Weinland Park Community Civic Association

Safety Committee
Notes from meeting of February 16, 2012
Steve Sterrett called the monthly meeting of the Safety Committee to order at 5:39 p.m. in the
citys Northside Neighborhood Pride Center.
Joyce Hughes, president of the civic association, introduced John Risteter, who she has
appointed as the new chair of the committee. Mr. Risteter lives at East Ninth Avenue and
Indianola Avenue, works for Huntington Bank and is a member of the University Area
Commission. His e-mail address is jpristeter@yahoo.com.
Betina Ebady began a discussion of neighborhood-based efforts to prevent fires in vacant houses,
but she also suggested that a Block Watch or block clubs could help deal with broader public
safety issues. R. Anthonio Barno suggested that the committee begin by recruiting neighbors to
monitor vacant properties on the streets where they live. A neighbor would take responsibility to
keep an eye on vacant properties nearby, to inform code enforcement regarding unsecured
properties, and to report suspicious activities around the properties to police. The neighbor
would not patrol properties or confront suspicious people. Mr. Barno said that if this effort was
successful, it could lead to more relationships among neighbors and the possibility of forming
block clubs.
After further discussion, the committee agreed to report on this initiative to monitor vacant
houses at the Weinland Park Community Civic Associations meeting on February 22 and to
recruit additional neighborhood volunteers. Several committee members volunteered to monitor
streets. Mr. Sterrett will bring a map to the civic association meeting so volunteers can mark the
streets that they will cover.
The committee turned to a discussion of public trends based on crime reports for Weinland Park
compiled for 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Mr. Sterrett and Mr. Barno reported on the proposed targeted juvenile outreach initiative that is
being developed by the Weinland Park Collaboratives Public Safety Task Force. The initiative
would create a team approach to dealing with juvenile offenders in Weinland Park. The team
would include staff from Directions for Youth & Families, special-duty police officers, juvenile
court, and the juvenile court probation office. The coordinated approach could be more effective
in turning juvenile offenders away from crime and assisting their families. Mr. Risteter
suggested that Mr. Sterrett report on the initiative at the next civic association meeting.
Isom Nivins reported that The Interrupters, a powerful documentary on stopping gang
violence, had been shown earlier in the week on WOSUs Channel 34.
The business of the committee being concluded, Mr. Risteter adjourned the meeting at 6:47 p.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 15, at 5:30 p.m. at the citys Northside
Neighborhood Pride Center, 248 E. 11th Avenue.