seed is starting in Over-the-Rhine."

 

E-mail [email protected]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061009/NEWS01/610090365

All I can say is I plan on moving to OTR in august when my lease is up because somebody HAS to. people keep giving me looks like "why". If just the people on this forum who SAY they aren't afraid to live there would move there and convince a couple friends to do the same it would become mount lookout square in no time!!! (okay thats reaching but you get the point). seriously this forum is for urban enthusiasts right? tell everyone to move to OTR, they'll have at least one awesome neighbor! hehe

I am moving there (or downtown or Betts-Longworth/West End), but I have to finish school first.  I think a lot of people also have that same reasoning.

All I can say is I plan on moving to OTR in august when my lease is up because somebody HAS to. people keep giving me looks like "why". If just the people on this forum who SAY they aren't afraid to live there would move there and convince a couple friends to do the same it would become mount lookout square in no time!!! (okay thats reaching but you get the point). seriously this forum is for urban enthusiasts right? tell everyone to move to OTR, they'll have at least one awesome neighbor! hehe

I couldn't afford something "nice" in OTR.

That article paints a pretty rosy picture of OTR that might not necessarilly be true.  I was at Kaldis on friday night and a street brawl of teenagers broke out on the middle of main street.  A sheriff did arive pretty quickly but the situation continued for a little while until more cops came and threatened to make arrests.  The crowd then simlpy ran down main to another location.  Now, Main is one of OTR's few "stable" streets, and this shit still happens?  OTR is getting there, but it's definitely, definitely not there yet.

I have seen an armed robbery on main street, but I have seen many many more fatal suburban car crashes or the aftermath of them.

 

And your point is...the suburbs are more dangerous than Over the Rhine? False.

 

Now sure a point like "it could have been an isolated incident", or "this type of event is happening less and less in OTR" would both be somewhat valid.  But comparing intentional violence in OTR to accidental violence in the suburbs is just not a valid comparison.  There were two cars that crashed into a building downtown last week you know...

i may be moving there in September.  And I disagree with David, I think there are some nice places that are affordable for college students with a job.  Im lookin at a couple of them right now. 

When you have a concentration of folks that are in the financial and social situation that OTR is in, you are going to have to expect things like a "brawl" to happen.

 

I moved into the Mansion Hill area last Sept. and after about a month here there was a brawl of about 20 thugs (white) about to duke it out. Oh nooooo ...... not the Mansion Hill District! Everyone just needs to move away from here and invest in Kenwood instead.

That article paints a pretty rosy picture of OTR that might not necessarilly be true.  I was at Kaldis on friday night and a street brawl of teenagers broke out on the middle of main street.  A sheriff did arive pretty quickly but the situation continued for a little while until more cops came and threatened to make arrests.  The crowd then simlpy ran down main to another location.  Now, Main is one of OTR's few "stable" streets, and this shit still happens?  OTR is getting there, but it's definitely, definitely not there yet.

 

IMO, this type of stuff will always happen in a real urban neighborhood.  Should it happen more infrequently?  Absolutely.  But the only way to completely eradicate the issues of violence and crime is to homogenize a community socioeconomically.  Real urban neighborhoods have all types of people, and that is what makes it lively and great.  More residents will lessen the occurences of these types of things and rapid police presence (as there was in this case) will deter some crime.  This type of thing still happens, although perhaps less frequently than OTR, in uber-trendy urban districts such as Williamsburg in NYC, Capitol Hill in Seattle and even The Pearl in Portland.  The last thing I want to see in OTR is a completely sanitized area with no urban feel.

On hot summer days sometimes fights break out down here, though I haven't seen it north of 13th on Main.  Sometimes it happens in the playground or around the clubs.  It's not a big deal, the police coverage down here is excellent.

And your point is...the suburbs are more dangerous than Over the Rhine? False.

 

Now sure a point like "it could have been an isolated incident", or "this type of event is happening less and less in OTR" would both be somewhat valid.  But comparing intentional violence in OTR to accidental violence in the suburbs is just not a valid comparison.  There were two cars that crashed into a building downtown last week you know...

 

His point is that there is a false feeling of safety in the suburbs.  Yes the city does have more crime, but at that same time you have a better chance at being killed in a car accident than you do by a violent crime.  Studies have shown that you actually increase your chances of death by moving to the suburbs for this very reason.

^ i dont know why you quoted me.  I was disagreeing with his assertion that he cant afford anything 'nice' in OTR.  I dont pretend to know his finances etc, I was just saying I am looking at nice places in OTR that are affordable to college students like myself.

And your point is...the suburbs are more dangerous than Over the Rhine? False.

 

Now sure a point like "it could have been an isolated incident", or "this type of event is happening less and less in OTR" would both be somewhat valid.  But comparing intentional violence in OTR to accidental violence in the suburbs is just not a valid comparison.  There were two cars that crashed into a building downtown last week you know...

 

why not?, when you are dead you are dead.

 

Over the Rhine had 0 suicides in 2004, the rest of the county had 122.

 

They are all meaningless comparisons, but a lot of people are more scared of flying than driving depsite what the odds are for dying in each.

 

People have irrational fears.

 

From January to April OTR had one murder.  Same as Mt. Adams.

^ i dont know why you quoted me.  I was disagreeing with his assertion that he cant afford anything 'nice' in OTR.  I dont pretend to know his finances etc, I was just saying I am looking at nice places in OTR that are affordable to college students like myself.

 

Sorry, I clicked the wrong post to quote...I've adjusted accordingly.

And your point is...the suburbs are more dangerous than Over the Rhine? False.

 

Now sure a point like "it could have been an isolated incident", or "this type of event is happening less and less in OTR" would both be somewhat valid.  But comparing intentional violence in OTR to accidental violence in the suburbs is just not a valid comparison.  There were two cars that crashed into a building downtown last week you know...

 

why not?, when you are dead you are dead.

 

Over the Rhine had 0 suicides in 2004, the rest of the county had 122.

 

They are all meaningless comparisons, but a lot of people are more scared of flying than driving depsite what the odds are for dying in each.

 

People have irrational fears.

 

From January to April OTR had one murder.  Same as Mt. Adams.

 

I agree that the fear of OTR is over blown.  It's formulated by the negative media and by people who never really venture down there to see it themselves.  However ignoring or denying a problem is not going to get the neighborhood anywhere.  OK, so Mt. Adams and OTR were tied for murders in that time period.  How many shootings, stabbings, robberies, muggings, etc happened in each of these areas.  Obviously there is a difference, as well there should be, because the neighborhood's are completely different, right?  The suburbs are safer than Over the Rhine.  There is absolutely no question about that and to claim car accidents and suicides as evidence of danger in the suburbs is just stupid. 

 

Now, like some others are saying, the city is real, and you get the full urban experience there that you dont get in the isolated burbs.  I disagree that these fights are just going to have to be a fact of reality in the neighborhood.  I was offered pot walking to Kaldi's and then this fight broke out, and there was a fight at 12th and Sycamore where a man was shot by the police just the night before.  These are not signs of a healthy neighborhood.  Should OTR be economically and racially mixed? absolutely. But should this shit happen on the healthiest street in the neighborhood? absolutely not.  Like I said, I have no doubt that OTR will one day be a healthy and diverse and wonderful neighborhood and it is making wonderful strides.  But it's just not there yet.