Fed up with drug dealers dominating their street corners, College Hill residents plan tonight to ask Cincinnati Police for increased patrols.

        The Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) Action Organizing Project and Southeast College Hill Block Clubs plan to discuss crime “hot spots” in College Hill at a 7 p.m. meeting at St. Clare's Church.

        Cincinnati police Lt. Col. Ronald Twitty said he'll attend.

        “We would like this neighborhood to return to a family-oriented place rather than a drug haven,” said longtime resident Margaret Cathey, leader of Southeast Concerned Citizens.

        One particularly troubling area is in the business district along Hamilton Avenue. A parking lot at the corner of Hamilton and Cedar avenues is the frequent scene of open-air deals, she said.

        Lt. Col. Twitty said Sunday he will explain to residents how police approach violent crimes and what neighbors can do to combat them.“Most people think the answer to all their problems is enforcement,” he said. “That's only one tool in the box.”

        Many residents in this aging city neighborhood already participate in block watch and citizen patrols to reduce crime and develop a close relationship with the police.

        In recent years, their efforts have paid off, Ms. Cathey said, and much has been accomplished on Lantana Avenue, where she lives. “We got the drug dealers off the corners, several abandoned houses are now fixed up, and the streets are cleaner,” she said.

        Cincinnati crime statistics from January and February, the most recent available, show police were called to College Hill 2,127 times, ranking it behind Fairview, Northside and Clifton. There have been no homicides in College Hill so far this year.

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