Old West End safety meeting - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Residents in the Old West End will host a neighborhood safety town hall meeting tonight to discuss ways to fight crime in their neighborhood.

Toledoan Leslie Robinson has lived in the old west end for 30-years. He's says times have changed and safety is a concern.

"Just this year alone a nice young lady I would say is one of the sweetest persons on the block was murdered. It was considered domestic violence because it was an ex-boyfriend, but murder is murder," said resident Leslie Robinson.

Robinson says he'll attend tonight's neighborhood safety town hall meeting at Glenwood elementary school. He knows all too well how gun violence can threaten growing neighborhoods and change innocent lives. Robinson's son was murdered in 2005. He says its up to residents to take back their neighborhoods.

"It is a community issue it will take the community to solve the problems," said Robinson.

A number city leaders are expected to attend tonight's meeting. Toledo's recorded numerous break-ins, shootings, burglaries, and 23 murders so far this year.

"Overall, Toledo is a safe city when you compare it to cities our size. You'll see that Toledo is safe. You'll also see in the last year or two the increase in the crime rate has slowed down actually its actually going back the other way where the crime rate is dropping," said Toledo police deputy chief George Taylor

Deputy chief George Taylor will address the residents safety concerns. He'll talk about neighborhood cameras like "skycop" and TPD's next round of police officers. Some safety solutions Robinson says can help make our streets a little safer.

"Skycops are good but they can't replace the human eye. We know who's committing these crimes we know they are part of the community we have to come forward. The police can't do theIr jobs until we start talking," said Robinson