Following public outcry over deadly shootings involving children, Cincinnati City Council passed a motion aimed at improving safety at city parks, playgrounds, and recreational centers.The move comes after several tragic shootings in recent years — including the deaths of two 11-year-olds at a West End playground — prompting city leaders to widen their focus on public safety.Councilmember Mark Jeffreys said the city must take additional steps to protect children in public spaces.“How can we make sure that parks, rec centers, where kids are playing, are safe? That means lighting, cameras,” Jeffreys said.The motion, submitted by Councilmembers Anna Albi and Jeffreys, directs the city administration to identify safety infrastructure, such as lighting and cameras, in city-owned parks, playgrounds and recreational spaces.Under the motion, priority is given to locations that have already experienced shootings, including Laurel Playground in the West End, where 11-year-old QueenEr’Re Reed was shot and killed on New Year’s Day.Two years earlier, another 11-year-old, Domonic Davis, was also killed near the same playground. Both cases remain unsolved.At Grant Park in Over-the-Rhine, at least three children have been shot in the past year, and at least one child was killed.“It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Albi said. “We owe it to our kids and our community to provide this light and cameras.”The motion also prioritizes five neighborhoods with high levels of gun violence.“Those top five neighborhoods are Winton Hills, OTR, West End, Walnut Hills and Avondale,” Albi said.The motion includes a second step outlining the cost of the cameras and lights, along with installation.“This motion is asking us to go into the space kind of beyond the sidewalk where the park and playground recreation area is, to see what the lighting and camera situation is in those areas,” Albi said.Safety improvements are already underway at both the city and federal levels.Congressman Greg Landsman recently helped secure $1 million in federal funding to install additional lighting and surveillance cameras in Cincinnati.At the city level, council members set aside more than $5 million in September for safety upgrades. That funding will be used to upgrade hundreds of streetlights to LED and replace or repair nearly 110 cameras throughout the city.In addition to that work, according to the city manager, nine cameras have been installed in the West End since September, with three more on the way.Additional information on the motion can be found here.
Following public outcry over deadly shootings involving children, Cincinnati City Council passed a motion aimed at improving safety at city parks, playgrounds, and recreational centers.
The move comes after several tragic shootings in recent years — including the deaths of two 11-year-olds at a West End playground — prompting city leaders to widen their focus on public safety.
Councilmember Mark Jeffreys said the city must take additional steps to protect children in public spaces.
“How can we make sure that parks, rec centers, where kids are playing, are safe? That means lighting, cameras,” Jeffreys said.
The motion, submitted by Councilmembers Anna Albi and Jeffreys, directs the city administration to identify safety infrastructure, such as lighting and cameras, in city-owned parks, playgrounds and recreational spaces.
Under the motion, priority is given to locations that have already experienced shootings, including Laurel Playground in the West End, where 11-year-old QueenEr’Re Reed was shot and killed on New Year’s Day.
Two years earlier, another 11-year-old, Domonic Davis, was also killed near the same playground. Both cases remain unsolved.
At Grant Park in Over-the-Rhine, at least three children have been shot in the past year, and at least one child was killed.
“It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Albi said. “We owe it to our kids and our community to provide this light and cameras.”
The motion also prioritizes five neighborhoods with high levels of gun violence.
“Those top five neighborhoods are Winton Hills, OTR, West End, Walnut Hills and Avondale,” Albi said.
The motion includes a second step outlining the cost of the cameras and lights, along with installation.
“This motion is asking us to go into the space kind of beyond the sidewalk where the park and playground recreation area is, to see what the lighting and camera situation is in those areas,” Albi said.
Safety improvements are already underway at both the city and federal levels.
Congressman Greg Landsman recently helped secure $1 million in federal funding to install additional lighting and surveillance cameras in Cincinnati.
At the city level, council members set aside more than $5 million in September for safety upgrades. That funding will be used to upgrade hundreds of streetlights to LED and replace or repair nearly 110 cameras throughout the city.
In addition to that work, according to the city manager, nine cameras have been installed in the West End since September, with three more on the way.
Additional information on the motion can be found here.
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