SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — While Shaker Heights residents say the city is generally safe, a 70-page investigation finds there is still work to be done.

A third-party company called Strategy Matters conducted a months-long study of Shaker Heights residents, looking for areas the city could improve.

More than 960 residents responded.

Road safety, including pedestrian and bicycle safety, was often a major concern. Thefts and firearms were also recorded.

The survey reveals that most adults feel safe, but many young people do not.

“What that tells me is that it’s possible to build relationships,” said Colleen Jackson, Shaker Heights’ chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer.

High school students who participated in the survey indicated they were concerned about violence in and around their school. They expressed feelings of disrespect and distrust from police and other adults because of their youth and/or blackness.

One of the many questions addressed in the survey results: To what extent is safety perceived to have improved, deteriorated or remained the same according to residents over the past 12 months?

Responses were separated between people of color and white respondents.

Fifty-one percent of people of color said crime overall has stayed the same. Seventy-five percent of white respondents agreed.

Twenty-one percent of people of color said crime had gotten worse over the past year, while only 11 percent of white respondents responded the same way.

Nighttime crime received the highest percentage, revealing that crime has gotten worse. Fourteen percent of white respondents said yes, and 25 percent of people of color agreed.

“People of color, regardless of neighborhood, are more likely to respond that the city is less safe than it was a year ago,” the survey said. “The problem goes beyond policing.”

To further discuss the survey results, the City of Shaker Heights hosted a town hall-style meeting in conjunction with Strategy Matters.

“They want to have more community engagement and community outreach, and they want to have more traffic control. You don’t find that in many communities. Many communities want less law enforcement. In this community, they want more,” said Shaker Heights Police Chief Wayne Hudson.

Chief Hudson explained how Strategy Matters has conducted over 200 resident surveys across the country and that Shaker Heights is one of two areas calling for more policing. He said the other was the Navajo Nation.

He told me that one of the main takeaways from this survey is the high number of people who feel unsafe walking around the city at night. The investigation does not explain why, and these are the answers his ministry is looking for.

“We have nine neighborhoods in Shaker. We want to make sure we meet with each of these neighborhoods and hopefully allow them to create a neighborhood association. Then we can have different types of community services, community outreach and community-led policing, individualized for each neighborhood, because community policing is not right for every neighborhood,” Chief Hudson added.

Additionally, Jackson said a community advisory group made up of residents and business owners has been created. This group is responsible for unpacking the investigation and helping city officials create an action plan.

“From there, we will really take the lead,” she stressed.

The City of Shaker Heights also plans to launch a community campaign to educate residents about traffic laws.

“It’s something that affects so many people: walkers, cyclists, people who have (children) (and) older people. I think it’s something that can impact the community as a whole,” Jackson said.

Another collaborative approach the city plans to take is partnering with the local school district to ensure students feel safe.

“A person feeling uncomfortable or being a target is a problem and it’s worth investigating,” Jackson said. “I want young people to have a positive interaction with the officers they meet. The rest is everyone’s problem. You need to change what you (young black men) think. It’s not their fault that you perceive them to have done nothing. I recognize the fact that we have been taught to fear young black men. There are people in communities who feel like they are stakeholders and others who feel and are treated like suspects. If you’re always a suspect and you’re never treated as a stakeholder, you start to react that way. I want everyone to be treated like they have value.

Jackson said community leaders will meet again in two weeks. From there, ideas will turn into actions.

Chief Hudson said his department is always looking to connect with the community and evaluate ways to improve. He suggests residents follow the police department’s social media for upcoming community engagement events.