Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Police Chief Elaine Bryant say a police pilot program in the South Linden and Milo-Grogan neighborhoods that investigates non-fatal shootings will expand to a third area in 2026.
Ginther and Bryant appeared at a press conference Wednesday to discuss the result of an 18-month pilot program aimed at reducing violence in those neighborhoods.
The goal was to prevent these non-fatal incidents from later escalating into fatal shootings. Ginther says that the pilot program worked.
"Our current city rate for solving non-fatal shootings is about 46%. But in our pilot project, that rate is 75%," Ginther said.
Bryant said when she first arrived in Columbus in 2021, homicides and non-fatal shootings were on the rise. In 2022, Columbus police switched to a team concept for homicide investigations to balance caseloads among investigators and create a more cohesive way to solve cases.
Bryant said that led to a reduction in homicides and an increase in closure rates for cases.
"So when looking at non-fatal shootings, it made sense to look at a similar concept," Bryant said.
Officials said the evidence gathered in investigations through the team has led to 484 charges filed related to crimes throughout the city, including attempted murder, felonious assault, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and motor vehicle theft.
Rev. Timothy Liggins, pastor of Bethel AME Church in South Linden, said it was an innovative program that has helped reduce violence.
"I like how they didn't seek to arrest their way out of the problem. They invested in these individuals. They sought them out, they invested in them and offered them opportunities for different pathways," Liggins said.
Liggins also said he was referring to programs for young people aimed at de-escalating violence.
The effort is based on a similar program in Detroit, where Bryant worked before becoming Columbus' police chief.
Officials said the area for the next pilot program has not been determined yet. The city has plans to expand the program across Columbus.
