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Youngstown program to fight violence starting early
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Two recent homicides have pushed police into starting their Violence Interruption Patrols anti-violence program ahead of schedule.
The patrols, known as VIP, use extra officers from various agencies on the road in areas that have seen lots of gun crime.
Capt. Kevin Mercer, who is helping to coordinate the patrols, said officers working the detail will be looking for guns and also people who are known to carry guns or cause trouble. The extra officers will be on the road beginning today, Mercer said.
Mercer said the department is using statistics collected from calls for service to position the extra patrols. He said the city has been divided up into four zones for the patrols.
Mercer said two homicides near the beginning of the month spurred planners into starting the program early.
“With the two recent homicides, we want to get out there and get ahead of it [violent crime],” Mercer said.
Both homicides, the first two of 2014, occurred on the South Side. Early March 29 Dajhon Neely, 20, of Liberty, was shot as he was riding in a car on South Avenue, and he died April 1 at St. Elizabeth Health Center. Early April 1, Maurise Kerns, 24, was found shot to death on the front porch of a vacant 573 Idora Ave. home.
Detectives arrested two brothers in Kerns’ slaying. No arrests have been made so far in Neely’s death.
Mercer said other agencies, such as the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, also will contribute officers to the detail. Additionally, all four of the department’s police dogs will be working the detail exclusively on days when it is running.
County Sheriff Jerry Greene said anywhere from two to four deputies will be working the detail at any given time. Last year was the first year his department participated, and Greene said he likes participating because he believes in the program.
“It’s a program I believe in, especially in targeting high-crime areas in the city,” Greene said.
Mercer said times and locations of the program will change based on data the department studies from the calls they answer on where trouble spots are and when crime is most likely to occur.
A more-formal kickoff of the program will take place later, Mercer said. Last year, the program kicked off April 26.
The city had 20 homicides in 2013. At this time last year, there were three homicides.