Solving the rash of youth violence in Cincinnati's transit centers

CINCINNATI — Issues of massive teen fights, misbehavior, jaywalking and more were the focus Thursday evening during a joint meeting of Cincinnati city officials and Cincinnati Public School leadership.

The problems are a thorn in the side of people using public transit centers like those at Government Square and Oakley as students leave class and travel in large groups around the city.

A solution to the problem has eluded Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge.

“There has to be a solution to this. Police can’t be at the forefront of this every day,” Theetge said.

The chief said her department has spent $416,000 in overtime patrolling the region’s transit centers during these times. And she said the problem hasn’t improved.

“There is no responsible adult making sure they are anywhere other than where these groups are misbehaving,” Theetge said. “I think that’s part of the problem. No one’s watching over them properly, so the police end up doing that.”

A group of volunteers who have tried to be the adults watching over students at transit centers addressed Thursday’s joint meeting.

Iris Roley has largely been that direct the volunteers in Government Square since February. She said the volunteers were there as much to hold police accountable and prevent student arrests as they were to prevent the children from misbehaving.

“You can’t leave the police and children to fend for themselves,” Roley said.

Roley said while volunteers have visited transit centers other than the one in Government Square, she would like to see the program expanded.

“We want to encourage local residents to come to these transit centers and work with these students,” she said.

Vice Mayor Jan-Michelle Lemon Kearney led Thursday’s joint meeting, pointing to the council’s allocation of $100,000 to compensate volunteers and $50,000 to feed youth at transit centers as support already being provided.

She said additional funding could be allocated if necessary.

“Let’s see what it takes,” Kearney said. “I think that’s the key.”

Concerns about students fighting and jaywalking persist in Cincinnati’s transit centers

Emergency Communications Center Director Bill Vedra told the joint meeting that they would soon hire a 12-member team of community outreach workers to be deployed to transit centers to support police and volunteers by the end of the year.

He said the first group of new employees started training early this week.

“We plan to use these people as problem solvers Monday through Friday,” Vedra said.

Theetge said the solutions, whatever they may be, must come quickly.

“Unfortunately, police, we need quick, real-time, short-term solutions right now,” she said.

As for long-term solutions, the vice mayor said the school district has proposed restructuring plan of approximately $200 million could eliminate much of the need for public transportation between cities.

Roley said the solution to youth violence must be much more comprehensive, including building affordable housing and programs to help people rise out of poverty.

“We have to try everything together,” Theetge said.

CPS Interim Superintendent Shauna Murphy declined further comment after Thursday’s meeting.

Instead, the district issued a statement:

Cincinnati Public Schools is committed every day to promoting safe, inclusive learning environments for every student. CPS is aware of the violent behavior of youth in the community. We continue to address these complex challenges, including through CPS-led community conversations. This, combined with the district’s ongoing conversations with other community leaders, plus working with students and parents to emphasize appropriate behavior in and out of school, remains central to this process.
This is a collaboration between many community leaders and stakeholders. CPS’s ongoing efforts have a positive impact on student safety and well-being. We are focused on long-term solutions and remain committed to ongoing violence prevention efforts, mental health support and community engagement.

Cincinnati School District