Local law enforcement officials and community leaders came together this weekend to discuss changes being made on Cleveland's east side to ensure children are getting to and from school safely.
The event, Creating Deeper Connection - Community Solutions, held on Saturday at E. Prep Woodland Hills Campus, featured speakers from several different police agencies, pastors and representatives from the City of Cleveland.
Those who spoke to the crowd of parents discussed new programs and initiatives being launched to help protect children in the E. 93rd Street Corridor.
RTA Transit Police also brought along Operation Kidwatch. The program allows children to have their photo and fingerprints taken to create identification cards. A vital tool for police if a child goes missing.
"It's an invaluable tool for the parent to have and to help law enforcement expedite that process of finding the child," GCRTA Transit Police Commander Michael Gettings said.
The forum was scheduled nearly one month after 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze was killed. The young girl was kidnapped and murdered as she was on her way to school last month.
For parents like, Shevette Wilkes, the incident hit close to home. Her 10-year-old attends the same school DeFreeze did, Woodland Hills Campus.
"I hardly keep her out of sight. Knowing summer time is coming, spring break is coming certain areas I would not let my let my daughter go to," Wilkes said.
During the event, Wilkes had her daughter visit the Operation Kidwatch booth.
"So if anything happens to my daughter at least the information is out there," Wilkes said.
Officals encouraged the community to get involved to prevent another tragedy from happening.
