6. Cleveland, Ohio: A Community Law Enforcement Partnership for Sustainable Neighborhood Change

We describe the implementation and outcomes of a Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) program in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, which took place from 2014 to 2017. The key elements of the strategy included (1) identifying a high-crime-, violence-, and gang-involved neighborhood that would benefit from BCJI resources; (2) implementing intelligence-led policing strategies known to be effective in reducing firearm violence; (3) involving community members and organizations in planning, implementation, and sustainability efforts; and (4) selecting a target area small enough so that effective intervention could realize neighborhood change and improved safety. Originally, the proposed activities were law enforcement driven and community complemented, but the planning process soon reversed that focus so that activities as implemented became more community driven with intelligence-led policing activities supporting those efforts. Existing and new strategies implemented in the target neighborhood are discussed in detail. Evidence of BCJI impact and outcomes are presented via police data citywide and from the target area and from a youth survey about their perceptions of law enforcement. Challenges to implementation and evaluation and opportunities for future directions are also discussed.