The residents expressed concerns about gun violence in the city, the number of loose pit bulls and loud music coming from parked vehicles at Douglass Park during the one-hour meeting at the Robert “Sonny” Hill Jr. Community Center.
Sgt. Nelson told the group there were seven shootings in the city earlier this year and police have made arrests in six of them. He said the victim and witnesses are being uncooperative in the only unsolved shooting.
Nelson said residents can remain anonymous when they call police with tips.
“Just point us in the right direction,” he said.
Most of the gun violence is gang related and the city is seeing gang members as young as 13 years old, Nelson said.
One woman said she was concerned those gang members may be attending Middletown schools. Nelson said since some of the gun violence occurred after the school year, it’s impossible to know where the teens attend.
He said Middletown is seeing an influx of people moving in from Hamilton.
Another woman said with the number of pit bulls in the neighborhood she doesn’t feel safe walking or sitting on her porch. Birk said when residents see dogs walking without a leash, a city violation, they should call the police department and the dog warden would be contacted.
Didlick-Davis said meetings between police and citizens are important because “relationships matter. We have to be actively involved.”
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