Columbus Police Lt. Rod Wittich recounted the Labor Day shoot-out on North Fourth Street during the meeting of the University Area Safety Committee on September 9.  Two officers were wounded.  The assailant, who fired numerous rounds from his apartment at 1919 N. Fourth Street, appears to have committed suicide.

Lt. Wittich emphasized that the situation didn’t involve anyone associated with Ohio State.  As bad as the situation was, it was contained as best possible.  He credited police officers with controlling the situation and minimizing the threat to the public.

University Police Chief Paul Denton reported that the University Police Department and the Columbus Division of Police will cooperate again this fall in a crime interdiction effort on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  The interdiction will involve saturation patrols targeting particular crime situations based on crime patterns.  He also said that University and Columbus Police are continue the joint patrol which teams a University Police officer and a Columbus police in a specially marked vehicle.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the University Area Safety Committee will be Wednesday, October 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the conference room of 33 West 11th Avenue.

The minutes of the September 9, 2009, meeting of the University Area Safety Committee are printed below:

Co-Chairs Vernon Baisden and Willie Young called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. in the large conference room at 33 West 11th Avenue.  Those in attendance introduced themselves.

Shooting on Labor Day.  Columbus Police Lt. Rod Wittich recounted the Labor Day shoot-out on North Fourth Street during the meeting of the University Area Safety Committee on September 9.  Two officers were wounded.  The assailant, who fired numerous rounds from his apartment at 1919 N. Fourth Street, appears to have committed suicide.  Lt. Wittich emphasized that the situation didn’t involve anyone associated with Ohio State.  As bad as the situation was, it was contained as best possible.  He credited police officers with controlling the situation and minimizing the threat to the public.  Mr. Baisden said the situation illustrated the good partnership among public safety departments serving the University District.

Bulk refuse.  Steve Sterrett explained that bulk refuse and trash piled up in the alleys and along the curbs in the University District during the annual move-out and move-in of students in late August and early September.  Ohio State agreed to make a one-time grant of $50,000 to the city’s Refuse Collection Division to pay for overtime and related costs to remove the refuse as quickly as possible.  The grant also will help pay for refuse collection on the Friday and Saturday morning prior to home football games this season.

Football.  University Police Chief Paul Denton reported that traffic, parking and public safety went well for the Ohio State-Navy football game on September 5.  There were points of traffic congestion, but Ohio 315 was not as clogged as expected.  Mr. Baisden reported that shuttle service to downtown and to the Ohio State Fairgrounds worked well for the Navy game.  For the Ohio State-USC game, Chief Denton said that portable lighting would be set up in the adjacent neighborhood and that a limited parking ban would be instituted on East Lane Avenue from High Street to Summit Street.

Patrols.  Chief Denton reported that the University Police Department and the Columbus Division of Police will cooperate again this fall in a crime interdiction effort on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.  The interdiction will involve saturation patrols targeting particular crime situations based on crime patterns.  He also said that University and Columbus Police are continue the joint patrol which teams a University Police officer and a Columbus police in a specially marked vehicle.

History book.  Ellen Moore announced that the University District Organization has published a new pictorial history book on the University District.

Future meetings.  In discussing topics for future committee meetings, committee members suggested an update on the university’s preparations for the flu virus and an update from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on the STOP program.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the University Area Safety Committee will be Wednesday, October 14, at 3:30 p.m. in the conference room of 33 West 11th Avenue.