( Cincinnati ) - Mayor John Cranley says "of course government's not THE solution to the issue," but he says that's one part of dealing with the recent spike in violence--particularly shootings--among young people.
Speaking on the air with 700WLW's Bill Cunningham, Mayor Cranley says shootings in Cincinnati so far this year are lower than where they were last year, but he says the goal is to get back to levels closer to 2019 before the pandemic-related spike. The mayor, like other city leaders including Vice Mayor Smitherman, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, FoP President Dan Hils, has been reacting to Sunday's gunfire at Smale Riverfront Park where two teens killed each other and three other victims were wounded in the crossfire.
Cranley says parenting, values, and personal responsibility are where the violence prevention start. He says the city is working to address root causes, and they're also working to hire more police officers. Most city leaders have agreed that more uniformed police officers can't be the only solution, and that's why there have been so many calls for more community involvement.
On Wednesday, Police Chief Eliot Isaac announced that more officers will be working weekend shifts starting this weekend. Roughly two-dozen officers will be added to regular weekend staffing.