Hello, Columbus!

It has been a busy beginning to 2023.

For starters, we kicked off the year with a Career and Resource Fair. I am proud to share that we had over 400 visitors stop by to learn more about employment opportunities with the City of Columbus. If you were not able to attend, there are still several positions available. I encourage anyone interested in a career with the city to create a job profile on our Civil Service website.

Meanwhile, February marks the annual observance of Black History Month, an opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate, honor and reflect upon the history and achievements of Black Americans. There are plenty of special events on the horizon, including Columbus City Council’s Poindexter Award Ceremony on Feb. 17. I encourage everyone to attend and to check out the Black History Month events planned in Columbus and across Central Ohio.

And while we seem to be getting a break from winter weather at the moment, our Snow Warriors are always vigilant and ready to tackle whatever the season throws our way. I look forward to the arrival of warmer temperatures in the coming weeks and seeing all that the new year will bring to our city.

Sincerely,

Mayor Andy Ginther

Crime stats shows Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy is working

In 2022, Columbus saw a 33% drop in homicides over 2021 – the largest-single percentage drop among the 20-largest U.S. cities. Additionally, Columbus saw a decrease in robberies, burglaries, felonious assaults and rape. This, of course, would not be possible without the hard work and diligence of our public safety personnel and first responders, who, through our updated Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy, are taking on violence and addressing its root causes using a holistic approach. We know that there is still more to do, and we will continue to invest in the most innovative, creative and effective programs to bring down violence even further and make Columbus the safest big city in America.

City partnering with U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to reduce gun violence

Despite homicides in Columbus going down, gun violence remains a devastating problem. In fact, nearly 90% of homicides in Columbus last year involved a firearm. In a collaborative effort with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Columbus Division of Police and the City Attorney’s Office, we are working diligently to make Columbus a safer community.

These efforts include $5 million toward tools and technologies to expand our participation in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in the United States. This expansion will allow us to provide actionable investigative leads in a timely fashion.

We also plan to hire two additional special assistant U.S. attorneys.

Finally, we are collaborating with the ATF and other law enforcement partners to create a Regional Crime Gun Intelligence Center to further address violent gun crimes using a broader approach.

In addition to enforcement, there are prevention and intervention tactics, such as youth programming and mental health and addiction services, which will soon be housed within the Office of Violence Prevention - a centralized clearinghouse that will streamline and coordinate the city’s safety responses in a holistic fashion.

Share your feedback on the city's website

The City of Columbus will soon begin work on updating and redesigning its website, columbus.gov, and we want to hear from you!

Take a short, simple survey to tell us what you would like to see in terms of design, navigation, new features and more. Our survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and will help to ensure a better digital experience for all.