CINCINNATI — Cincinnati city leaders shared plans Tuesday to address gun violence over the summer, talking specifically about the youth. 

What You Need To Know

  • The plans include additional summer programming, providing additional educational resources around safe gun storage and engaging youth in problem-solving measures

  • One of the programs is Rec at Night, which targets teens during summer weekends

  • Additionally, there will be a Youth Manager’s Advisory Group (Y‑MAG), which will be a cohort of young people who will compile valuable insights and perspectives relating to public safety, police-community relations and youth-focused violence reduction initiatives

The plans include additional summer programming, providing additional educational resources around safe gun storage and engaging youth in problem-solving measures.

“This administration has spent months working in preparation for the summer months to ensure we are equipped to offer free, safe spaces for our kids. I am proud of the commitment of City staff to make this happen,” said City Manager Sheryl Long in a press release.

One of the programs is Rec at Night, which targets teens during summer weekends. The activities, provided by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, will be at the Hirsch and Lincol Rec Centers every Saturday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. starting June 8. The program will have teen-specific activities and themed nights. 

Additionally, Long announced the launch of a Youth Manager’s Advisory Group (Y‑MAG), which will be a cohort of young people who will compile valuable insights and perspectives relating to public safety, police-community relations and youth-focused violence reduction initiatives. The information will then be used to advise city leaders on issues affecting kids and teens, hoping to create solutions.

The Cincinnati Police Department will also host a "Safe Gun Storage Week" from June 9-15. It's a new initiative to ensure firearms don't end up in the wrong hands, the city said. CPD is partnering with the Whitney Strong Organization to provide opportunities for residents to pick up gun locks.  

“I’m extraordinarily proud that through the interventions and investments by our city, our police and our community partners, we have seen meaningful reductions in violent crime during our time in office. We are prepared, and we are implementing a coordinated set of violence prevention strategies to keep residents safe, to engage with our youth, and to disrupt the pathways to violence,” said Mayor Aftab Pureval said in a press release.

For more details on the initiatives, click here.