The COVID pandemic years were quite a tumultuous time in both our city and nation - not only for the general public, but also for our police force. Crime and violence were on the rise and civil unrest was widespread. The Church of Columbus responded in many practical ways from opening over 100 remote learning centers (read more here) to mobilizing thousands of volunteers and resources to help with practical needs in the community.
Besides "boots on the ground" efforts, the Church of Columbus began unifying around three very specific, measurable prayer points (read more here). One prayer point in particular was to see a "dramatic decrease in all forms of violent crime" in our city. We agreed on this point in prayer for years, repeating this request through our Wednesday midday prayer text messages, through all our monthly prayer guides and at our prayer gatherings. Intercessors across our city rallied together around these prayer requests and stood in the gap for Columbus, blessing all of central Ohio with Jesus' shalom peace.
Miraculously, in just three years since the roll out of the measurable prayer requests, Columbus saw the breakthrough we had all been praying for: a 41% decline in ALL forms of violent crime. This was the sharpest decline compared to every other major city in the U.S.! This dramatic decrease made newspaper headlines you can read about here and here. We give God all the glory for seeing the needle move in this incredible way and we stand in awe of His faithfulness to us. The power of prayer and even more so, the power of a city Church (the "ecclesia") united in prayer is a tremendous force to see the Kingdom of God realized on the earth.
Not only does this miraculous answer to prayer bring God glory, but this unified witness of the power of prayer has made incredible inroads to partner more with both civic and law enforcement leaders in our city. Ursula Kemp, Director of Pray for Columbus, sat down recently with Columbus Division of Police First Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts to discuss a deeper partnership and learn more about the recent practical efforts to quell violent crime. While the Church of Columbus was mobilized to contend for peace in the "air war" through prayer, the "ground war" efforts worked in tandem to bring about the miraculous drop in violence this year.
Chief Potts explained that both law enforcement and community action groups have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make Columbus safer. One such group is Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children (MOMCC). Formed in 2020, MOMCC has made tremendous strides in reducing violence by mobilizing both volunteers and prayer as well as launching their 2024 campaign: "Operation Under Triple Digits."
This citywide initiative aimed to keep Columbus' homicides under 100 and is using crime data to drive decision-making and response of community organizations, residents, faith-based networks, elected officials, law enforcement and all stakeholders that desire to reduce crime and rebuild a safer Columbus.
The Columbus Police Department (CPD) has also been in collaboration with Columbus City Schools to prevent violence in the first place by implementing conflict resolution programs in Middle Schools with plans to expand to Elementary Schools in the coming years. In addition, the TAPS program (Teen and Police Services) has helped forge connections between youth and law enforcement officers. This classroom-based program mentors youth with a comprehensive curriculum on overcoming peer pressure, avoiding substance abuse, conflict resolution, physical and mental health and more. This program offers a rich opportunity for Officers to be seen as trusted adults who listen, learn, and problem solve with students to foster mutual growth and development.
Besides these mentorship and conflict resolution programs, the CPD offers several community immersion programs including the Citizen Police Academy, the Law Enforcement Explorers Program, and the Columbus Police Public Safety Corps. These programs connect students with community needs, expose them to the CPD's operations, values and philosophies as well as provide a forum for discussions, questions and sharing ideas.
Chief Potts explained that bringing justice to violent crime is another way the CPD is making a tremendous difference in the community. Columbus now has an impressive 90% closure rate on all crime cases, compared to a national average of only 68% closed cases.
Chief Potts left her family and home in Michigan to move to Columbus for this position. She said that she felt "this was a God-led mission" when she was invited here. She asserted "I honestly feel that prayer is turning the tide in our city, along with the initiatives we have been taking. As a city, we have truly turned a page!"
When asked what would you say to those who are praying for peace in Columbus? She responded "thank you for praying, please keep our leadership team in your prayers. Pray for us to have the right heart posture, to be genuine and to not hold on to bitterness or division. We want to be legacy changers and impact the community for generations to come!"
We are truly grateful for Chief Potts' leadership in our city as well as her entire leadership team. While violent crime has dramatically reduced, there is still much work to be done!
Please join us in continued prayers to see God's shalom peace come to the streets of Columbus! We echo Jesus' words and pray: Lord, may Your Kingdom come and may Your will be done here in Columbus as it is in heaven!