Cleveland Gets $1M to Fight Mount Pleasant Crime

Cleveland, OH – The streets of Mount Pleasant are about to see a concentrated push against violence, thanks to a $1 million federal grant awarded to the City of Cleveland by the United States Department of Justice. While politicians pat themselves on the back, the reality is this money is a response to years of neglect and a desperate attempt to stem the tide of bloodshed plaguing this southeast side neighborhood.

United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Steven M. Dettelbach, announced the three-year Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program grant this week. Cleveland was one of only five cities nationwide to receive the full $1 million allocation, a testament to both the severity of the problem and, according to officials, the city’s “longstanding, comprehensive approach.” Don’t mistake that for success – the problems run deep.

Mayor Frank G. Jackson framed the grant as a boost for “wrap-around” services, aiming to give residents “opportunities to choose a better life.” But for those already caught in the cycle of violence, a job training program isn’t going to magically erase years of trauma and desperation. The grant will fund a multi-pronged approach, and while it’s a start, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the systemic issues at play.

Dettelbach emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating the money will “expand a decade-long partnership between law enforcement, community leaders and social-service providers.” This partnership will focus on programs like VGRIP, a gun suppression effort involving Cleveland police and federal agents targeting felons illegally possessing firearms. They’ll also be expanding STANCE (Stand Together Against Neighborhood Crime Everyday), which includes ‘Operation Night Light’ – surprise visits to parolees – and ‘Operation Focus’ offering counseling and other services. It’s a reactive strategy, though, addressing symptoms rather than the root causes.

Beyond direct intervention, the grant will also fund a “Fugitive Safe Surrender” program in 2014, allowing non-violent fugitives wanted for low-level felonies a safe way to turn themselves in. While seemingly compassionate, it’s a band-aid on a broken system. More substantial funding is earmarked for environmental improvements – better lighting, clearing vacant lots, and razing abandoned buildings – hoping to reclaim public spaces. Case Western Reserve University’s Begun Center for Violence Prevention will be tasked with collecting and analyzing data to (supposedly) ensure the programs are effective. We’ll see if that data ever sees the light of day.

The target area, running along Kinsman Avenue between Lee Road and East 93rd Street, has long been a hotspot for violent crime. Michael L. Walker, executive director of the Partnership for a Safer Cleveland, admits that arrests alone won’t solve the problem. “Community engagement is a crucial part of the solution,” he said, but whether that engagement will translate into meaningful change remains to be seen. This grant, involving over 30 agencies including the Cleveland Municipal School District and the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, is a gamble. Whether it will deliver real results for the residents of Mount Pleasant is a question only time will answer. For now, it’s just another million dollars thrown at a problem that demands far more than money can buy.