BY BERNIE MIXON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NORTH COLLEGE HILL -- The inaugural meeting Wednesday of a committee exploring whether to place a school resource officer at North College Hill High School focused on whether the school district has a gang problem.
School officials and North College Hill police said the district doesn't have a gang problem, while a small group of resource officer proponents said there have been problems with gang-like graffiti. The meeting at the high school was the first in a series expected before the committee decides what recommendation to make to the North College Hill Board of Education.
The board will then decide whether to go with a resource officer. "I don't think any gang activity has been established," said Ron Harmon, committee chairman and board of education president. "Let's put the gang issue to rest."
The issue was first raised by a small group of residents concerned with what they say was gang graffiti and gang-like activity in the community.
"It's something that was brought to light because some residents and business owners noticed graffiti and gang-like activity," said Craig Glick, a resource officer proponent.
"The culture has made heroes of gang-like characters," Mr. Glick said. "It's out there in the community and one of many issues that we as parents need to address so that we can address the issue of safety."
When pressed by some in the audience to produce evidence of gang activity, only one incident was cited.
North College Hill Police Chief John Fulmer said no recent gang activity was brought to his department's attention.
"I don't think it's a gang problem," Chief Fulmer said. "If we had an organized gang problem in the schools, the police department would be the first to know."
But Maureen Mason, a resource officer proponent, disagreed. "Graffiti is gang-like activity," Ms. Mason said. "It's their way of marking territory. We want to head it off before there is a crisis or a drive-by shooting."
If gangs are not the problem, some of those at the meeting, including high school principal Gary Gellert, said the real problem needs to be identified before a school resource officer can be prescribed as the solution.
"We are not a perfect school system. We don't have perfect kids," Mr. Gellert said. "I feel our school is safe."
A second meeting has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 3 at the high school.
