Compiled from staff and wire reports

Brazen robbers hit Oakley credit union

Cincinnati's sixth bank robbery of the year Tuesday was more brazen than most, with suspects tying up three employees.

Two masked men entered through the back door of the Greater Cincinnati Credit Union in Oakley a little before 9 a.m., before it opened. They tied up the employees, then rifled through teller drawers for money.

"We rarely get a takeover bank robbery like that," said Lt. Steve Kramer, commander of the Major Offenders Unit. "As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time we had one."

Both robbers were described as black, 6-foot-1 and 185-190 pounds, wearing dark clothing, dark baseball caps, gloves and masks. One had a mustache and wore yellow gloves. The other's gloves were dark.

They left the bank in one of the tellers' vehicles, a truck. They ditched that, Kramer said, and got into a champagne-colored, four-door Toyota sedan with dark tinted windows. It was last seen on Hyde Park Avenue near Millsbrae Avenue.

Police ask anyone with information to call the Major Offenders Unit at 352-3542 or Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.

Streicher defends police riot response

Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas H. Streicher Jr. defended his department's handling of last weekend's Stratford Avenue riots, saying officers performed their jobs with "discipline and courage" despite being outnumbered 600 to 20 by drunken University of Cincinnati students.

In remarks to City Council's Neighborhood & Public Works Committee Tuesday, Streicher said the department had no way of knowing that the street party associated with the Cinco de Mayo holiday would turn ugly so quickly. Students turned over cars, lit garbage fires and pelted police with rocks and bottles after midnight Sunday morning. No officers or students were injured, and two people were arrested.

The light response was exacerbated by the department's miscalculation that the biggest night of partying would be Monday, the actual date of the holiday, and by the need to have nearly 200 officers staff the Flying Pig Marathon Sunday morning, Streicher said.

Mayor Charlie Luken commended the police response, comparing it to the "Charge of the Light Brigade."

Ohio officers rally to keep DARE alive

Ohio police officers are rallying to save the DARE program.

Hamilton Police Chief Neil Ferdelman said he plans to join officers from throughout the state Thursday afternoon in Columbus to urge lawmakers to provide funding for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, which aims to prevent drug abuse among schoolchildren.

Middletown Police Chief Bill Becker and other members of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police sent e-mails encouraging officers to meet in the Statehouse rotunda Thursday in uniform, then walk to the Senate Finance Committee budget hearing. Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro is expected to ask lawmakers to reinstate DARE funding, which the Ohio House "voted down," the e-mail said.

Although the effectiveness of the

Butler Co. investigates shooting death of dog

LIBERTY TWP. - The Butler County Sheriff's Office is investigating the fatal shooting of a dog by an on-duty deputy.

A preliminary report indicates the dog was attempting to attack Deputy Jody Green at the time of the 6 p.m. shooting Friday, said Detective Monte Mayer, sheriff's spokesman.

The incident occurred when Green arrived at a house on Eaglestone Court to follow up on a recent assault report.

After a woman the deputy was looking for went into the house, a barking dog emerged from the garage, Mayer said.

Green began backing out of the driveway, but then a second dog came at the deputy from around the rear of the house.

The second dog, a 5-year-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, growled and bared its teeth, Mayer said.

The dog lunged at the deputy, who pulled his duty weapon and fired one shot, striking the dog in the head, he said.

Teen dies after car hits theaters

UNION TWP. - A 16-year-old Anderson Township boy was found dead Tuesday morning inside a car that had been driven into the side of the Showcase Cinemas building at Eastgate Mall.

Union Township police say a note was found and the incident is believed to be a suicide.

The car, which crashed headfirst into the building, was discovered about 8:30 a.m., police said. It is believed the crash occurred at least two hours earlier.

The building was empty at the time. It was not structurally damaged, officials said.

The Enquirer is not identifying the teenager.

Fairfield sludge pit on agenda tonight

FAIRFIELD - An appeal for a controversial sludge pit near some of the city's most expensive homes will be heard at today's 6 p.m. Board of Zoning Appeals meeting.

Last year, Greater Cincinnati Water Works officials applied to build a sludge pit for lime residue at their River Road water plant.

Water Works needs to build a new pit soon because the existing one is nearing capacity.

But after overwhelming public outcry, Fairfield City Council rejected the pit in October.

Water Works then applied for a cut-and-fill permit to build the pit anyway, but that, too, was denied.

Fairfield officials and residents were trying to work out the dispute with Water Works, but talks apparently have broken down.

Tonight's meeting will be held at the Fairfield Municipal Building, 5350 Pleasant Avenue.