CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Police and city administration have proposed new ideas for improving safety at The Banks.
There was a record-high number of shootings and aggravated assaults at The Banks last year.
Proposals include increased enforcement of illegal parking, improved lighting and removing large planters.
Cincinnati police has already increased patrols in the area, added temporary light fixtures and removed some of the outdoor seating in the area to prevent loitering. However, leaders have acknowledged more work needs to be done.
Officer Chris Loreaux said one of the issues has to do with illegal parking. He said extensive work went into reducing parking hours at various locations near The Banks to prevent cars from loitering during overnight hours, but enforcement needs to be upped.
“They're going back and forth grabbing drinks or whatever else and just kind of just having a block party,” he said.
Assistant City Manager Virginia Tallent said individuals are also going to cars to grab firearms.
The city has proposed dedicated tow trucks that can assist with ensuring cars are not left in “no parking” zones during hours they are prohibited from being there.
Another proposal is increased lighting in areas such as the steps down to Smale Park.
“There's been a run from The Banks down to the parks, and then vice versa,” Loreaux said. “We're playing catch up.”
Tallent also recommended strategic design changes, like refining landscaping. Some of the planters on the plaza now are blocking visibility for officers, she said.
Another recommendation is to geo-fence scooters to ensure the scooters are not left blocking sidewalks.
The recommendations were presented to The Banks Community Authority on Thursday.
Neal Sebastian, who owns the Street Corner Market at The Banks, has had a front-row seat to the violence. While nothing has happened directly inside the store, his business has been affected.
“When when you have a shooting outside, you tend not to stay open,” he said. “Close down shop to keep the employees safe. We've had people run into the store when shooting happens outside.”
His security cameras have captured video of people fleeing gun violence outside.
“It's definitely an uneasy feeling,” he said.
Some of the shootings have happened just steps away from the Cincinnati Police Department’s Central Business District office.
“If you're willing to shoot somebody else, right in front of a police station, then obviously there's no sense of consequence,” Sebastian said.
The city and police department have been exploring solutions for months.
Sebastian says business at The Banks slows down during the winter because of the weather, so he feels that it remains to be seen if the changes will work.
“We're hoping that they will,” he said.
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