(CLEVELAND, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined Cleveland officials today to announce added state support to help local authorities combat a recent spike in crime in the city.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, and the Ohio Department of Youth Services will partner with the Cleveland Division of Police and other local and federal authorities on a sustained violence reduction initiative.
“Our state teams have been in Cleveland, and we plan to stay in Cleveland as long as local officials need us," said Governor DeWine. "We know that most violent crime is committed by repeat offenders who are not legally allowed to possess a firearm, yet they do it anyway. This violence reduction initiative will target those individuals."
On unannounced dates, the state agencies will provide a concentrated influx of resources and personnel to criminal hot spots in Cleveland to support ongoing local efforts to prevent and investigate violent crime. As part of the initiative, the Ohio State Highway Patrol will increase traffic enforcement in targeted areas, provide enhanced street patrol and aviation support, and help with evidence processing and suspect interviews. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and Ohio Department of Youth Services will make extra visits to adults and youth who have been released from incarceration and are under supervision to identify anyone not following the conditions of their release.
Additional state support for the violence reduction initiative includes forensic evidence analysis and intelligence gathering by the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center. The state's Ohio Investigative Unit will also work to target liquor establishments that are known for illegal sales, drug trafficking, and prostitution.
“The support announced by the State today is a key component of our RISE Initiative we launched last month, and joins our other recent partnerships with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Marshals Service to help combat crime in our city,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “We are stronger when we are united – thank you to Governor DeWine, these state agencies, as well as our local and federal partners who join us in doing everything we can to keep Clevelanders safe.”
“This operation is a continuation of the collaboration we have with all our partners at every level of government," said Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond. "These partnerships are vital in our efforts to strategically target and remove violent offenders from our community.”
Yesterday, the first day of the initiative, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers made 57 traffic stops and 20 felony arrests, located four stolen vehicles, and confiscated four illegally possessed firearms. Teams also seized heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, and crack cocaine and gave nine individuals referrals to recovery support. Members of the Adult Parole Authority within the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction also made three arrests and recovered several illegally possessed firearms.
The coordinated violence reduction initiative is similar to smaller-scale surges that took place in Cleveland in April and August of last year which resulted in the seizure of nearly 70 illegally possessed firearms, the recovery of multiple stolen vehicles, and the launch of nearly two dozen felony drug cases.
State-supported violence reduction initiatives have also taken place in Columbus, Dayton, Youngstown, and Toledo.