After violent weekend, officials grapple to find solutions

After violent weekend, officials grapple to find solutions

COUNCIL MEMBER JEFF PASTORTELLS ME THE WEEKEND'SVIOLENCE ISN'T A POLICINGISSUE.IN FACT, HE SAYS THISISN'T EVEN IN THE REALM OF THECONVERSATION ABOUT POLICEREFORM.

IT GOES BACK TO THENEED FOR MORE RESOURCES TOHELP PEOPLE.AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE SHOT FROMFRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAYNIGHT.AND AT LEAST 5 DEAD.áNATSá THAT REALITY IS NOSURPRISE TO SOME CITY LEADERS.JEFF PASTOR/CITY COUNCIL "Whatdo you expect when youdisinvest in neighborhoods?What do you expect when youhouse people and they have noway go getting out?"COUNCILMEMBER JEFF PASTOR SAYS THEWEEKEND'S RASH OF GUN VIOLENCEIS TYPICAL FOR SUMMER MONTHS,WHERE THERE IS NORMALLY ANUPTICK.HE SAYS THAT WON'TCHANGE UNTIL THERE'S A CHANGEIN POLICY- NOT POLICING.

JEFFPASTOR/CITY COUNCIL "I'mextraordinarily frustratedbecause this is decades ofpoor policy, poor housingpolicies, racist, classisthousing policy."HE SAYS A LACKOF INVESTMENT IN IMPOVERISHEDAREAS IS THE ROOT CAUSE.

ANDIF IT'S NOT ADDRESSED: JEFFPASTOR/CITY COUNCIL "You'regoing to keep seeing that,over and over and over again."áNATSá THE CINCINNATI POLICEDEPARTMENT SAYS, THE CITY ISON TRACK TO HAVE ITS DEADLIESTYEAR IN RECORD.

TO DATE, 66PEOPLE WERE MURDERED.

55 OFTHOSE KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE.IN TOTAL, THERE HAVE BEEN 309REPORTED SHOOTINGS.

THAT'S ALLACCORDING TO CITY DATA.IN ASTATEMENT MADE OVER THEWEEKEND, POLICE CHIEF ELIOTISAAC SAYS MORE OFFICERS WILLBE DEPLOYED TO THIS WEEKEND'SAFFECTED AREAS.

WHICH SOMECITY LEADERS SUPPORT.

BESTYSUNDERMANN/CITY COUNCIL "Byhaving more police offices outthere and on patrol, they'llbe talking to more people inthe community and getting moretips and mr more leads.

Soyes, I think that will preventmore crime and and solve thesecrimes."JEFF PASTOR/CITYCOUNCIL "Adding more cops tothe situation does not reducecrime.

Cops by definitionrespond to crime."BUT NOTPASTOR.

HE SAYS IT'LL ONLYMAKE THINGS WORSE.

AS WILL AKNEE JERK REACTION IN THEOTHER DIRECTION.JEFFPASTOR/CITY COUNCIL "Thiscountry is going to hell in ahand basket.

Because we are soused to the quick quips.Defund the police was just animmediate response.

But nobody ever questioned the damnlaws that create theconditions that we see today."PASTOR IS CALLING ON HISFELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TOCOMMIT MORE FUNDING TONEIGHBORHOODS, BETTER HOUSINGPOLICIES AND TRANSPORTATION.AND I REACHED OUT OT THEMAYOR'S OFFICE MULTIPLE TIMESTO SIT DOWN AND SPEAK TO THEMAYOR TODAY.

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