Many residents are supportive of city's anti-crime policy

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By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Police stopped Thomas Spivey of Poland twice during the first phase of the city's zero-tolerance crime prevention program.

Not only didn't Spivey have a problem with being pulled over two times in February, he said he was pleased because it meant officers were working to make Youngstown safer.

"When you're not doing anything wrong, you don't mind," he said. "I'm glad to see the police presence. This [zero-tolerance policy] will slow crime down. Police presence will discourage people from committing crimes."

Spivey and others will see more officers from various law enforcement agencies patrolling city streets over the next four weeks. Phase II of city's Special Interdiction Patrols program began Thursday.

Carolyn Taltoan, who lives in the Brier Hill section of Youngstown, said she is glad to see the program return.

"The city will never have [crime] under control, but if they could add security in different areas, they'll do OK," she said. "This discourages criminals. The good people want to keep their neighborhoods in good shape and not have them torn down."

Supporting the program

Alexander and Lucy Stuart of Boardman, who were walking Thursday in downtown Youngstown, said they strongly support the additional police presence in the city.

"We have laws for a reason and they should be followed," Lucy Stuart said.

Her husband said the city's image is improving, and this program helps with that effort.

The first phase of the SIP began in late January after a quadruple slaying on the city's South Side.

It ran on and off for about five weeks and resulted in dozens of felony and misdemeanor arrests, and the recovery of several firearms. There were more than 500 traffic stops, more than 100 pedestrian stops and more than 250 traffic citations and parking tickets.

The second phase, which will also be on and off, comes on the heels of four shootings, including a fatal, and a wounded Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent — all since Sunday.

The first phase was a reaction to the murders, but Mayor Jay Williams said the second program has been planned before this week's violence.

Deterring crime

Violence increases during the hot summer months, Williams said.

"All across the country, the temperatures are up and the tempers are up," he said.

Just because crime occurs, it doesn't mean city officials are willing to accept it, Williams said. The program helps deter crime, but doesn't eliminate it, he said.

"I don't want people thinking we'll zero-tolerance ourselves out of crime," he said.

Extra patrols as well as assistance from various agencies — including the Mahoning County Sheriff's Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the state Adult Parole Authority — will send important messages to criminals and citizens, the mayor said.

Those messages are: Criminals will be prosecuted and not be permitted to break the law, and citizens should know law enforcement officers will do what they can to make the streets safer, Williams said.

"All officers are told to challenge any violation including a broken tail light and a missing license plate" during the SIP program, said Police Chief Jimmy Hughes. "You may be arrested for any violation."

The crackdown limits the ability of criminals to travel with weapons and also lets them know that if they're on the street they will be caught, Hughes said.

"The increased police presence isn't just to saturate busy roads," he said. "It's also in neighborhoods and problem areas."

City police reported issuing 16 citations at 10 traffic stops between 2 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, citing four drivers for driving under suspension, three for loud music violations and the rest for various traffic or registration offenses. Only one driver went to jail after police learned there was a warrant for his arrest for failure to appear in court on a marijuana charge.

There will be at least one other SIP phase later in the year, Hughes and Williams said.

During the program's first phase, the city spent about $250,000 for police overtime. Williams expects the overtime cost for Phase II to be about 25 percent of that amount.

That's because the city reassigned its officers already on duty from different task forces and special units to also work for the SIP program, Williams said.

Officers in special units are "wearing two hats" and are helping with the zero-tolerance program, Hughes said.

Friday, July 20, 2007