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Ohio provides law enforcement aid to address Cleveland summer crime wave

Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond speaks during a press conference in Cleveland on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 to discuss a local, state and federal law enforcement partnership to fight crime in Cleveland.
Ryan Loew
/
Ideastream Public Media
Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond speaks press conference in Cleveland on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 to discuss a local, state and federal law enforcement partnership to fight crime in Cleveland.

Local officials including Mayor Justin Bibb, Police Chief Wayne Drummond and Cuyahoga County prosecutor Michael O'Malley have called Cleveland's summer crime wave unprecedented, but have disagreed on the cause for the uptick.

Homicides citywide are up 20% compared to last year, and shootings were up more than 10% according to police data, including one mass shooting that injured nine in Downtown Cleveland. And there's been an ongoing string of armed young people stealing Kias and Hyundais, with vehicle thefts up nearly 90%.

Recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine responded to calls for aid from Cleveland officials with a targeted enforcement surge involving Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, that resulted in 20 felony arrests, illegal gun seizures, and the discovery of four stolen vehicles.

We'll start Monday's "Sound of Ideas" by talking about the initiative and the state and local partnership with Ideastream reporter Abigail Bottar who was at the press conference with the governor and Cleveland leaders last week.

Later in this hour, we'll talk to Ricky Smith, founder of the nonprofit Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere, as he begins a tour of 30 hospitals around the country in partnership with the American Cancer Society. And, we'll learn about the organization Lake Erie Ink hosting an international youth writing centers retreat here in Cleveland this week.

Guests:
-Abigail Bottar, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Ricky Smith, Founder, Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere
-Amy Rosenbluth, Executive Director, Lake Erie Ink
-Raja Belle Freeman, Poet & Teaching Artist, Lake Erie Ink
-Myieshia Hodges, Senior, Heights High School

Rachel is the supervising producer for Ideastream Public Media’s morning public affairs show, the “Sound of Ideas.”