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Residents tell Lima City Council of loose dogs and bar‑related violence affecting neighborhoods
Summary
Two residents raised safety concerns during public comment: a 77‑year‑old described repeated off‑leash dogs and unreturned calls to the mayor and police, and a neighbor reported 118 police calls to a nearby bar since 2022.
Two residents used the council’s public comment period to raise neighborhood safety concerns, reporting repeated loose dogs and frequent police calls tied to a neighborhood bar.
Ralph Moore, who identified himself as living at 700 Loretta Place, told councilors the neighborhood has experienced “menacing, intimidation, and trespassing,” including pit bulls running loose without leashes and racial and ethnic slurs. Moore said he left a detailed voicemail for the mayor and received no response. He said police had sometimes refused to make reports, had not provided badge numbers and at one point a neighbor was told officers wanted to arrest them after calling a supervisor. Moore said he has been threatened and asked the council for help.
Later in the public comment period, Jared Gannon, who said he lives at 726 North Elizabeth Street and is affiliated with a nearby bar, told councilors that from July 2022 through April there were 118 police calls to the bar’s address. Gannon gave a breakdown he said came from police records: an average of 3.57 calls per month, including five calls for shootings, eight for noise complaints, 11 for harassment and 15 for fights. He said he had four hit‑and‑run incidents at his vehicle in the last four years and that his children are afraid to play outside as a result.
Gannon said he had contacted the bar owner and local ward councilor previously and asked the council for help; he told the council the owner responded, “feel free to move.” Gannon said he informed first‑ward Councilor Todd Gordon, who was not present at the meeting.
Councilors acknowledged the comments during the meeting and several referred to ongoing neighborhood outreach and upcoming ward walk events intended to connect residents with officials. Councilor Nipper thanked the residents for coming forward and said staff and police are working to address the situation.
No formal council action or vote on either issue was recorded during the meeting; both items were raised during the privilege-of-the-floor public comment period. Councilors urged residents to report incidents to police and to continue communicating with ward representatives so the city can respond.
