Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the transfer of $500,000.00 from the Department of Finance's City-wide account to the Department of Public Safety for the purposes of administering the Business District Safety Enhancement Program. Through this program, the Department of Public Safety will work in conjunction with the Division of Police and neighborhood business groups, the Short North Alliance and Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District, to develop plans to appropriately deter crime and improve safety in Columbus’ business districts. The Short North Alliance and Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District are not-for-profit entities.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the City of Columbus experienced a significant up-tick in violent crime throughout the community, notably in densely populated and visited business districts. In 2022 the City of Columbus funded the Business District Safety Enhancement Program which resulted in a significant reduction of crime. There is a need for a continuation of this funding from the City of Columbus to supplement safety enhancements in business districts throughout the City of Columbus. These organizations will utilize this funding in support of their violent crime interdiction programs, which utilize law enforcement personnel serving in a special duty capacity, educational campaigns, and community outreach workers in an effort to prevent and address violent crime in their respective districts.
This neighborhood safety program is part of a much larger community investment strategy employed by the City to provide safe and resilient communities. The City of Columbus has utilized a community wide approach under a number of assistance programs including summer youth safety programming in the amount of 16 million in 2022 as well as numerous Neighborhood Safety Grants. The City will make additional neighborhood safety investments in subsequent ordinances.
Short North Alliance, FID: xx-xxxxxxx, CC# CC-0083...
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