Suspects accused of having sex in Cincinnati parks after police sting

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - An undercover sting operation by Cincinnati Police has resulted in multiple arrests of people accused of having sex in city parks.

Mt. Airy Forest was targeted by the sting due to the high number of people engaging in sexual acts there over the last few years, according to Fraternal Order of Police President Sgt. Dan Hils.

“Don’t come to our city parks and engage in this behavior,” Hils said. “This is a quality of life issue.”

Police have video of the arrests, but Hils says the department decided against releasing them after an overture from city hall.

The prosecutions will proceed, according to Mayor Aftab Pureval.

“But I’ve been very clear,” Pureval said in a prepared statement, “that given the historic rise in gun violence in our community, our sources should be specifically targeted at preventing and prosecuting violent crime and that we should look for opportunities to cite nonviolent offenses to court rather than directing resources towards shaming people or jailing nonviolent offenders.”

Those like Walt Hitchens understand why the city might not want to publicize the videos.

Hitchens says he’s frequented Mt. Airy Forest for years without ever encountering people having sex.

“We don’t have any problem at all,” he said. “That was my concern when I saw [news of the sting,] that it may discourage people from coming to the parks, and there’s nothing but good stuff up here. I’ve never had a problem.”

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