Franklin County s Juvenile Court judges are taking exception to law enforcement officers recent assertions that they are not doing enough to help keep teens already charged with crimes from committing more crimes.
Law enforcement officials held a news conference Thursday to discuss Operation Game Over, a joint effort focused on three clusters of teens totaling about 40 juveniles who are believed to be responsible for hundreds of car thefts, purse snatchings and other crimes throughout the Columbus area since early December.
At least 14 vehicles were reported stolen Thursday within Columbus city limits and at least one stolen vehicle report was filed with a suburban department. Juveniles are suspected in most of the cases.
As Columbus City Council prepares to consider passage of a budget that would effectively cancel the June police recruit class, leaders in the Division of Police warn there could be unforeseen consequences including longer response times.
But City Council President Shannon Hardin said the city needs to pause as the police hiring and recruiting process is evaluated, while also investing in alternative response and anti-violence measures.
Hardin proposed an amendment during a Feb. 11 budget hearing that would delay the start of the next scheduled recruit class and divert the $2.5 million set aside to pay the recruits and costs for that class toward the Reimagining Public Safety Fund. That would be added to the $7.5 million budgeted for that fund. Plans for that money include $1.5 million on neighborhood anti-violence efforts, $250,000 for youth diversion and job programs, and more than $250,000 for additional training and first aid equipment for police officers to implement