Street Cop
The shooting at nearby Sims Park brought an unwanted chill to this sizzling summer. Conversation turned to the danger of random violent crime in Euclid. At the invitation of the neighborhood organization, East 216th Neighbors, Captain Kevin Kelly agreed to hear concerns and answer questions of residents in the Edgecliff area. The stand-up meeting drew about 40 people from neighboring streets.
Captain Kelly described the incident which occurred on the night of July 17th. A large gathering of mostly young people gathered on the Lake Erie beach for a “Stop the Violence” rally. Two people were shot, an adult man died and a 12 year old boy suffered a serious wound. Within a few days, two suspects were apprehended.
Because this is an ongoing investigation, Captain Kelly was limited by what he could say. The question in mind of the group was whether this incident had no specific target: Was this a random act of someone shooting into a crowd? Unable to cite specifics, Captain Kelly assured residents that the adults involved were not strangers, that they knew each other, and carried over anger from an earlier encounter.
While there is always the possibility of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the Captain assured residents of safety in the neighborhoods. The real danger lies in risky behavior. Dealing drugs and belonging to a gang is where lies the peril of getting hurt.
Residents’ questions continued on other topics. Is the Euclid Police Department at full strength? No, there are openings caused by officers soon to retire and others on short term leave for duty related injuries. EPD has been emphasizing lateral hiring by bringing on experienced officers from other departments who find an interest in the active and demanding nature of police work in the City.
Policing is changing. Collecting and analyzing crime data provides a heads up of where to anticipate disturbance and some of the underlying causes. A renewed emphasis on community policing attempts to lessen the attitude distance between the citizen and their police. As an example, Captain Kelly detailed his Friday afternoons on bike patrol in the Shore Center area. He smiles, and then admits, that he does not put much mileage on the bike because he stops so often to chat with people in the area. He insists that officers learn a lot, connect with names and faces, and are appreciated when they are on the sidewalk talking one on one. Residents might see bike patrols return once the number of officers reaches it full complement.
Patrick Henry
Euclid resident committed to the common good, strong neighborhoods and the health of our Lake Erie.