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Notice/Advertisement Title: Juvenile Safety Hearing Minutes
Contact Name: Jessica Clinger
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-6354
Contact Email Address: JNClinger@columbus.gov
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Columbus City Council
Juvenile Safety Hearing Minutes
Hosted by Council President Hardin, Council member Remy, and Council member Ross: City Hall
Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 2pm
Call to order: 2:10pm
Present: Council President Shannon Hardin, Council member Remy, Council member Ross, Council member Day-Achauer, Dr. Tanisha Pruitt, Assistant Chief Potts, Dr. Chenelle Jones, Mario Dovell, Marion Meadows, Officer Lutz, and Jessica Clinger.
Council President Hardin welcome and opening remarks. Need to focus on juvenile safety year round and not just seasonally. Juvenile crime trends are troubling.
Council member Remy opening remarks - Need partnerships and collaboration. Talked to a group at the Boys and Girls Club. Our young people want to be seen, valued, and heard. As a father of 3 teenagers I appreciate this topic especially. We need to come together as a village and help young people contribute.
Council member Ross opening remarks - Need to have nimble and flexible approach. We need to elevate the voices of young people. It starts with community and ends with community. Council member Day-Achauer opening remarks. Youth programming is essential in this conversation. City could only fund about half of the youth programs that applied for the summer youth program. Youth programming needed year round. As our city grows we need to make sure that no young person if left behind.
Presentation:
-Columbus Police Department: Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts and Officer Lutz. We know this is a problem we need to address. Officer Lutz is critical in this work of dealing with youth violence and prevention.
Officer Lutz - It is apparent to me that young people are struggling right now. We need a sustainable solution and not just one that is punitive.
AC Potts - Presentation of crime statis...
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