COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther is expected to announce the expansion of the community safety initiative at his State of the City address on Thursday. The initiative has been at the center of protests and demands since the police involved shooting death of Henry Green last summer.

An increase in uniformed and plain-clothed police officers patrols high crime areas during the summer months. The law enforcement blitz targets areas with high crime rates.

“In general, it was successful in reducing crime,” said Columbus Public Safety Director Ned Pettus Jr. The program has existed for years under several different names.

“Every resident on every street in every neighborhood deserves to be safe and that’s our goal,” Pettus explained.

The People’s Justice Project had demanded this program end after Henry Green was shot and killed. Tammy Fournier Alsaada wanted city funds diverted from this program and used for other community based solutions.

“People are really upset that our city is not in tune with what we have been asking for…and our mayor is not listening to the cries of the people,” Alsaada said.

Alsaada believes “over-policing” will not solve the crime problem and that solutions must be comprehensive and address other systemic problems in these neighborhoods.

“We understand that a lot of this crime is a direct result of no investment in our young people, jobs, and economics,” she added. “It’s not just policing. Many communities have tried to police their way out of a problem.”

Pettus said the initiative is being re-tooled to enhance community-police relations by emphasizing community education, outreach and ridealongs. One new pilot program in Linden will even encourage community residents to take a more active role in crime prevention in their neighborhoods.

Alsaada said her group and community faith leaders are planning a one-mile prayer march Thursday evening. They will march from the Hope City House of Prayer to the Columbus Police Academy to rally and pray before Mayor Ginther’s State of the City address.