Cincinnati officials announce $1.5M to combat violence

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, the Cincinnati Police Department and community leaders joined together on Thursday to discuss plans and funding to combat violence during the summer and into the fall.

Mayor Pureval announced that the city will be designating $1.5 million to PIVOT, a program that addresses violence in neighborhoods that tend to experience “chronic” violence, according to Cincinnati police.

“In Cincinnati and across the country, we have witnessed tragic, horrific, unacceptable violent crime throughout our neighborhoods,” Pureval tweeted. “Gun violence has left many families scared to live their lives in public.”

“While we continue our efforts with the Crime Gun Intelligence Center, PIVOT, and youth initiatives, we are also pursuing grants to expand into other areas,” Interim Police Chief Teresa Theetge said. “We will also continue to deploy officers into hot spot locations. Year-to-date, we have seen reductions in our shootings and homicides and will continue to strive to attain additional reductions.”

Mayor Pureval mentioned that neighborhoods from Over-the-Rhine to East Westwood, PIVOT-target areas, had an 80% decrease in shootings since last year. Violent crimes in these areas have also decreased by 83% since the completion of the initial program, he added.

Other programs the city will help finance are the Urban League’s Community Partnering Center, Santa Maria Community Services, the Lower Price Hill Collaboration for Youth, Whitney/Strong’s Save a Life initiative and Community Works’ Phoenix Program, Pureval added.

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