| COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA RELEASE For Immediate Release: April 11, 2012 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
City Council, Community Crime Patrol Announce Expansion of Safety Services
(Columbus)—The Columbus City Council, led by Council President Andrew J. Ginther and Safety Committee Chair Michelle M. Mills, announced the expansion of a successful neighborhood crime fighting program, Community Crime Patrol (CCP), into a new area of the City while fully restoring patrols in three other neighborhoods. The CCP will be hiring additional patrollers as a result of a $313,000 amendment to the 2012 General Fund Budget that restores cuts made during the recession.
“The Community Crime Patrol has long partnered with the City to keep neighborhoods safe, and I am pleased we are now able to restore patrols and expand into new areas,” said Council President Ginther. “CCP is a force multiplier and serves as proactive deterrent to crime. They have a proven track record of success that will help make new areas of our community even safer.”
The CCP currently has patrols in a number of neighborhoods including the University, Hilltop/Franklinton, Merion Village, and Downtown areas. The CCP will be expanding into an approximately three square mile territory in the North Linden/Northland community by serving in an area bounded by Morse Road to the north, Oak Land Park to the south, Karl Road to the east and near I-71 to the west.
“It is important that we have community support for the patrollers and that is exactly what we have in the North Linden/Northland community,” said Councilmember Mills. “Patrollers become part of the community by walking the neighborhoods and interacting with residents helping to make our neighborhoods better places to live and work.”
The additional funding in the 2012 budget will also allow the CCP to increase patrols to neighborhoods currently being served by the CCP, restoring the patrols to previous levels in Franklinton, Merion Village and Westgate.
“In recent years, severe budget cuts significantly limited CCP’s ability to serve Columbus neighborhoods,” said Ellen Moore, Executive Director of CCP. “Now, with the improving economic climate, we appreciate City Council’s commitment and increased investment in patrols that will positively impact the lives of thousands of Columbus residents and businesses.”
The CCP is a group of highly-trained citizen patrollers working to increase safety in Columbus neighborhoods. Equipped only with flashlights, two-way radios, and their training, CCP patrollers deter criminals, build neighborhood awareness of crime prevention techniques, assist in the apprehension of suspects, and provide first aid when needed. Since its inception in 1990, 40 CCP patrollers have gone on to serve in the Columbus Division of Police.
Click here to view a map of the expansion of CCP in the North Linden/Northland community.
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