COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--Columbus City Council has approved a request from the city's Recreation and Parks department to allocate more funding for security at the city's public swimming pools.
The $100,000 will allow the department to work with private security firms to fill the gaps in security, with fewer Columbus Police officers working those special duty shifts this year.
City Safety Director Ned Pettus says the pandemic, the higher rate of violence in the city, and protests are the reasons for fewer police officers on duty at the pools.
Through the first month of pool operations in 2021, only about 13% of the security shifts have been filled by CPD officers.