Wednesday, October 27, 1999

Avondale wants law to keep out undesirables

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Gambling, drug abuse irk residents

BY ALLEN HOWARD
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        The Avondale public safety task force is asking the city to ban outsiders who commit crimes in the area.

        The request went before City Council's law and public safety committee Monday and was referred to the law department.

        Tom Jones, chairman of the task force, said a police report showed that of the 335 arrests made in Avondale from March to September this year, 275 involved people who did not live in Avondale.

        “They are just using our area as a dumping ground for their crimes,” Mr. Jones said. “The task force has received a large number of requests from the residents and business owners to do something about this problem.

        “Business owners are being forced out of business and residents are held hostage in their homes by (these) activities.”

        Rodney Prince, assistant safety director, said the majority of the arrests involved drug abuse and gambling.

        He said most of the crimes were committed along Burnet Avenue, stretching from Forest Avenue on the north to Erkenbrecher on the south and near Rockdale Avenue and Reading Road.

        “The city has similar ordinances in place in Over-the-Rhine, Burnet Woods and Mount Airy Forest,” Mr. Prince said.

        He said the police division has been asked to compile detailed statistics on the number of crimes committed in what areas.

        “We will present this information to the law department, then witnesses will be called in to testify before council on the ordinance,” Mr. Prince said.

        Mr. Jones said the task force is asking that the law ban outsiders who are convicted from coming into the area for at least 90 days.

        He said they want it to deal specifically with drug dealers and gamblers.

        The laws in Over-the-Rhine, Mount Airy Forest and Burnet Woods deal mostly with sexually oriented crimes, such as soliciting.

        The task force request did not get a favorable response from Councilman Tyrone Yates, chairman of the law and public safety committee.

        “I am not sure if this kind of law will help the long-term problems in Avondale,” Mr. Yates said. “I don't think legislation alone is going to solve these problems.

        “We are talking about long-term problems that are caused by poverty and joblessness. What we need in this area is economic development and a strong base of gainful employment to help re-create a social fabric that will make a difference.”

        He said he might favor a temporary exclusionary law.

        Mr. Jones said unless some kind of law is enforced, no economic development will take place.

        “It is obvious that the criminals continue to return to the area with a blatant disrespect for law or community,” Mr. Jones said.

       

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