Mayor Aftab Pureval, Police Chief Teresa Theetge and City Manager Sheryl Long addressed the recent rise in crime and their plans to combat it during a press conference at City Hall Tuesday. The announcement comes on the heels of multiple shootings over the weekend and an overall rise in violent crime since this time last year.
Within the last 28 days, there have been 30 criminal shooting incidents, with nine people killed, according to data provided by Chief Theetge at the press conference. Although overall shootings are down compared to 2024, the number of fatal victims involved in crimes has risen by 125%.
“Too many residents are becoming victims right now,” said Mayor Pureval at the press conference. “Too many neighbors are concerned about the safety of their streets, and all of this can have a real, tangible and connective impact on our local economy, the health of our communities and our vibrancy as a city.”
Over the past month, the number of homicides, robberies, burglaries and vehicle thefts has risen. Police data shows a 17% increase in violent crime since 2024.
Theetge says young people have been breaking into cars specifically to look for firearms, contributing to gun violence.
“Homicides have increased after the downward trajectory we’ve seen over the past few years,” said Pureval.
Seven shootings occurred within the Greater Cincinnati area last weekend, with one fatality, according to reporting by the Cincinnati Enquirer. During the press conference, Theetge focused on Over-the-Rhine (OTR) and Corryville, due to those locations accounting for 30% of burglary and breaking-and-entering crimes in the city.
Police department resources were pulled to the north OTR area last week — partially for visibility, according to Theetge — in response to three shooting incidents this month and the stabbing death of Patrick Heringer, a local business owner. Two of those shootings were fatal.
Overall in 2025, there have been 99 shooting incidents with 114 victims, according to CincyInsights. The number of shooting victims has decreased by approximately 28% compared to this point in 2024.
In the sky and on the ground
To address the rise in crime, Theetge announced several new initiatives at the press conference, including the creation of a new task force, a drone program, expanded use of the ShotSpotter system, an increase in Fusus camera coverage, a lateral police class, a parental accountability initiative and broader surveillance efforts.
While city officials put a large emphasis on parents keeping their children out of crime, there was no mention of how they plan to enforce that accountability. “But parents should know where their kids are at all times,” said Theetge. “They should know who they are with at all times, and they should know what they are doing at all times. Police should not be the ones knowing where they are and what they are doing.”
The new drone program will help the Cincinnati Police Department keep a watchful eye over the places the police department can’t get to quickly, saving time and resources, according to city officials.
Theetge says this Drone as First Responders (DAF) program will cover approximately 90% of Cincinnati by the end of the year, but they have already been piloting drones in the city for months. One of these drones was used last weekend at a Juneteenth celebration to disperse crowds of young people. The drone program will be fully operational in July, according to Theetge. Earlier this year, CityBeat reported that the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office would be the first law enforcement agency in the state to remotely dispatch drones to 911 calls using this same DAF program.
“The power to change our neighborhoods lies not just in City Hall or in the police department,” said Long. “That responsibility lies on every single one of us.”
This article appears in Jun 11-24, 2025.