Hovering On The Brink

Below is a sampling of crimes reported in the City of South Euclid as printed in the Sun Messenger “police blotter”. Intentionally omitted were crimes relating to shoplifting, domestic disturbance calls, impaired driving/traffic violations or drug offenses.

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The space devoted to South Euclid each week in the Sun Messenger “police blotter” has grown steadily in column inches. That is the only attention given to local crime statistics concerning the City of South Euclid. The topic of crime is avoided unless the citizens come forward to express their concerns. The unacceptable rise in crime MUST be PROMINENTLY addressed by South Euclid’ City Government and the local media.

The time, energy and money spent on the unproductive “Good Neighbor” survey, to which less than 250 residents responded, could have been allocated towards addressing matters such as these.

City officials are wasting too much money on self satisfying ego boosters to feed their political agenda in a quest for recognition. This has not served the community well. The priorities of this Administration and Council are misguided, and right now the place is a mess. The energy expended on real estate transactions and development schemes should be channeled toward weightier issues.

The $18 million and counting spent on Cedar Center would have bought a significant amount of police presence. The police force needs to be highly trained, community minded and socially skilled. The officers need to interact with the community in an appropriate manner through proper training and resources. The young citizens on the cusp of going either way with their lives need to know that the police are on THEIR side looking out for them. The police need to be RESIDENT FRIENDLY and behave respectfully to people unless someone proves themselves to be undeserving of such treatment. At the same time, make the City a very unwelcoming place for criminals and treat people accordingly. Spend the money to give the police the training they need to do the job right. Instead of spending time, effort and money on a joint city recreation center, how about a regional task force to deter and solve crime?

South Euclid is teetering on the edge. Hopefully the elected officials entrusted as guardians of the community will respond in time. Otherwise South Euclid is destined to inherit the crime woes and coinciding exodus patterns of the inner city neighborhoods.

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