Personal View: We all have a role in making Downtown Cleveland safer
Michael Deemer, President and CEO of Downtown Cleveland, Inc.
Downtown is the economic engine for our region, our largest jobs hub and our main tourist attraction. It is the heart of our city. We are a neighborhood of more than 20,000 residents and 100,000 workers. More than four million people visit Downtown Cleveland each month. Downtown Cleveland historically has been one of the safest neighborhoods in the city. But today, with recent acts of violence and an uptick in crime, many do not feel safe.
Our mayor, police chief, county executive, sheriff and county prosecutor have taken several steps to find those who have committed crimes, hold them accountable and restore a sense of safety. We applaud this collaboration, the quick responses to recent criminal activity throughout our city and the holistic approach being taken to address the root of the violence. We commend Cleveland City Council’s advocacy for bringing more resources to bear to address the problem of violence in our neighborhoods.
The recent news that, at the request of the mayor, the Sheriff’s Office will be deploying county deputies to patrol downtown in addition to the Ohio State Highway Patrol is welcome. We thank Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne for this increase in a visible, uniformed presence that will improve the sense of safety for downtown residents, commuters and visitors. Furthermore, the city’s investment in expansions to ShotSpotter, camera access, crime analysts and pay increases for officers, in addition to expanding after-school and summer youth programs, are designed to create longer-term improvements. We also strongly support Mayor Bibb’s recently introduced RISE (Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone) initiative, which is a comprehensive plan aimed at reducing crime.
But for those of us who are not law enforcement and who aren’t elected to lead this city, our message is this: This is not the moment to give up. This is the moment to come together, commit to our city and move forward. We each have a role to play to strengthen the downtown environment, advance the economy and enhance the experience.
Safety is multi-dimensional and encompasses more than just law enforcement presence. It includes lighting, public infrastructure, and large- and small-scale experiences that increase foot traffic, vibrancy and a stronger sense of community. For Downtown Cleveland Inc., this work is what we do every day. We understand how these issues intersect and are working tirelessly with all stakeholders to drive investment in our environment and support efforts to strengthen and reimagine downtown for all.
In June, Mayor Bibb, with support from Downtown Cleveland Inc., Cuyahoga County Executive Ronayne, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Destination Cleveland and Ward 3 Council Member Kerry McCormack, launched a comprehensive plan to Reimagine Downtown Cleveland. The strategies – including investing in infrastructure, technology and lighting – are designed to create noticeable improvements over the next 24 months.
We know, however, that the challenges we face and the fears that have been sparked by recent crimes need to be addressed today.
To help deter criminal activity, our Neighborhood Safety Specialists provide a uniformed, unarmed presence. They are trained to verbally de-escalate situations where an individual may be in crisis. We recently hired additional Clean and Safe Ambassadors, who can be spotted in bright blue and yellow uniforms walking and biking throughout downtown, and expanded the weekend hours of Ambassador and Safety Specialist deployments to grow the uniformed presence downtown.
We also have grown our partnership with the Cleveland Police through collaborative work on crisis intervention and have increased coordination with social service providers, including transportation to area treatment facilities. Downtown Cleveland Inc. will continue to provide outreach and support to local business owners and employees, in addition to convening downtown stakeholders and nonprofits on comprehensive, long-term solutions.
We are determined to push downtown to reach its full potential – a clean, safe, welcoming and vibrant 24/7 global city that weaves districts and surrounding neighborhoods into a seamless urban fabric. But we can’t do it alone. Our business community, partners in the nonprofit world, elected officials and civic leaders, downtown residents, and employees can all be a part of creating significant change in downtown Cleveland.
At the most basic level, if you see something, say something.
Call 216-621-6000 for all Clean and Safe Ambassador requests, including safety escorts, services for the unsheltered, motorist assists, graffiti removal and all cleanliness needs. Call 911 for all criminal activity, regardless whether the perpetrator remains at the location and the number of incidents. It's important that we document the activity downtown, as it helps us advocate for additional resources.