Saturday, November 14, 2015
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Members of the Community Police Unit along with the vice squad and the city housing department issued several housing violations Thursday on a West Side street.
Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly, head of the CPU, said 22 housing violations were issued on Halls Heights. In addition, 10 cars were ordered to be towed and five houses were “red tagged,” or deemed uninhabitable until certain services, such as utilities, could be restored.
Kelly said all seven members of his unit took part in the sweep. He said that, unlike a similar operation two weeks ago on the North Side on Delaware Avenue, this was the first time the two units of the police department have worked with members of the housing department.
The sweep was requested by Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th, because of concerns from some in the area about crime and blight.
The sweep on Delaware Avenue was requested by Councilman Nate Pinkard, D-3rd, because of similar concerns, Kelly said.
Halls Heights also borders Mill Creek Park, which is a reason why keeping the blight in check is important, Ray said.
“That area has a lot of potential,” Ray said.
Ray also said the sweep was a perfect example of community policing because it allows a group of officers to concentrate on one specific problem spot.
“This shows the value of the community police unit because we have the resources now for when you have these problems, they can come and do these things,” Ray said.
Ray said he would like to see the unit come back in the area perhaps once a month to make sure the progress made Thursday continues.
Police Chief Robin Lees earlier this year formed the community policing unit. The idea is to have an officer permanently assigned to each of the city’s seven wards where they will work with the council member, community groups and residents to focus on such common neighborhood problems as housing and zoning complaints.
Members of the unit also choose a neighborhood at least once a week and team up with the vice squad and the adult parole authority for anti-crime patrols.
Earlier this week, the city announced a program in which the housing department and the CPU would be looking for housing and zoning violations and issuing warnings to have those problems corrected.
Under the program, warnings will be issued during a grace period until Jan. 1, after which charges or citations will be issued.
Kelly said Thursday’s sweep was not part of that program. He noted there were no warnings issued, just citations.