COLUMBUS, Ohio — The City of Columbus is ramping up security along the Scioto Mile as part of a recently announced effort to keep some of the city’s most heavily visited areas safe.
Unarmed security will now patrol the area from 4 p.m. to midnight, according to Mayor Andrew Ginther.
The additional safety measure comes after Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the Columbus Police Parks Detail earlier this month. The detail will consist of members from the Community Response Team.
At the time of her announcement, Bryant said police would be focusing on parks that are of concern to them and those with large crowds.
It was in one of those areas, at Bicentennial Park, that a 15-year-old girl was fatally shot and five others injured nearly two months ago.
Following that shooting, Columbus police announced leaders would discuss how to be more proactive at covering similar areas within the popular downtown precinct.
Those conversations led to the city launching its Safe Parks Program. Since the program began on July 6, officers have made three felony arrests, recovered two stolen cars and made 122 citizen contacts.
The announcement comes as downtown begins to reopen on the tail end of the pandemic. Ginther hosted a celebration at the John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons on Thursday to note the city’s progress in terms of post-pandemic recovery, announcing a new campaign to welcome community members, safely, back to downtown.
