Cincinnati City Council: National Guard Crime Response

No one running for Cincinnati City Council this year wants to bring in the National Guard to fight crime. That's according to The Enquirer survey of candidates, in which 21 of the 26 candidates responded. Even the three Republicans running for City Council didn't call for the National Guard, though two of the three didn't give a direct "yes" or "no" response, instead suggesting other courses of action. President Donald Trump has sent the military to American cities using crime as a justification . Crime has become a top issue in the city election this year, particularly after some high-profile incidents this summer. Videos of a brawl at about 3 a.m. on July 26 on Fourth Street went viral and further thrust the issue of crime downtown into the spotlight. More: Cincinnati City Council candidates describe crime in the city and what they'd do about it More: Where Cincinnati mayor candidates Aftab Pureval, Cory Bowman stand on crime, development We asked the city council candidates about using the military to curb crime. Answers have been edited for brevity.

A safe community is not one where the National Guard rolls down our streets. Safe communities are communities where everyone is paid enough to afford a roof over their head, food on the table, and access to healthcare. That is why I believe firmly in a “yes, and” approach to tackling gun violence and broader safety initiatives. I do not believe that the city of Cincinnati requires outside help from the federal government to fight crime.

Absolutely none.

The National Guard should absolutely not be sent to the City of Cincinnati. This would be an overreach of the Federal Government...The federal government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars sending the National Guard and U.S. military into U.S. cities. This money could be better spent for both short- and long-term solutions based on the needs of the communities impacted. I would accept more financial assistance to hire enough police officers to have a full complement on the force. This would enable the Cincinnati Police Department to do more community-oriented policing. The cities that are having the most success in lowering crime rates are putting more focus on police officers being more active in their assigned communities. I would also accept financial assistance in hiring trained mental health and social workers as part of the Cincinnati Police Department. They could respond to specific 911 calls as co-responders.

Downtown is vibrant and growing and we must continue to promote this while we make sure our police department has the resources to make our entire city one that is safe and welcoming. I would welcome any financial resources that could be used to make our city safer, such as hiring and retaining police officers.

No. Assistance in funding, like the during the Clinton administration might be appropriate.

As a military veteran, I know firsthand the difference between military and police training. The National Guard is trained for combat and national defense, not for community policing. Cincinnati doesn't have the kind of catastrophic emergency that would warrant military intervention. Militarizing our streets would damage community-police relations and doesn’t address the underlying causes of crime. As for federal assistance, I would evaluate any offer based on whether it truly serves the needs of Cincinnati and aligns with our values. I would absolutely accept federal funding for proven violence prevention programs, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, workforce development, and community-based intervention programs. These are investments that work, and if the federal government wants to help fund them, that’s great. However, I would reject approaches that prioritize mass incarceration, aggressive enforcement without community input, or programs that have been shown to harm community trust. Any federal partnership must respect local control and community input because we know our city better than Washington does. I'm more interested in evidence-based solutions than political theater.

Our men and women in uniform in CPD are fully capable of serving the needs of our community with the leadership of Chief Theetge. The Cincinnati Police Department and the partnership that has been formed between the Ohio State Highway Patrol proves that collaboration and coordination among local law enforcement can help solve crimes efficiently. We should continue to support the work of our Cincinnati Police Department to keep our city safe.

Deploying the guard would be completely inappropriate and counterproductive. Cincinnati doesn't have the kind of catastrophic emergency that would warrant military intervention. Militarizing our streets would damage community-police relations we've worked so hard to build and doesn’t address the underlying causes of crime. As for federal assistance, I would evaluate any offer based on whether it truly serves the needs of Cincinnati and aligns with our values. I would absolutely accept federal funding for proven violence prevention programs, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, workforce development, and community-based intervention programs. These are investments that work, and if the federal government wants to help fund them, that’s great. However, I would reject approaches that prioritize mass incarceration, aggressive enforcement without community input, or programs that have been shown to harm community trust. Any federal partnership must respect local control and community input because we know our city better than Washington does. I'm more interested in evidence-based solutions than political theater.

Governor Mike DeWine has reached out to City Hall and for the most part has been rejected. Our County law enforcement should be engaged with the state to help fight crime. We have the resources between the city, county and Ssate to deal with our crime issues in Cincinnati. The coordination with the federal government is through the federal prosecutors office. If a comprehensive plan is put together to fight crime there is never a need to have discussion about federal troops in our city.

We should continue to support the work of our Cincinnati Police Department to keep our city safe. I am grateful for the partnership with state and local partners to support their work, and I do not think at this time we need the support of the National Guard.

I do not support the National Guard being sent to the Cincinnati. I would certainly support federal funding to help with staffing. In addition, I would welcome federal funding to help alleviate some of the underlying causes of crime such as poverty and lack of adequate housing.