CLEVELAND — Governor Mike DeWine brought extra resources to Cleveland last month, and on Tuesday, he came back to tell the city that it is helping Cleveland win the fight against violence.
Frances Nadine Jackson and Willie Jackson have lived in their house for five years. Over time, one thing they never had to worry about was bullet holes in their home.
“My husband found the bullets, you know, but it, it left a bullet through one of my murals and bullet holes on the side of my cabinet,” said Frances Nadine Jackson, Cleveland resident.
The gunfire occurred Sunday night off Easton Avenue. Though no one was injured, the Jacksons are fed up with the crime.
“We need help in this neighborhood,” said Willie Jackson.
“It could have been me or my husband, you know, and then my granddaughter,” said Frances Nadine Jackson.
The rise in violence is why last month, Governor Mike DeWine launched a violence reduction initiative. The initiative provides Cleveland police with support and resources from state agencies, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the sheriff's office and the Ohio investigative unit.
“We're coming at these criminals from all sides, local law enforcement, state law enforcement, federal law enforcement,” said DeWine.
The agencies are performing what they call surges in high crime areas, which involves more officers on the ground, traffic enforcement and helicopters in the air. The initiative started in mid-August, and so far, there have been 138 felony arrests, 63 guns seized and 37 stolen vehicles recovered. Officials said thanks to sophisticated ballistic technology, they are also now able to see the history of a gun and connect it to crimes.
“One case that we announced last week, there was one gun tied to 14 shootings,” said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.
They also know the solution isn't just in more policing.
“On that note, we've been working tirelessly with city council and the Clement Foundation to stand up our $10 million neighborhood safety fund,” said Bibb.
But it'll take more for people like the Jacksons to feel safe. Governor Dewine said that this initiative is in addition to several separate anti-violence initiatives.
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