CINCINNATI -- Kamisha Webster is a single mom working two jobs to support her kids, daughter Kaleya, 12, and son Scott, 2.
When she gets home from a hard-day's work, she has to worry about much more than just fixing dinner. Webster lives at Hawaiian Terrace in Mount Airy, and she said the neighborhood echoes with the sound of gunfire every night.
"It's trouble, trouble all the time, all the way down there and across the street," she said.
Kaleya wants to go outside with her friends before the weather turns cold again. But she knows her mom's rules: No going across the street.
The nighttime sound of violence in the street is so common, Webster has a routine for her kids.
"It makes me feel scared, 'cause when there be gunshots, me and my mom would grab everything that we have, grab Scott, go right by stairs and stay right there," Kaleya said.
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Webster organized a residents' council, trying to improve safety. Interim Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said she's on the right track.
"When people believe you're going to tell what's going on in the community, going to relay that, be a partner in addressing the issue, that speaks volumes," Isaac said.
Webster said the police department has promised more frequent patrols and an officer at her next residents' council meeting.
Chief's Advice
Interim Chief Isaac says there are a few keys to keeping your neighborhood safe:
Get to know your neighbors.
Be a good witness. Police don't always know what's happening if you don't tell them.
Organize your own neighborhood watch. Check out the Block Watcher Manual and the United Way's Neighborhood Watch List.
