The Winburn Violent Crime Reduction Plan for the City of Cincinnati

By Charlie Winburn

Ten key elements to reduce violent crime in the City of Cincinnati and region. Visit http://www.charliewinburn.com for a downloadable PDF version.

Charles Winburn, M.Ed.

Winburn's Crime Reduction Plan for the City of Cincinnati Key Elements Actions Owner
1. Targeted Arrests

"We will target for arrest those individuals engaging in drug and gun related criminal activities and repeat offenders"

Winburn will focus on the most active criminals." a. Enforce existing municipal ordinance on anti-drug loitering activity . b. Increase the activity of the Street Corner Unit and Violent Crimes Squad in cooperation with federal enforcement entities aka "Project Disarm" c. Serve more outstanding arrest warrants to wanted individuals: especially felons and multiple misdemeanors (five or more) or $5,000 bond. Chief of Police

District Commanders

Hamilton County Probation

2. Aggressive Prosecution

The cornerstone of Mr. Winburn's criminal prosecution element is continued emphasis on teaming with federal law enforcement and U.S. Attorney's to prosecute gun and drug crimes under federal law. a. Increased emphasis on the successful local/federal collaboration known as Project Disarm that brings federal prosecution to bear in stiffer penalties and sentencing for drug and gun related crimes. b. Increase witness cooperation Hamilton County Prosecutor

Cincinnati Municipal Prosecutor

U.S. Dept of Justice FBI, DEA, ATF

3. Empower Neighborhoods with detailed information to identify crimes and the most active, most violent criminals in their respective neighborhoods by name and address.

"The NSC is the only citizen driven, community - based organization with the ability to connect the dots between calls for service, crimes, arrests and prosecutions. The NSC is creating a master repository that ties police, fire, jail, court and probation into one crime analysis view." a. Engage the Neighborhood Support Center (NSC) to augment the crime analysis capabilities of the police department. Provide technical assistance to support a truly effective court watch program. b. Neighborhood community councils will designate a coordinator to work with the Neighborhood Support Center (NSC). Neighborhood Support Center (http://www.cincynsc.org)

Neighborhood Community Councils

Winburn's Crime Reduction Plan for the City of Cincinnati Key Elements Actions Owner
4. Landlord Accountability

"Crime hot spots require two parties: a complacent property owner and a criminally-minded tenant and/or guest for criminal activity to flourish. There shall be no sanctuary given to criminals and criminal activity"

a. Enlist the assistance of the Neighborhood Support Center (NSC) to provide ongoing information and consulting assistance to the neighborhoods.

Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)

HUD

5. Increase Jail Capacity a. Arrange financing to fund additional permanent jail capacity. b. Build temporary tent jail for immediate use. Hamilton County Commissioners

Hamilton County Sheriff

City of Cincinnati
6. Require greater accountability from court ordered intervention programs.

"The focus must be on program effectiveness and validating which treatment programs work best and for whom" a. Require that all taxpayer funded community-based treatment/intervention programs operating, within the city of Cincinnati; provide a uniform reporting format to the community performance measurement and accountability. b. Extend police power to assist with enforcement of probation and parole terms. Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas

Hamilton County Juvenile Court

Hamilton County Probation

Winburn's Crime Reduction Plan for the City of Cincinnati Key Elements Actions Owner
7. Juvenile Crime Intervention & Prevention

Fact: There were over 1,200 juvenile arrests in 2006 for felony offenses. These offenses encompass drugs, guns and violence.

a. Identify teens at risk by obtaining truancy, suspension and expulsion notifications from Cincinnati Public Schools to the Neighborhood Support Center (NSC).

Hamilton County Juvenile Court

Cincinnati Public Schools

Hamilton County Department of Job & Family Services
8. Bring Focus to the City's Law & Public Safety Committee

"The city's Law & Public Safety Committee must become an effective, action-oriented arm of City Council. This important committee has lost sight of its purpose and has been usurped by racialized politics. a. Create a neighborhood safety plan of action to correct shortcomings with the current CPOP strategy. b. Establish crime reduction goals (see #9 on next page) for the Cincinnati Police Department, Municipal Prosecution and Probation Department.

City Council

Cincinnati Police Department

Cincinnati Fire Department

Hamilton County Adult & Juvenile Probation Dept.

Winburn's Crime Reduction Plan for the City of Cincinnati Key Elements Actions Owner
9. Bring accountability upon neighborhood community councils and the Cincinnati Police Dept by setting violent crime reduction goals. The 20-year low for violent crime in the city of Cincinnati, according to the FBI, was 737.4 violent crimes per 100,000 pop. occurred in 1999.

The violent crime rate for the city in 2006 was 1,172.8--a 59% increase.

The city shall muster the political will to become at least as safe as Y1999's crime rate once again. a. Set two-year violent crime reduction goal for the Cincinnati Police Department (murder, aggravated assault, rape, shots-fired) with yearly progress requirements. b. Reinstate dedicated neighborhood officers program. c. Repurpose Citizens on Patrol program from aimless patrolling to observation of known and active criminals. d. Add 200 additional police officers over the next three years. Neighborhood Community Councils

Cincinnati Police Department
10. Bring VORTEX to all Police Districts

VORTEX is a specialized Cincinnati Police unit created to aggressively target high crime areas with a zero tolerance approach to street crime and drug trafficking. The unit currently has 50 officers, including one captain, one lieutenant, and five sergeants.

The VORTEX unit should be increased and sub-divided into squads then redeployed each district. Each district captain would have command and control over a Vortex squad. Decentralizing VORTEX will prevent crime displacement.

a. Assign an additional 100 officers to the VORTEX UNIT by dedicating the next two 2007/2008 graduating recruit classes.

Hamilton County Prosecutor

Municipal Prosecutor

Hamilton County Courts