YOUNGSTOWN LAW ENFORCEMENT Authorities: GRIP catching on

Officials are happy with the program's outcome and say it will continue.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Agencies that participated in the Gun Reduction Interdiction Project in Youngstown this summer are touting the program's success, but they want residents to know the program is not over.
Officials came together Friday afternoon to discuss GRIP and decide where the program would be going from this point.
Since July 1, the GRIP initiative has been responsible for 369 arrests, 61 firearms seizures, 212 traffic stops, 79 traffic citations, 10 houses "red tagged" or deemed unfit for occupancy, and $12,096 in seized drug money. Police Chief Robert E. Bush Jr. said those figures do not include normal police activity.
Bush said police targeting of guns led to an overall reduction in crime. He said once criminals learned police were keeping a close watch for those illegally carrying firearms, most stopped carrying them.
"Basically we put a lot of people in jail and we feel those people had a direct effect on the crime levels in Youngstown," he said.
Between late June and early September, the city recorded one homicide compared with 10 homicides during the same 10-week period a year ago. Over the previous nine years, the city averaged eight to nine slayings during the same span.
U.S. Attorney Greg White said of those individuals arrested through the GRIP program, 21 face federal charges. He said the average sentence of those 21 will be about five years if they are convicted.
Action sought
Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains said he is asking state legislators to push legislation to increase penalties or lay out mandatory sentencing for felons who carry guns. He said currently a felon found carrying a gun while on probation could get anywhere from no time in jail to a year in prison.
Bush said residents must understand that the initiative is not over but is moving into another phase.
David Harlow, chief deputy U.S. marshal, said the local U.S. Marshals office will continue work such as that done during the GRIP initiative through a grant from Project Safe Neighborhood.
Bush said the police department will continue targeting those areas of the city seen as geographical trouble spots. In addition, area social service agencies will be invited to implement their programs as well. The date for a summit to discuss how those programs will be implemented will be announced soon, he added.
As an example, Bush said someone who is stealing cars, has no high school diploma and problems finding work might be able to benefit from social programs that lead to more education and job training.
Officials also saw a screening of a national public service announcement about gun violence funded by Project Safe Neighborhood and the National Crime Prevention Council. The PSA will begin airing locally and nationally after Wednesday.
jgoodwin@vindy.com