TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Police Department is holding multiple quality of life meetings across Toledo for area residents to share their ideas about what policies and resources are working from the department's 2022 initiatives, as well as what needs more attention.
Interim Toledo police chief Michael Troendle said meeting with the area community is part of each TPD initiative.
A meeting Wednesday afternoon was held at the Zablocki Recreation Center on Lagrange Street to follow up on the Lagrange Area Safety Enforcement Response System -- LASER -- initiative.
Troendle said the LASER meeting is all about feedback, and that the biggest topics residents expressed concerns about were crime and blight.
"It's no secret that we are still suffering from some high crime rates in some certain areas of our city, and we're doing everything we can to try and address that," Troendle said.
Janet Beam leads South-West Neighbors United, a neighborhood group dedicated to improving residents' lives. Beam knows gun violence can be frustrating but said Toledoans can help by talking to police.
"You've got to get involved," Beam said. I know they're afraid. We've all been there. We know. But you've got to speak up. If we don't fight all this together, it's never going to get done."
Beam said there's still plenty of progress to be made and resources for Toledoans to use, whether it's addressing violence or blight.
"Try to be more patient and understanding to help the situation in Toledo," Beam said. "There's so many out there trying to help. I know it seems like nothing is getting done, but they're trying."
Change doesn't happen overnight, Beam said. But she encouraged people to use the Engage Toledo app, calling it one of the best resources for getting a problem fixed in the city.
The next three meetings are listed below:
RASER (Reynolds Airport Safety Enforcement Response)
Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.
Grace Church
3700 Hill Ave.
STAR (South Toledo Area Response)
Feb. 21 at 5 p.m.
The Believe Center, Inc.
1 Aurora Gonzales Drive
BLASER (BUMA-Lawrence Area Safety Enforcement Response) [“BUMA” Is an acronym for “Bancroft-Upton-Monroe-Auburn”]
Feb. 23 at 6 p.m.
Mott Library
1010 Dorr St.