CLEVELAND — The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department formed the Downtown Safety Patrol in response to an increase in crime in downtown Cleveland.
“Eight deputies, one sergeant, two K-9 teams, and their goal was obviously have some officer presence, community engagement, and enforcement in the immediate area of the central business district,” explained Cuyahoga County Sheriff Harold Pretel.
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Since the unit was formed in mid-August, the unit has seized 80 guns from people not permitted to have a weapon.
“In this short time, that’s more confiscations than any other department in Northeast Ohio,” said Pretel.
Nearly 10% of the guns have been linked to other crimes.
“It is alarming on a Friday or Saturday night to be driving around downtown Cleveland with an AR 15 or an AK 47 in your vehicle, that’s loaded, ready to go. It calls into question what people’s motives are,” said Chief Deputy Arron Reese.
Most of the guns were confiscated during traffic stops. “There’s a variety of ordinances that they enforce, if they’re on the books they’re enforceable,” said Pretel.
The unit was designed to have police presence Downtown, community engagement, and enforcement, explained Pretel. So far, he said the deputies are doing all three. “The mantra for our deputies are respectful, professional, constitutional policing and that’s what we’re doing. Enforcing the law that leads to these seizures and leads to saving lives,” said Pretel.
