CLEVELAND — After a violent weekend ended with at least three people killed and three others shot on Cleveland’s West Side, the chairman of City Council’s Safety Committee is calling for a “show of force” by law enforcement on the city’s streets.
"This has to be all hands on deck,” said Councilman Mike Polensek. “You draw a line in the sand. We’re not tolerating this crap.”
Polensek said there is growing concern about the increased level of violence the city has seen in recent weeks.
He’s called on Mayor Justin Bibb to request assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department to supplement the number of officers patrolling the streets.
But in a statement, a city spokesperson wrote that the city is already collaborating with the highway patrol and will continue to do so.
He added that Polensek "should already know all of this because we’ve told him multiple times.”
"Calling for things that already exist amounts to nothing more than political posturing and isn’t beneficial for anyone, especially our residents,” the statement said.
But Polensek said if troopers are already in the city, he wants proof.
"Show us where they are, and give us the dates and times they’re here,” said Polensek. “And let’s see what the end results are. Show us the statistics, what they’re achieving. We want results. I don’t want news conferences. I don’t want fluff and puff. Show us the end results.”
Polensek called what happened last weekend “horrific,” and said he worries that without a plan to bring in additional officers, violence in Cleveland will heat up with the summer weather.
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"Lay the law down in our neighborhoods,” said Polensek. “That’s what we’re looking for, and that’s what we’re paying taxes for.”
