Public Forum on Safety Thursday

PUBLIC FORUM ON THURSDAY WILL DISCUSS
SAFETY MEASURES FOR UNIVERSITY DISTRICT

Columbus -- Campus Partners will sponsor a forum on 
Thursday, Oct. 5, to hear the concerns of students, residents, 
business owners and others on how to prevent a reoccurrence of 
the public disturbance on East 12th Avenue in the University 
District last Saturday night.  The forum will be from 6-8 p.m. in 
the auditorium of Ohio State University's College of Law, 55 W. 
12th Ave.

A panel will hear the concerns of the public and, as 
appropriate, will answer questions.  Participating on the panel 
will be Columbus Police Commander Stephen P. Gammill, who 
oversees the police patrols in the University District; 
University Police Chief Ron Michalec; Howard Skubovius, president 
of the University Area Commission; Kevin Sheriff, president of 
Undergraduate Student Government; and David Williams II, vice 
president for student affairs at Ohio State.  Mark Hatch, 
executive director of the Community Crime Patrol and a member of 
the Campus Partners Board of Trustees, will moderate the forum.

The public will be invited to speak throughout the two-hour 
forum.  If a large number of people wish to be heard, there may 
be a time limit imposed on speakers.

"Commander Gammill suggested that the forum be held," 
Hatch said.  "I'm very pleased that Columbus Police are willing 
to listen to community concerns.  I am hopeful that the forum 
will promote a dialogue, so that students, residents, university 
officials and the police can work together to prevent such 
disturbances in the future."

Parties along East 12th Avenue got out of hand Saturday 
night and Sunday morning with numerous fires being set and 
bottles thrown at police and firefighters.  Police arrested 46 
persons in the area; only eight were confirmed to be Ohio State 
students.  Some students, however, have been critical of the 
police who they feel overreacted and used tear gas 
indiscriminately.

Campus Partners was incorporated by Ohio State last January 
as a non-profit redevelopment corporation to improve the 
neighborhoods around the university.

                            #

For information, contact Steve Sterrett, community relations 
director for Campus Partners, at 294-7300 or Mark Hatch of the 
Community Crime Patrol at 299-2279.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Wed, 4 Oct 1995 08:50:08 -0400]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.