COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A non-profit that has worked to keep the community safe for the last 34 years is getting to add another year to its efforts.
Community Crime Patrol (CCP) is a crime prevention group that sends teams around Columbus neighborhoods to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
Columbus City Council approved almost $400,000 to keep CCP, running but for the group, it’s more than just annual funding; it’s vital money that is almost 100% of its budget to keep patrollers on the streets.
“The perception of safety in any neighborhood is key to making it a safer place to work and live and play,” CCP Executive Director Ellen Moore Griffin said.
CCP sends teams of two out into neighborhoods, including the Hilltop and Franklinton, around Columbus.
“I think we’re great at deterring crime because even the community, like I know some of us have like great community relationships; I talk to some people out in the community and they come to us and tell us about crime in the area,” Patrol Supervisor Brianna Ellis said.
For the two patrollers NBC4 spoke with, it’s a stepping stone to getting into law enforcement.
“I’m looking more into policing and corrections or FBI and this was a great door opener to see if this is what I really wanted to do,” Ellis said.
“I’m also looking to go into some form of law enforcement in the future, and this job is just a great opportunity for that, able to build community relations and just kind of learn what it’s like to be out in the world,” Patrol Supervisor Sterling Benko said.
The money council approved helps pay the 10 patrollers on staff and run the organization.
“I think that it’s a kinder, gentler way to add to the police force and to be sort of those liaisons between the police and the community,” Moore Griffin said.
One day CCP hopes to expand to 15 to 20 patrollers, but that would only come with more funding.
“We can’t do business on the same amount of money every year because costs go up,” Moore Griffin said. “And, you know, after the pandemic, everything is more expensive. So we’re really reaching out to the communities where we serve to ask them for a little bit of help.”
CCP says lately the issues they are seeing include vandalism and nuisance and property crimes.
