There's a good reason Cleveland police have begun to have a higher presence in the city lately.
A recent and dramatic uptick in violence has not only police, but city leaders and former criminals pulling out all of the stops to help reduce the troubling trend.
According to a report from Forbes via moneygeek.com, Cleveland currently ranks as the sixth most dangerous city in the U.S. Cleveland comes in at a whopping $6,780 in crime cost per capita.
The study analyzed crime data including violent crimes such as murder, rape and aggravated assault. Property crimes were weighed as well including home burglary and motor vehicle theft. The cost of each city's crimes were calculated and ranked.
Tuesday marked what the city hoped to be another step in the right direction when Cleveland played host to another "National Night Out" event at the Steelyard Commons in an attempt to help build better relationships between law enforcement and communities.
There are some who say the National Night Out event may be attempting to educate the wrong people. However, one citizen disagrees with that. Teresa McCurry told 3News, "I know that's what you were saying the wrong people are here, but in essence, the right people are here because while we are here we want to let our light shine so people know you don't have to commit crimes"
George Hunter, who spent 10 years in prison, was on hand at the event to tell his story. A cautionary tale about making the right choices, something he implores the youth of Cleveland caught up in lives of crime to think about and change.
"What would you have told yourself as a young man?" Hunter was asked. He responded, "Me, myself, I was growing up in the church. I should have stayed."
Shawn Quarles, who also spent time behind bars to the term of 6 months said, "If you weren't doing drugs, smoking drugs, selling drugs, you weren't cool. I thought that was the right thing to do and clearly as I got older, it's the wrong thing to do."
And a Cleveland mother named Maria, on hand to learn how to not let her boys slip away and into the wrong crowds, "My kids sometimes they be like 'Mommy can I play outside in the streets' and I say no. I say no I don't play that. So I keep them safe in the house."